1. The application package that gets you approved
Toronto rentals move fast — good units often receive multiple applications within days. Having a complete, professional package ready before you start viewing is the single biggest advantage a renter can give themselves. Here’s what landlords typically want to see:
- Completed rental application — in the GTA this is usually the OREA Form 410.
- Employment letter — on company letterhead stating position, salary and length of employment.
- Recent pay stubs — usually your two most recent.
- Credit report with score — Equifax or TransUnion; many landlords use screening services like SingleKey. Pro move: run your own SingleKey Verified Tenant Profile (about $25) and attach it — you look prepared and there are no surprises.
- References — a previous landlord and/or employer.
- Government photo ID
Know your rights:
A landlord can ask for your Social Insurance Number but cannot require it — a credit check runs fine with just your name, address and date of birth. Blanket “income rule” cutoffs (like the 30% rent-to-income test) are not allowed under Ontario human rights guidance, and a lack of Canadian credit or rental history can’t be held against newcomers. Landlords in Ontario also cannot discriminate based on grounds protected by the Human Rights Code (including race, family status, disability, or receipt of public assistance).
New to Canada or self-employed with thin credit? Don’t self-reject. There are proven ways to build a strong file — larger income documentation, bank statements, guarantors, prepaid rent offered voluntarily — and we know which landlords are flexible. This is exactly what we help with, free.
2. Deposits: what’s legal in Ontario, what isn’t
| Deposit type | Legal? | Details |
|---|
| Rent deposit (last month’s rent) | ✅ Yes | Maximum one month’s rent. Must be applied to your final month — it is not a damage fund. The landlord owes you interest on it annually. |
| Key deposit | ✅ Yes | Refundable, and only up to the actual replacement cost of keys/fobs. |
| Damage / security deposit | ❌ No | Not permitted under the Residential Tenancies Act. A landlord demanding one is breaking the law. |
| Pet deposit | ❌ No | Not permitted. “No pets” clauses in leases are also generally void in Ontario (condo corporation rules can be an exception). |
3. The Ontario Standard Lease
Since April 30, 2018, most residential tenancies in Ontario must use the government’s Standard Form of Lease. It’s written in plain language and spells out rent, deposits, utilities, and both parties’ responsibilities. If a landlord won’t provide it, you can demand it in writing — and if it still doesn’t arrive within 21 days, the law lets you withhold up to one month’s rent.
When we represent you, we prepare and review the entire lease package — and strike out any clause that isn’t enforceable.
4. After you move in: rent increases, entry and repairs
- Rent increases: allowed only once every 12 months, with at least 90 days’ written notice, and normally capped by Ontario’s annual rent increase guideline — 2.1% for 2026 (it was 2.5% in 2025, and 1.9% is already announced for 2027). Important exception: most units first occupied after November 15, 2018 are exempt from the guideline cap.
- Entry: except in emergencies (or with your consent), a landlord must give 24 hours’ written notice and enter between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
- Repairs: the landlord is responsible for keeping the unit in a good state of repair — even if the lease says otherwise.
5. The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB)
Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Board — part of Tribunals Ontario — resolves disputes between tenants and landlords: maintenance issues, illegal charges, bad-faith evictions, and more. Tenants can file their own applications (the “T-forms”), and if you ever receive a notice from your landlord (N4 for non-payment, N12 for landlord’s own use, etc.), read it carefully: a notice is not an eviction. Only the LTB can end a tenancy. Tenant applications cost just $53 on paper or $48 filed online, and fee waivers exist for low income.
Most common tenant applications (T1, T2, T5, T6) can now be filed online through the Tribunals Ontario Portal, which also lets you upload evidence, track your case, and use the built-in dispute-resolution tool to try to reach an agreement before a hearing. The LTB also offers free mediation, and its “Navigate Tribunals Ontario” tool walks you through your rights and the process step by step.
Official LTB website (Tribunals Ontario) →
Ontario.ca: Renting in Ontario — Your Rights →
6. Rental scams & red flags
- Rent dramatically below market for the area — the #1 scam signal.
- “Landlord” who can’t show the unit in person or pressures you to send money before a viewing.
- Requests for e-transfer deposits to “hold” a unit you haven’t seen.
- Photos stolen from old sale listings (reverse-image-search them).
- Any demand for a damage deposit or more than first + last month’s rent.
Research your landlord before you sign:
OpenRoom (openroom.ca) is a free, publicly searchable database of Landlord and Tenant Board orders — and a consumer reporting agency registered with the Ontario government. Search your prospective landlord’s name before signing: past tribunal orders for illegal charges, bad-faith evictions, or ignored maintenance are the strongest red flag there is. We run this check on every unit our clients apply to.
Search OpenRoom →
The simplest scam protection:
work with a licensed professional. We verify every listing against the MLS®, confirm ownership, and handle funds properly through brokerage trust processes. It costs you nothing.
7. Move-in day checklist
- Photograph/video every room, wall, floor and appliance — timestamped, before boxes come in.
- Test smoke and CO alarms, locks, taps, toilets, stove and heat.
- Get all keys/fobs and note the key deposit amount in writing.
- Set up hydro/gas/internet accounts and record meter readings.
- Get your landlord’s legal name, address for notices, and emergency contact — you’re entitled to them.
- Consider tenant insurance — inexpensive, and many leases require it.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For legal questions about your specific tenancy, consult a lawyer, community legal clinic, or the Landlord and Tenant Board.