Renting in Toronto: true or false (apartment, rental, condo)

[rgpg_99]

I've been apartment hunting for a couple of months now, and I've seen different practices by different landlords. Although the Residential Tenancies Act (http://www.ltb.gov.on.ca/en/Key_Info...02_111677.html) is clear on a number of things, there seems to be a grey area sometimes (or, at least, a different interpretation on the part of some landlords). There are some points I wanted to get your input on:

- I keep hearing "The way we do it in Canada is like this: you give me first and last, and 10 postdated checks." I know the old tenancies act prohibited postdated checks, but the new one allows landlors to "suggest" it (although no alternative is provided if you do not agree). Are posdated check a "de facto" obligation?

- I still keep getting requests for a security deposit, but the Tenancies Act specifically prohibit that. Are landlords "fishing" for it, thinking a newcomer will not know any better? Or do landlords really ignore what the act says?

- I keep seeing "No pets allowed" ads, but the Tenancies Act specifically prohibits that.

- I keep being turned down because I'm new in town and not employed yet, although I have bank statements to show enough savings to afford rent. I thought employment status could not be used to decide whether to rent to you or not...

- I keep seeing forms that request a SIN number. We are not obligated to provide it, still, I've been told "You forgot to include the SIN, we need it for your background check."

- Regarding banking information, most forms request a savings account number. I've provided my checking account number, because that number is visible on the checks anyway, so the number cannot be kept secret. But a savings account number? What does a landlor think he/she can do with that? It's not that they can call the bank and ask "Could you tell me if this number is correct, who the owner is, and what the balance is?" Or do they have any special permission to do that?

Anyway, I would welcome your input on any of the above.

[dougie86]

I've heard that it is a nightmare to be a landlord in Ontario, and I thought BC was bad.
It is illegal too in BC to check on tenants' criminal records, but some landlords do it discretely. Heck, those people have more rights .
A void check is sufficient imho, that's what I normally ask from my tenants. You can give him a crossed out/void check.
If you cannot get references from a local employer since your are not yet employed, or from a previous landlord, try a local resident or your banker.

[ThroatGuzzler]

ANY job is a credible job, even if it's something temporary like one at the local grocery store or restaurant. Once you have a job under your belt it'll be MUCH easier to secure a place. I'd suggest to go job hunting for whatever you can find, at least you'll have some leverage when it comes to finding a permanent place of residence.

Also never, ever give out your SIN number unless it's for employment purposes only; landlords have no right to see those documents.

[rgpg_99]

Originally Posted by dougie86

If you cannot get references from a local employer since your are not yet employed, or from a previous landlord, try a local resident or your banker.

By now I have been at my current (temporary) place for a few months, so the landlord told me I could use him as a reference. That's a beginning, but it's a reference that covers only a short period of time. I guess, as with credit history, you have to build a "reference history" over time.

I wonder how students from out of town (including international students) do it, since they have no local rental history and no credit history...

[rgpg_99]

Originally Posted by ThroatGuzzler

ANY job is a credible job, even if it's something temporary like one at the local grocery store or restaurant. Once you have a job under your belt it'll be MUCH easier to secure a place.

I actually got a job offer last week from an international wireless provider to start in mid-October. So now at least I can say "I'm starting a new job next month." The job is entry-level and part-time, so I don't know if the low annual income would be enough to make me a stronger applicant. We'll see how that works.

[dougie86]

Originally Posted by rgpg_99

I wonder how students from out of town (including international students) do it, since they have no local rental history and no credit history...

Usually they are referred by their schools/colleges. Not to paint all with a stroke of brush, but there were complaints that some burned down a condo downtown and a house in the northshores.

[Jazzz]

In the City of Toronto there is an Unhealthy relationship between landlords and tenants.
during the initial application, landlords tend to act like a voyeur on applicants by asking irrelevant informations such as bank statement (what if i had 700k in my account and i don't want to share this information with the first coming landbeatlord??)
after the lease is signed the role are reversed, the tenants tend to vange the hardship inflicted by the landlord and become the abusers.
it should be like in montreal, a dynamic system, easy to rent and easy to kick out for trouble makers