Ontario landlords can only ask first and last month rent
May 7, 2026East York · Experience date Feb 16, 2026
Ontario landlords can only ask for first and last month's rent — no additional deposit by law. My landlord asked for a post-dated cheque for last month. Total upfront was $3,700. Get a receipt for everything.
Zumper and Kijiji for rentals — move fast or lose it
May 7, 2026Leslieville · Experience date Jan 29, 2026
Found a 1-bed in Leslieville on Zumper for $1,850/month. Messaged the landlord within 30 minutes of listing, viewed next morning, signed that afternoon. Have your documents ready before searching.
Renter's insurance in Ontario — relatively cheap, strongly recommended
Apr 22, 2026Kensington Market · Experience date Feb 24, 2026
Renter's insurance (tenant insurance) is highly recommended in Toronto — some landlords require it as a lease condition. Coverage: your personal belongings (theft, fire, water damage), personal liability (if you accidentally flood a neighbour's unit), and additional living expenses if you're displaced. Cost: $15–30 CAD/month for most Toronto apartments. Providers: Intact, Aviva, TD Insurance, Sonnet (good digital interface). Buy online in 15 minutes. Required documents: apartment address, estimated value of belongings. Many Toronto condos have had water damage from burst pipes — tenant insurance is the difference between a manageable inconvenience and a financial disaster.
Contributor: Lucas Mendes Toronto winter and apartment heating — what to know
Apr 17, 2026Midtown · Experience date Nov 15, 2025
Toronto winters are serious: November–March average -5 to -10°C, with occasional -20°C cold snaps. Apartment heating: most Toronto condos and apartments have electric baseboard heaters or forced air furnace. Heat is often included in rent (especially older apartment buildings) or controlled by the tenant via thermostat (condos). Cold apartments: request the heating test in autumn before signing a winter lease — turn on the heat during your viewing. Windows: double-glazed in modern condos, single-pane in older buildings (much more expensive to heat). Drafty older apartments: add window film insulation (Canadian Tire, $20–40 per window) to reduce heat loss significantly. Always ask: 'Is heat included?' before signing.
Contributor: Anna Kowalski Landlord's use of credit check — how expats handle the lack of Canadian credit
Apr 11, 2026De Pijp · Experience date Apr 29, 2026
Most Toronto landlords require a Canadian credit check (Equifax or TransUnion). New arrivals have no Canadian credit history — not bad credit, just no credit. Strategies that work: (1) Provide an international credit report (US Experian/FICO is widely accepted; Equifax and TransUnion operate in multiple countries — get a report from your home country). (2) Provide 6 months bank statements showing sufficient savings/income. (3) Offer to pay 3–6 months rent upfront. (4) Get an employer guarantee letter from a recognisable Canadian company. (5) Use a co-signer with Canadian credit (another Canadian resident who vouches for you). Most landlords accept one of these alternatives from professional expats.
Finding apartments — Zumper, PadMapper, Rentals.ca
Apr 5, 2026Liberty Village · Experience date Apr 26, 2026
Main platforms for Toronto rentals: Zumper (most used, good UI, covers entire GTA), PadMapper (aggregates from multiple sources), Rentals.ca (Canada-specific, good coverage), Kijiji (Craigslist equivalent, more budget and direct-landlord listings), Facebook Marketplace (surprisingly active for Toronto rentals — deals with fewer middlemen). For shared housing: Roomies.com, SpareRoom, and Toronto-specific Facebook groups (search 'Toronto Apartments for Rent' or 'Expats in Toronto Housing'). Response time matters enormously — message within 1 hour of a good listing appearing. Set alerts on all platforms simultaneously and respond immediately.
Renting with pets in Toronto — realistic expectations
Mar 27, 2026King West · Experience date Dec 21, 2025
Landlords in Ontario cannot legally refuse to rent to you because you have a pet (Ontario Human Rights Code protections). In practice: many Toronto landlords include 'no pets' clauses in leases — these clauses are technically unenforceable in Ontario but some landlords still try to enforce them. Practical reality: being upfront about pets increases rejection rate. Strategies: small, quiet pets (cats, small dogs) are easiest. Ask about pets after the landlord has shown interest in your application. Condo buildings: the condo corporation's rules may prohibit pets — separate from the landlord's lease. Check the condo's pet policy with the property manager before applying for a condo unit.