Renting Off Campus FAQs

The information provided here is legal information only. It is not legal advice and is provided without any warranty of any kind and at the sole risk of the user.

Can my landlord forbid me from having a pet?

According to section 14 of the RTA, the No Pet Clause is completely void (2006, c. 17, s. 14). A landlord cannot refuse to rent to you if you have a pet. BUT! There are limitations to this. If there is a severe allergy in the house, the pet interferes with reasonable enjoyment, or the species/breed is inherently dangerous.

Can my landlord charge a security deposit?

According to section 105 of the RTA, a landlord cannot charge any kind of deposit other than a rent deposit (usually first and last month’s rent is requested) (2006, c. 17, s. 105 (1)).

Do I have to re-sign a lease in order to stay in my unit?

At the end of a yearly or fixed term tenancy, tenants do not need to re-sign a lease in order to stay in the unit. According to section 38 of the RTA, if a tenant does not give a notice of renewal or termination, the agreement becomes a month-to-month arrangement (2006, c. 17, s. 38 (1)).

My landlord says I can’t have guests?

Your landlord cannot prevent you from having guests over (parties notwithstanding). As long as you abide by the City of Guelph property standards regulations, you are welcome to have people over and for as long as you please.

Can my landlord just come into the house whenever they please?

A landlord may enter a unit without written notice if you permit it or if there is an emergency. Otherwise, a landlord must provide 24h written notice. They must be entering the unit for a reasonable purpose (2006, c. 17, s. 27 (1)).

What are my responsibilities as a tenant?

As a tenant, you are responsible for:

The ordinary cleanliness of the unit
Any damage you or one of your guests cause
Not to harass, obstruct, coerce, threaten or interfere with the landlord
Not to change the locks
To terminate the tenancy in accordance with the RTA (2006, c. 17, s. 33 – 36).

Ugh, my landlord / roommates sucks, how can I get out of my lease?

You are responsible for carrying out the terms of your lease agreement. This being said, if you want to leave your rental unit entirely and never come back you can assign your lease to another tenant. You need your landlord’s approval of the potential assignee (BUT! If they don’t respond within seven days you’re entitled to terminate the lease!)

Can my landlord charge extra $$ for late rent?

No. your landlord cannot charge you additional fees for paying rent late (2006, c. 17, s. 134 (1)).

Eek! My landlord is threatening to evict me? Can they do that?

Yes, your landlord can evict you, but there are certain constraints. Eviction can only happen for issues such as misrepresentation of income, not paying your rent, illegal acts (this includes drugs), undue damage to the unit (plus a few more). In order to evict you, they must have filed an application with the board. You will know that they’ve gone through with this because they will serve you an eviction on a form from the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Something is broken! What do I do?

Your landlord has a responsibility to keep your unit in a good state of repair that complies with health and safety standards. This means that they are responsible for fixing broken appliances or parts of the house. If your landlord refuses to fix something, you can file an application with the board to have them resolve the issue to ensure your rental unit is fixed (2006, c. 17, s. 20 (1)).