Lease. Successfully.
I will help you complete a professional tenant profile that landlords engage with. Landlords receive several applications for the same property. A strong profile tells them right away that you can pay rent, you’ll take good care of their home, and are financially responsible.
The process starts with a conversation about your budget and needs, followed by submitting your documentation so we’re ready to act quickly. I’ll then schedule showings that fit your criteria, prepare and present your offer, negotiate terms, and guide you through lease signing and move-in.
Required Documentation
Before we begin viewing properties, I need to have your complete documentation in hand. Providing these documents upfront is non-negotiable. Without them, showings cannot be scheduled. This step demonstrates to landlords that you’re a serious applicant and ensures we can move quickly when the right property comes along.
The required documents are:
A completed rental application
Government issued photo ID
Proof of income
Full Equifax credit report
Why This Matters
Submitting a complete application package sets you apart in a competitive market. Landlords want reassurance that they are choosing tenants who can pay rent on time, care for the property, and manage their financial commitments responsibly. By presenting a strong tenant profile at the start, you increase your chances of approval and position yourself as the kind of applicant landlords prefer to work with.
Landlord Rights to Tenant Information
In Ontario, landlords are legally entitled to request certain personal information to evaluate your rental application. This includes employment and income details to confirm your ability to pay rent, your credit history to assess your reliability with payments, your rental history and references to understand your past tenancy behaviour. They are also entitled to obtain a copy of government issued photo ID to confirm you are who you say you are.
One of the easiest ways to put this in perspective is to imagine yourself as the landlord. You would want to know who is living in your property, whether their income is sufficient to cover the rent, and if their credit history shows they can be relied upon to pay on time.
FAQs
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I ask for your documents before showings because it allows me to advocate for you from the very first conversation with a listing agent. When I call to confirm availability, they will ask about the tenant profile. With your documents in hand, I can present a strong, compelling case about why you’re the ideal tenant. This way, we control the narrative, and by the time your offer is submitted, you are pre-qualified.
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You can order your full report directly from Equifax online. Be sure to download the complete PDF version. It’s free. The inquiry doesn’t impact your score and you can check your credit report as often as you like.
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Yes, I can, but it’s not usually advisable. When I run your credit report, it creates a hard inquiry, which may impact your score. The better option is for you to request your own full Equifax credit report and provide it to me directly. If it’s unavoidable and I need to run it on your behalf, I’ll require your written consent through Form 410 (Rental Application) along with your SIN number.
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Landlords want to see that your earnings comfortably support the rent. Pay stubs and a letter of employment are the most common forms, but recent bank statements can also be used if you’re self-employed or have variable income. Your two most recent Notice of Assessments from the CRA are also a highly regarded form of proof, as they provide verified confirmation of your income history.
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Your documents are used only for preparing an official offer to lease and are provided solely to the landlord or listing agent for the property you’re applying to. Until then, they remain securely stored and handled with discretion. As your real estate agent, I am also ethically and legally bound by the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act (REBBA) to protect and properly store your personal information.
In Ontario, landlords are required by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) to keep your personal information confidential. This means they can’t disclose your details without your consent, and they must safeguard, store, and, if requested, securely destroy or return your documents. Failure to comply with PIPEDA can result in financial penalties and legal consequences for landlords, which gives you confidence that your information will be handled with care.
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When you make an Offer to Lease, you agree to pay first and last month’s rent as your deposit. If your offer is accepted, the deposit must be paid within 24 hours, so you will need access to two months rent. The deposit is usually provided in the form of a bank draft made out to the listing brokerage’s trust account. After you move in, the brokerage transfers the deposit to the landlord, minus any real estate fees owed by the landlord. The tenant does not pay real estate fees.
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In certain cases, offering a larger deposit can strengthen your application. This is most useful if your credit report shows missed payments, a consumer proposal, or a bankruptcy. It may also help if your income is less than twice the monthly rent or if you are self-employed, since landlords sometimes apply extra scrutiny in those situations.
We can discuss this strategy together. I have helped many self-employed applicants and individuals who are rebuilding their credit secure leases.
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Yes. In Ontario, landlords can require tenants to carry tenant insurance. This coverage protects you by insuring your personal belongings against risks like fire, theft, or water damage. Tenant insurance can also cover the cost of temporary accommodations if you are displaced due to an unforeseen event such as a fire, mold, or a severe pest infestation.
Landlords will ask for proof of insurance before your move-in date, and many will make it a condition of handing over the keys.
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Any clause in a lease that says “no pets” is unenforceable by the landlord under the Residential Tenancies Act. However, there are important exceptions. If your pet is dangerous, causes serious damage, disturbs other tenants, or you live in a condominium building with specific pet restrictions, the landlord may have grounds to end your tenancy. In that case, they must serve you with the proper forms and the matter will be reviewed by the Landlord Tenant Board, which will make a decision based on the landlord’s claims. In shared spaces such as a basement apartment with upper and lower tenants, there may also be a grey area if another tenant claims they have a pet allergy, in which case the tenant making the claim would need to provide evidence of the allergy before it could be considered a valid issue.
In most cases, as long as your pet is safe, well-behaved, and does not create problems for neighbours or the property, your right to keep them is protected.
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99% of the time, no. In addition to that, some properties may require the tenant to pay for the rental of a hot water tank (if it is not owned by the landlord).
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With a strong tenant profile, eg. Excellent credit report, low rent-to-income ratio, light “footprint”, there is an excellent chance you can negotiate the rent or another term of the lease.