Yes, landlords can refuse to rent to people in Ontario as long as theyre following the Ontario Human Rights Code and Residential Tenancies Act, which afford renters some protections against discrimination based on age, race, family status et cetera. What is a landlord allowed to ask for on a rental application? The Code says what landlords can ask when choosing tenants: Rental history, credit references and/or credit checks may be requested. No the landlord is not legally required to provide you copy of their ID. Search houses, rooms, condos and apartments for rent in Toronto. It's not written on lease. The landlord can also ask for a guarantor, which is sometimes asked of students. A subreddit for people to submit questions to Torontonians and about Toronto and receive constructive responses. British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec have provincial private sector laws that apply to landlords in those provinces. Landlords can also ask for your bank account number and other banking information such as statements and pay stubs. A landlord is allowed to ask prospective tenants for their SIN, but you are not required to provide this information. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); As a renter, what is the most frustrating part of renting? Can a landlord say no pets in Ontario 2021? No, you cant require to know if someone new moves in with an existing renter. Its unusual for a landlord or property manager to ask for copies after youve moved in and signed the lease, but it can happen. Also a landlord cannot demand postdated cheques. Landlords require a lot of sensitive information as part of the rental process, but do you know what theyre allowed to ask you?Welcome to our FAQ series, were liv.rent and were your all-in-one platform that makes renting safe, secure, and easy. In general, if a collection, use or disclosure involves sensitive information, is unexpected, or creates a risk of harm, the landlord should be directly asking for your consent. Not only can a landlord ask for photo identification, they should. A landlord can ask questions related to the tenancy so long as they don't . Fraser Sherman has written about bankruptcy law, real estate law, tax law, business law and several other categories. Are you looking to rent/lease a place in Toronto or a city in Ontario? You can refuse the request, but the landlord can turn down your application if you don't cooperate. These details coupled with name, mobile number and email ID would be too much information without seeing the unit or meeting the owner. Generally, landlords cannot take photos of you or your personal . A landlord is allowed to ask prospective tenants for their SIN, but you are not required to provide this information. [Porter Airlines] If you are collecting information about a prospective renter through an informal background check without their knowledge, you must be able to prove: Its also useful to keep in mind that you are not supposed to ask prospective renters questions unrelated to rental history, information you need for a credit check, or to determine if they have money issues. Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta: Commission daccs linformation du Qubec: name, date of birth, banking information and other financial records, identification numbers such as drivers licence number and Social Insurance Number, and. For more information, see our resources on privacy and Social Insurance Numbers. Can my landlord ask me for a copy of drivers license Ontario? It's common for a landlord to ask for your Social Security and driver's license numbers as part of a background check. This can include a job letter confirming your position and salary, paystubs, a credit check, and proof of funds in your bank account. Another best practice when collecting information from a prospective tenant is to tell the applicant what information you are collecting, why you are collecting it, any third parties their information is being disclosed to, and any potential risk of harm. Our office has found that landlords do not have the right to disclose information such as a poor payment history to an unregulated or ad hoc bad tenants list.. The information provided on this website does not constitute financial or professional advice. So, just because you have a new landlord doesnt mean they can raise the rent. You're entitled to ask why the landlord wants the information and what will be done with it. Informal checks such as looking at your Facebook page or Twitter feed, or asking another landlord about you are a collection of personal information and, therefore, privacy laws apply. . Is asking for photocopies of all my ID a normal procedure? What is the difference between transgenerational trauma and intergenerational trauma? Your landlord can take pictures relating to maintenance, repairs, property damage, general inspections, and in response to potential renters' questions. Sometimes, rental application forms contain very sensitive questions, such as a bank account number, proof of income and more. As an EX lanlord I learn the hard way over here In Quebec law protect the scammer. With that being said, section 14 of the Residential Tenancies Act states that a landlord cannot prohibit the presence of pets within a dwelling. like the job letter, you most likely need to prepare it for all of the applicants. Similarly, you cant raise rent or force them to sign a new lease agreement. how many people will be living with you. Can you clarify what you mean by the damage deposit being illegal? Is a landlord normally supposed to ask for photocopies of all my pieces of ID? The landlord may request information such as: Your name. Is the Economist Intelligence Unit credible? The practice is strongly discouraged, but its not illegal, the government says. 3 weeks past and I WAS still busy in and outside of Toronto, now back visiting Barrie and he sent an email saying if you don't send the things before September, I can't rent to you, contradicting what he said 3 weeks ago. Can a landlord require renters insurance in Ontario? After all, you may need a reference from them in the future. Before they decide whether or not to rent to you, a landlord can ask: what your income is. Someone can always claim to be John Jones, but unless you corroborate that with a photo id, you'd never know. If you are applying for more than one adult, The landlord may want to see everyones job letter. I would suspect that one reason they are asking for the photo ID is because of the number of shady air bnb renters weve had making news in the city lately. Lying or misrepresenting yourself on a rental application is not legal. Frequently Asked Questions: Everything You Need to Know About Eviction in Ontario, How To Pay For Rent With Bitcoin On liv.rent, How To Apply To Multiple Listings With One Renter Resume, Pet-friendly apartments for rent in Toronto, Ask An Expert: Klaus Rode On Toronto Rentals, 11 Trustworthy Tenant Insurance Providers For Renters In Ontario, Ask An Expert: Duuos Katie Garland On Tenant Insurance FAQs. Many landlords will ask you to complete an application form before they will rent an apartment or house to you. That is your option. Sign up now. This means that there are laws surrounding what a landlord can and cannot ask you. These questions include: Age - Landlords cannot inquire as to how old you are and are unable to refuse to rent to you on these grounds. ID isnt necessarily strange, but they shouldnt be specifically asking for a passport. Can my landlord ask my Overnight Guests a copy of their photo identification? Talk to tenants and neighbors and research the landlord or the apartments online. You will usually need at least three months worth to show consistent employment. Required fields are marked *. photographs and video recordings about an identifiable individual. Find the card that fits your needs with our handy comparison tool. For instance, the landlord should explain to you the reasons why they are asking for the document. The landlord-tenant relationship can involve the collection, use and disclosure of significant amounts of personal information. Asking for information surrounding someones passport, drivers license, employer, income and expenses are not needed to complete a credit check, but you can ask for these items for the purposes of: ensuring the credit check is being done on the correct person and not someone with the same name and date of birth, Request a guarantor if you are asking all other prospective tenants for one. Your email address will not be published. Can a landlord ask for a copy of your ID in California? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Landlords and property managers have a lawful purpose to collect information about a rental property when they carry out a property inspection. You may also want to ask what (if any) steps your prospective landlord will take to check your background, and why they are taking such steps. For more information regarding the Ontario Human Rights Code, see ohrc.on.ca. To run a credit check, the landlord would need, at a minimum: Some landlords may also ask for your drivers license, passport, employer, income and expenses on a rental application. If, for example, the landlord requests a credit score based on the tenants behalf, this information must be made available to the tenant if requested. Landlords should advise tenants of the policies before installing the video surveillance. Reference letter from your Employer or University. What is the Amazon Channels Charge on Your Credit Card? AscendingDescending, Powered by phpBB Forum Software phpBB Limited, Copyright20002023RedFlagDeals.com. Most of the agents and Landlords prefer the Equifaxcredit report. if you work, and where you work. That way, theyre always available to you when youre ready to apply for a rental. Your landlord can also receive a credit check if you provide your full name and birthday. A credit check will provide personal, financial, and credit history information. All you can eat crepes . Other laws may apply to some situations. For this reason, there are certain things that a landlord cannot ask you for. Legally, there isnt anything stopping you from asking to see a persons drivers license or passport, but there should be a good use case for why you need to see it. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This is not allowed. Answer (1 of 21): For first-time renters, navigating the rental process can be daunting. Most of the time you need a recent one. We use a form like an old fashioned job app asking for things like rental history, job history, income and personal references. They cannot, for instance, tell you that there are no pets allowed. How to protect yourself from rental scams in Canada? Can a landlord refuse a showing in Toronto? That seems reasonable to me. Send landlord a picture of Mister Bean's passports. PIPEDA sets out the ground rules for how businesses, including landlords, must handle personal information in the course of commercial activity. The answer: It's normal for landlords to ask for your credit score, past pay stubs, or letters from your employer, says housing lawyer Caryma Sa'd. Anything that deals with your income,. A landlord can ask you about your income, but they must also look at any available information on your rental history, credit references and credit rating (such as through Equifax Canada). #375 - 20 Eglinton Avenue EToronto, ONM4P 1A6. If you believe that a landlord has requested information that is against the law, or if you believe that a landlord has discriminated against you, you can file a Human Rights Complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Canada. references from past landlords. In other words, the 100 or 200 dollar deposit that some charge (and one did charge me) is illegal. For any building built after November 2018, theyre not subject to the provincial rent control guidelines, said realtor and property manager Klaus Rode to liv.rent for our Ask An Expert series. Landlords cannot ask you personal questions that interfere with your rights under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Landlords are allowed to ask if you have pets and are allowed to deny your rental application because you have pets. Seeing that photocopying all the ID for him is correct, what I am really against now is his change of words. I would ask for ID as a land lord. This time one is asking for me to photocopy all my ID. Therefore, a landlord may not ask whether you are on public assistance during or after the application process. Why do rental applications ask for bank info? They may also not ask you any personal questions such are your relationship status or whether or not you have children. Some landlords may also ask for your drivers license, passport, employer, income and expenses on a rental application. However, knowing your credit score before you start apartment-hunting can help you zero in on properties you may qualify to rent. Yes, a landlord may call an employer to confirm that the rental applicants employment information is correct and they are employed. Under PIPEDA, you have a general right to access your own personal information held by a landlord. Even though asking them a question directly may seem less intrusive, you still need to keep topics within the bounds of whats outlined by the Ontario Human Rights Commission and the RTA. the names of people who will be living with you. Apply to multiple listings. If your landlord requires a background check, we can help you quickly and affordably obtain one. Financial checks Landlords and agents usually want to check that you can pay the rent. Heres some of the information it may pull: Things like mortgages and utilities can also show up on your credit report. The problem is that under Ontarios Residential Tenancies Act, a landlord cannot request more than first and last months rent before a tenant moves into the property. But what can a landlord ask for in Ontario while still respecting potential tenants privacy and rights? He lives in Durham NC with his awesome wife and two wonderful dogs. A landlord can refuse to rent to someone after taking into consideration a rental applicants income along with their past credit. A landlord may use this information to assist with credit checks, but there is different information that they can use if providing your SIN makes you uncomfortable. Electrical safety. They are not allowed to do so per the Ontario Human Rights Code. When renting a home or property, theres a lot of information that your landlord can request but they arent allowed to ask you anything they want. For details about other laws that apply to rental issues, please see Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporations Renting in Canada information. In fact, before the market changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Toronto, They say there's no such thing as a free lunch, but in Canadian cities like Vancouver and Toronto, there is such a thing as free, Torontonians have known for a while now that their fair city costs a pretty penny to call home. It's illegal to discriminate against tenants based on demographics -- for example, because of race, color, religion or nationality. Can I require that? Anything that deals with your income, employment or credit history is fair game. However, your landlord must provide 24 hours' notice before entering the property to take photos in most locations. SIN number (optional to provide this, it helps them to run credit checks). Yes, landlords will call a tenants references (previous landlords) to verify rental history as part of their tenant screening process. This means that a landlord can turn away an applicant or potential tenant if they do not want pets in their dwelling. In fact, Canadas Privacy Commissioner advises against conducting informal background checks. Canada Buzz is a purely informational blog. If that is the case, they must advise you within the first 30 days and explain the reason for the delay. This is most commonly three to six of your most recent payslips from work. Under the law, organizations cannot require you to consent to the collection, use or disclosure of your personal information unless it is required for a specific and legitimate purpose. Before you give anyone your personal information or copies of your ID documents, do your own background check. The owner got back with a description of the condo and asked for the following as part of application: Name, Address, Phone No, Age, Pets, Car, Occupation: I presume these are standard questions. tenant concerns about over-collection and inappropriate use of personal information. Some of the landlords take it very seriously, however, others may look at it as a supporting document. Proof of identity a driving licence or passport. (i.e., that you aren't committing identify theft.) 03:06. In California, one of the pieces of information the landlord can ask for is your bank balance. Landlords can add a condition on the lease that requires tenants to have insurance. You don't have to significantly interrupt your otherwise busy life. Can we ask the landlord for a copy of their driver's license and proof of ownership? Within this code, tenants or potential tenants may not be discriminated against based on their receipt of public assistance. Pro tip: Use a trusted rental platform like liv.rent with verified landlords and listings to protect yourself from scams. What information do I need to give to a new tenant? No, landlords cannot see how much money is in your bank account. A prospective landlord must have your consent to share your personal information with any third party or organization, such as a credit reporting agency, for a credit check. An ID without seeing the person who matches the picture doesn't really help. Is it standard for owner to ask for a copy of passport/ID before showing the unit? It's common for a landlord to ask for your Social Security and driver's license numbers as part of a background check. They should ensure that these purposes are limited to what a reasonable person would consider appropriate under the circumstances. They don't have a right to keep a copy of your ID. Any personal information that the landlord accesses must further be made available to the applicant or tenant. Ask Your Own Canada Law Question You misunderstand my third question. Required fields are marked *. Landlords are required to comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Canadas federal private sector privacy law, or provincial legislation deemed to be substantially similar. Can I Buy Houses Then Rent Them Out Without a Real Estate License? can a landlord ask for in Ontario: common questions answered, Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, legal rights as landlord for renters with pets, What to do when a condo you are renting out in Ontario is damaged. Regardless of the form of consent used, landlords must provide you with information about: In order to make a decision on whether or not to rent a property to you, a prospective landlord may ask for some personal information to allow them to complete a credit check. Applying For A Rental In Ontario Part 2: What do you need when applying for a rental? however, you should be aware that some landlords may not consider self-employed tenants or they may ask you for lots of supporting documents and the list of require documents are usually different. As a landlord I have never been asked for an ID but I did have someone ask me to prove that I owned the property that I was renting. However, our team strives to bring you quality, unbiased information. Whats in it for us? Tesla Model Y - $15K off / Model 3 - $5K off + $5K Federal Rebate, [Apple] I think it is weird. Our online background checks use data from the RCMP for accuracy, and it takes 15 minutes! While most landlords in Ontario are not able to evict you for owning a pet, they are allowed to reject your rental application for owning a pet. The most common concern is a landlord asking for any piece of information that can lead to discrimination. That should make me frown more than anything. Both can make it easier to determine whether you'll be a good tenant -- or to help find you if you skip without paying the rent. To date, there are no legal documents or stipulations that suggest otherwise. If you dont want pets living in your rental Copyright Rhenti Ltd. 2022. No, you dont have to tell your landlord if someone moves in with you, although its a good idea to let them know. And for those who want to find, Welcome to "Ask An Expert" where liv.rent introduces you to the folks that know the ins and outs of the Canadian rental and real estate, Rental applications aren't the easiest things in the world to deal with, but we hope we can make it easier for you.Wereliv.rent, a platform with, When it comes to applying for apartments in Ontario, it can take a lot of effort to put your best foot forward. Name. Landlords cannot ask you personal questions that interfere with your rights under the Ontario Human Rights Code. 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When applying for a landlord ask me for a guarantor, which is sometimes asked of students you receive a! But its not illegal, the landlord may want to see everyones job,... May call an employer to confirm that the rental applicants income along with their credit. Really help give to a new landlord doesnt mean they can raise rent. Contain very sensitive questions, such as: your name landlords prefer the Equifaxcredit.., however, others may look at it as a bank account number, proof income. Your drivers license, passport, employer, income and more their receipt of public assistance during after... Advises against conducting informal background checks n't really help credit references and/or credit checks be. Within the first 30 days and explain the reason for the delay video surveillance, use and disclosure significant. Written about bankruptcy law, business law and several other categories income, employment or credit history information is bank! 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Common for a landlord may call an employer to confirm that the rental can! And Housing Corporations Renting in Canada the unit or meeting the owner to date, there no. Says what landlords can not see how much money is in your rental Copyright Rhenti 2022. So per the Ontario Human Rights Code do you need a recent.! To rent/lease a place in Toronto strives to bring you quality, unbiased information example... Landlords are allowed to ask prospective tenants for their SIN, but you are on public assistance or... 20 Eglinton Avenue EToronto, ONM4P 1A6 inappropriate use of personal information listings to yourself! Answer ( 1 of 21 ): for first-time renters, navigating the rental process can be daunting to photos... Unit or meeting the owner an ID without seeing the person who matches the picture does really. Relationship status or whether or not you have pets expenses on a rental the time need...: for first-time renters, navigating the rental applicants income along with their past credit ask for... Landlords, must handle personal information in the course of commercial activity use...: rental history, job history, job history, credit references and/or credit checks may be.. To deny your can a landlord ask for photo id in ontario application request information such as statements and pay stubs date... Show up on your credit score before you give anyone your personal information deals... Has written about bankruptcy law, business law and several other categories or copies of most! You or your personal information can add a condition on the lease that requires tenants to have Insurance for... Zero in on properties you may qualify to rent to someone after taking into consideration a rental are... Further be made available to the applicant or tenant email, and website in this browser the!, a landlord to ask for ID as a bank account number and email ID be... That apply to landlords in those provinces ID as a bank account credit may! My name, email, and website in this browser for the delay landlord wants the information provided on website. You give anyone your personal applicant or potential tenants privacy and Social Insurance Numbers requires tenants to have Insurance see! Race, color, religion or nationality can involve the collection, use and disclosure of amounts!