TENANT Side – How We Can Help

If you have not already, please review our general information about how we can assist you by clicking here and come back afterwards.

Future Landlord checks

How do you know if the Landlord is going to let you enjoy the rental unit in peace?

There are several ways in which tenants can verify whether their potential landlord will be a good one.

The first search would be from previous or current tenants. Reach out and see what they say about the landlord. Do they make timely repairs or do they take their sweet time? Did they kick out the last tenant, and was the reason justified? We can help you doing the work to find previous/current tenants and make inquiries to them.

Then, there is a Landlord Tenant Board decision search. Has the landlord been before the Tribunal before, what were the claims and what was the result? There are many ways can we can make sure the landlord is using the official process correctly and not abusing it.

Assuming that you don’t have any obvious concerns about the Landlord, the next issue will be the rental agreement. We can review the agreement to ensure that the correct information is contained within it and that the agreement is fair and true to the law. Did you know that the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 governs rental agreements and specifies what can and cannot be in them? Also, the ‘RTA’ requires a specific form to be used in residential tenancies. We can ensure that any agreement is drafted in compliance with all laws so you have the confidence to sign it knowing you are protected.

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Landlord/Tenant Relationship Rules

Once you have agreed to rent a property, do you know what your tenant responsibilities are to the landlord are? It’s more than just paying your rent on time and in full. The Landlord can apply to the ‘LTB’ if you don’t.

Did you know there are special circumstances where you can withhold rent? We can help you review the circumstances to see if that option is right for you. There are other responsibilities you have and we can discuss what they mean. Contact us with any questions you may have.

The landlord so has certain responsibilities, did you know that? One of them is they are required to make repairs to the rental unit as soon as possible. If they don’t, you might have cause to get an abatement (reduction in future rent payment as compensation for something) because of the lack of repairs. But DO NOT withhold rent because you feel it is justified. It will only provide the landlord the ability to evict for non-payment. Let us review the situation and recommend a course of action, from negotiation with the Landlord to filing an application with the Landlord and Tenant Board. Always make sure you are protected before taking any actions on your own.

There are also many things a landlord cannot do. If you think the landlord is doing something wrong, talk to us before you take any actions. Often times, they are not wrong and a simple explanation is needed. Sometimes, they are wrong and we can help them to understand and discuss resolutions to make it right, or we can take it the ‘LTB’ for decision. Bottom line, get assistance before you do anything.

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Termination of the Rental Agreement

When it is time for the you to move, either on the landlord’s request or by your own intentions, there are rules that must be followed to ensure that all parties are treated fairly.

We can help you to navigate the notices that are required. Of course, you can move out at any time you like and we can discuss your reasons and help you understand your obligations on termination of the rental agreement.

Contact us before you take ANY steps to end your tenancy. You may be entitled to compensation if the landlord is acting badly. If you leave without providing the proper notice, the landlord may seek damages. So contact us first!

If, for any reason, you have been given an order to vacate by the LTB, we can help you to understand what that means and when you have to do something. No one wants to involve the Sheriff, so if we can help in any way, from contesting the order to applying for compensation due to the landlord’s actions, we are ready to assist.

All you have to do is contact us and we will do everything we can to either assist you or direct you to someone who can.

Our only job is to help you!