Tenant screening built for Ontario landlords.
Ontario law won't let you hold a damage deposit, so getting the applicant right matters more here than almost anywhere else. Verified identity, background and watchlist checks, and their Equifax credit, ready in minutes from $19.99.
What Ontario law actually says about renting.
Ontario's rules for deposits, rent increases, and evictions are stricter and more specific than most provinces. Here's what applies to you as a private landlord, sourced directly.
Who hears disputes, and under what law
Ontario rental disputes go to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB), part of Tribunals Ontario, under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. It covers deposits, rent increases, evictions, and maintenance disputes for most private residential tenancies.
Source: Tribunals Ontario · LTBNo damage deposit, ever
A security or damage deposit is illegal in Ontario, full stop. The only deposit you can collect is last month's rent, capped at one rent period and taken at or before signing, and you must pay or credit interest on it every year at the same rate as that year's rent-increase guideline.
Source: Residential Tenancies Act, 20062026 rent-increase guideline: 2.1%
The provincial guideline caps rent increases at 2.1% for 2026 (2.9% is already set for 2027), and only applies to units first occupied on or before November 15, 2018. Newer units are exempt entirely. Any increase needs 90 days' written notice on Form N1, and only once every 12 months.
Source: Residential Tenancies Act, 2006Eviction notice periods are changing
An N4 notice for unpaid rent currently requires 14 days' notice, dropping to 7 days for any N4 served on or after September 21, 2026, under Bill 60. An N12 notice for landlord's or family use still needs 60 days, and must land on the last day of a rental period or fixed term.
Source: Bill 60, Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025Screening has legal limits
Under Ontario Human Rights Commission policy, income can be one factor in a screening decision but never the only one: a hard cutoff like "must earn 3x rent" is not allowed. A lack of Canadian credit or rental history can't count against an applicant, and a guarantor requirement has to apply to everyone equally, not just certain applicants.
Source: Ontario Human Rights CommissionOne more quirk worth knowing
The LTB has no jurisdiction over guarantors. If you win a case at the LTB but the tenant can't pay, you have to sue the guarantor separately in Small Claims Court. And the LTB's own window to appeal or request a review shrank from 30 days to 15 days as of July 1, 2026, also under Bill 60.
Landlord rules by province: British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec
Taking applications? Use our free Ontario rental application form, built on what Ontario law lets you ask.
In Ontario, the wrong tenant is a slow, expensive mistake.
No damage deposit to fall back on, rising rents, and a tribunal that can take months to hear your case. The numbers aren't small.
New N4 non-payment notice minimum, for notices served from September 21, 2026 onward
There's no damage deposit standing between you and a bad outcome in Ontario, and removing a tenant who stops paying means a hearing at the Landlord and Tenant Board, which can take months, not days.
Choosing well before you sign is the last point in the process where you're fully in control.
What a tenant background check actually covers.
Every check runs through Certn against official records, with credit data from Equifax Canada, so nothing rests on a document someone hands you.
Identity verification
Confirms your applicant is who they claim to be, using their government ID and a live check.
Adverse media check
Scans news articles, press releases, and other public sources for serious red flags.
Global watchlist screening
Checks your applicant against international fraud, sanctions, and criminal watchlists.
Equifax credit report
Essential planCredit score, debts, and payment history pulled straight from the bureau, not sent to you by the applicant.
Tamper-proof sharing: every report is sealed so it can't be edited or faked after the fact.
From applicant to verified report.
Three steps, a few minutes, no paperwork.
Send your applicant a screening link
No account or paperwork on your end. Share one link by text or email and your applicant takes it from there.
Your applicant verifies
They get a secure link, confirm their ID on their phone, and consent to the checks. Takes them a few minutes.
Your report arrives in minutes
A clear, tamper-proof report lands in your inbox, so you can offer the place with confidence.
One report. One price. No subscription.
Choose the package that fits, then pay once per screening.
Since Ontario law won't let you fall back on a damage deposit if things go wrong, getting the applicant right the first time is what actually protects you.
Try us risk-free. If you're not satisfied with your Quickscreen report, we'll refund you up to $50.
Screening powered by Certn. Managing more than a few units? See tenant screening for property managers for volume pricing and team access.
Got questions?
Questions Ontario landlords actually ask
Can I ask an Ontario tenant for a security deposit?
No. A security or damage deposit is illegal under Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. The only deposit you can collect is last month's rent, capped at one rent period, and you owe interest on it every year at the same rate as that year's provincial rent-increase guideline.
How much notice do I need to evict a tenant for unpaid rent in Ontario?
Today, an N4 notice for non-payment of rent requires 14 days. That's changing: for any N4 notice served on or after September 21, 2026, the minimum drops to 7 days under Bill 60, the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025. If you're evicting for your own or a family member's use instead (N12), that notice period stays at 60 days.
Can I turn down an applicant because their income is below 3x rent?
Not as a hard rule. Ontario Human Rights Commission policy allows income to be one factor alongside credit checks and references, but a fixed rent-to-income cutoff used as the sole reason to reject someone is not permitted. Weigh it together with the rest of the report, not on its own.
Do I have to use Ontario's Standard Lease Form?
Yes. The province's Standard Lease Form has been mandatory for most private residential tenancies since March 1, 2021. Using your own custom lease instead can leave you unable to enforce certain terms.
What's the 2026 rent-increase guideline in Ontario?
2.1% for 2026 (already set at 1.9% for 2027). It applies only to units first occupied on or before November 15, 2018; anything newer is exempt from the guideline entirely. Any increase still needs 90 days' written notice on Form N1, and can only happen once every 12 months.
If my tenant's guarantor won't pay, can the LTB help?
No. The Landlord and Tenant Board has no jurisdiction over guarantors. If you win an order against your tenant at the LTB but they can't pay and a guarantor won't step in voluntarily, you have to pursue the guarantor separately in Small Claims Court.
Does my applicant have to consent to being screened?
Yes. Consent is built into the flow: your applicant receives a secure link, confirms their identity themselves, and agrees to the checks before anything runs. You never need to collect or forward their documents, and the process complies with PIPEDA, Canada's federal private-sector privacy law.