What does this mean for renters in Ontario?
The spring of 2018 marked a change for Landlords in Ontario. Landlords now have to provide their tenants with a new 13-page residential tenancy agreement and standardized lease that has been set out in strict terms by the Ontario Government.
No longer will each residential tenancy agreement look completely different than the next. I cannot tell you the many different forms and iterations that I have seen over the years!
One of the many benefits is that sneaky clauses (like no pets – unless condo rules prohibit) are not found in this document. There can be schedules to include duties of the tenant, for example, snow removal or trash removal. Always be sure to understand the attached schedule before signing the agreement as there could be attempted liberties that contravene the Landlord and Tenant Board rules.
The provincial residential tenancy agreement does not have any illegal clauses. Hopefully, this will simplify the process when disagreements occur between tenant and landlord.
Click here To download the Residential Tenancy Agreement (Standard Form of Lease)
There is a provision that if a tenant requests a copy of their lease and doesn’t get it within 21 days, they can withhold one month’s rent. If the landlord doesn’t produce it after that month, the tenant wouldn’t be required to repay it.
Residential lease agreements in effect before April 30th, 2019 will remain valid. And as always, the illegal clauses are still illegal. People cannot write themselves out of the law!
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It is important to note our research indicates this is applicable to ONLY new leases. Existing leases remain in effect and are grandfathered in. So if you have a tenant in a rental unit, they cannot ask for the new lease and withhold one months rent. This ONLY applied to new leases created ON / AFTER April 30.
Steve, other leases are grandfathered with the assumption that the previous leases are legal. The new leases come into effect after April 30th.