Finding your next tenant
An owner's guide to finding tenants in Ontario: prepare the rental, advertise, run showings, review applications and compare tenant-finding services.
By the Tenant.ca teamUpdated 6 min read
Use this blank checklist to prepare the property, confirm access and keep the showing and follow-up organized. No account or email signup is required.
Plan the application checks next →Keep these worksheets about the property and the process. Store applicant documents and other personal information separately in a secure channel.
To find a tenant, you need an accurate listing, a way to reach renters, time for enquiries and showings, an application review process and a plan for the lease and move-in. Decide who will handle each step before the property goes on the market. An advertisement creates interest; the work after an enquiry turns that interest into a tenancy.
You can advertise and coordinate the process yourself, use a leasing professional, or hire a tenant placement service. A tenant-finding service is useful when you want help during a vacancy but plan to manage the occupied rental yourself. If you also need rent administration, tenant communication and repair coordination after move-in, compare ongoing property management separately.
Gather the facts a renter will compare: location, property type, bedrooms, bathrooms, size, condition, parking, utilities, laundry and availability. Check that repairs and cleaning are scheduled before promising a move-in date. For an occupied unit, plan access around the applicable tenancy requirements.
Take current photographs that show the layout, principal rooms and any meaningful limitations. A den should not be presented as an extra bedroom without checking that the description is accurate. Keep a single set of approved details so listings on different websites do not contradict one another.
Look at rentals that someone would realistically compare with yours. Match location and property type, then account for differences in space, condition, parking and included services. Compare a basement apartment with other similar units rather than relying on a neighbourhood's condo average.
Keep the initial asking rent, the comparison date and your reasons together. Advertised rents are asking prices, not proof of completed lease amounts. If the property attracts little interest, return to this comparison alongside the listing quality and access arrangements.
For a sense of the market, Tenant.ca's sample of the newest advertised rentals on October 22, 2026 put the median asking rent across all sizes between $2,500 (Toronto, Vaughan and Scarborough) and $2,795 (Markham) in the nine GTA markets it covers; in Toronto, the median two-bedroom asked $2,800. Outside the GTA, CMHC's October 2025 average rents and vacancy for 31 Ontario communities are side by side in one table. Both describe a market, not your unit.
Choose a manageable set of rental websites and appropriate local channels. Keep the price, inclusions, photos and available date consistent. Record where each enquiry came from so you can tell which channels produce attended showings and completed applications.
For an initial reply, confirm the advertised details and offer available viewing times. For example: 'Thanks for your interest in the rental at [location]. The asking rent is [amount], with [inclusions], available [date]. Our next viewing times are [options]. Please let us know which works for you.' Use your property's actual information and arrange any accessibility needs through a suitable private conversation.
Finding a reliable tenant means reviewing relevant information, not guessing from an applicant's background. Explain the application process, obtain any consent required for checks and keep personal documents in a secure channel. Verify relevant information rather than relying only on a screenshot or an informal assurance.
The Ontario Human Rights Commission explains that a lack of rental or credit history is not the same as a negative history. Income information must be considered with other available permitted information. Its guidance also prohibits using a fixed rent-to-income cut-off for ordinary, non-subsidized housing. Review the official guidance when setting screening criteria.
Confirm that the agreed rent, inclusions, dates and property details match the tenancy documents. Ontario's standard lease applies to most private residential tenancies. Check the official guide for its scope and avoid adding terms that conflict with applicable rules.
Prepare a handover record covering the condition of the unit, keys and access devices, utility arrangements and the contact for maintenance. For a condo, include the building's current rental and move-in procedures. Keep the marketing record and signed documents organized so an enquiry does not end in an unclear handover.
The rent you agree with a new tenant is the base for every later increase, so set it with the next few years in mind. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, rent can rise once 12 months have passed since the tenancy began or since the last increase, with at least 90 days' written notice. For most units the increase is capped at the province's guideline, which is 1.9% for increases taking effect in 2027; units first occupied for residential purposes after November 15, 2018 are exempt from the guideline, though not from the notice and 12-month rules.
A rent deposit can be no more than one month's rent and is applied to the last rental period of the tenancy, and the landlord pays interest on it every year at the guideline rate. Damage and pet deposits cannot be required.
Consider support if you cannot keep up with enquiries, cannot attend showings, are handling a first rental or need a more organized application and lease process. Ask any provider who handles each task, which advertising channels are included, what costs are separate and how you will receive updates.
Tenant.ca's Ontario tenant placement service covers pricing, marketing, enquiries, showings, screening and lease preparation for one month's rent plus HST. Ongoing management is optional. Share your location, property type, occupancy and expected availability so the team can confirm coverage and scope. The time needed to lease a property depends on its price, condition, demand and access; there is no universal placement deadline.
