Ontario Tenant Screening Checklist: What to Collect Before Signing a Lease
The lease signing is not where a tenancy goes wrong. The application stage is. A landlord who collects the right documentation before committing to a tenant has a paper trail that informs the decision, protects against discrimination claims, and — if the tenancy does go sideways — forms the foundation of their LTB case. A landlord who screens informally or inconsistently has none of that.
Here is exactly what to collect, what you’re legally permitted to ask, and how to evaluate what you receive.
What Ontario Landlords Are Legally Allowed to Ask For
Tenant screening in Ontario operates under two overlapping frameworks: the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 and the Ontario Human Rights Code. The RTA gives landlords the right to select tenants. The Human Rights Code limits the grounds on which you can decline someone.
Protected Grounds You Cannot Use to Screen Out Applicants
You cannot refuse a tenant application — or ask questions designed to reveal — information related to any of the following protected characteristics:
- Race, ancestry, place of origin, ethnic origin, citizenship
- Creed or religion
- Sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression
- Age (including families with children)
- Marital or family status
- Disability
- Receipt of public assistance (in Ontario, this includes Ontario Works, ODSP, and similar programs)
That last one surprises many landlords. In Ontario, refusing to rent to someone because they receive social assistance is a violation of the Human Rights Code. You cannot ask whether an applicant is on ODSP or Ontario Works as a screening criterion, and you cannot decline an application on that basis.
What You Can Legally Ask
Despite those restrictions, the information you are permitted to collect is extensive and genuinely useful:
- Full legal name and current address
- Employment status, employer name, and employment income (not the source of all income, but the ability to pay rent)
- Credit history and credit score (via a formal check with consent)
- Rental history and landlord references
- The number of people who will occupy the unit
- Whether the applicant has pets
You can set a lawful income threshold — a common standard is that rent should not exceed 30–35% of gross monthly income — provided you apply it consistently to every applicant. What you cannot do is apply that threshold selectively or use it as a proxy for a protected characteristic.
What to Include in a Residential Application Form
A well-structured rental application does two things: it collects the information you need to make a decision, and it creates a signed, dated record of what the applicant represented to you. That second function matters more than most landlords realize — if a tenant later claims they were misrepresented or that you had no basis for a decision, a signed application is your documentation.
Your application form should include:
Personal Information
- Full legal name(s) of all intended occupants
- Current address and how long they’ve lived there
- Previous address if at current address less than two years
- Phone number and email address
- Government-issued photo ID type and number (you confirm the ID; do not photocopy unless the applicant consents in writing)
Employment and Income
- Current employer name, address, and phone number
- Position and length of employment
- Gross monthly income
- If self-employed: nature of business and approximate annual income
- Written consent to contact the employer to verify the above
Rental History
- Current landlord name and contact information
- Previous landlord name and contact information (if at current address less than two years)
- Reason for leaving each previous rental
- Written consent to contact those landlords
Credit Check Consent
- A separate, clearly worded consent statement authorizing you to pull a credit report from Equifax or TransUnion
- The applicant’s full legal name and date of birth (required for a credit pull)
- Signature and date
Declaration
- A signed statement that all information provided is true and accurate, and that any material misrepresentation is grounds for declining the application or, if discovered after the tenancy begins, may be grounds for termination
Apply the same application form to every prospective tenant. Inconsistent screening practices are the fastest route to a Human Rights Code complaint.
How to Verify Employment and References Legally
Collecting documents is only part of screening — verifying what you’re told is where the real assessment happens.
Employment Verification
Call the employer directly using a number you look up independently — not the number the applicant provides. Ask to confirm that the applicant is currently employed and their position. Most employers will confirm employment without disclosing salary details. For income verification, ask the applicant to provide:
- Two to three recent pay stubs
- A signed employment letter on company letterhead stating position, employment status (full-time/part-time), and annual or hourly compensation
- If self-employed: the most recent Notice of Assessment from the CRA
Do not rely on bank statements alone as income verification — they show deposits but don’t confirm their source or sustainability.
Landlord Reference Checks
Call previous landlords directly. When you reach them, ask specific questions:
- Did this person rent from you at the address listed, and during the dates provided?
- Did they pay rent on time consistently?
- Did they give proper notice at the end of the tenancy?
- Was the unit returned in good condition?
- Would you rent to them again?
That last question often tells you everything the previous four don’t. A landlord who hesitates, qualifies their answer extensively, or gives a brief “yes” without elaboration is giving you useful information through what they won’t say. Take written notes on every reference call, including date, time, who you spoke with, and their answers verbatim.
Be skeptical of a reference who picks up immediately and sounds rehearsed. Cross-check the phone number provided against any property records or online listings for the address.
Personal References
Personal references — friends, colleagues — are the weakest form of verification and should be treated as supplementary only. If an applicant cannot provide landlord references (first-time renters, for example), weight employment verification and credit more heavily.
The Credit Check: What to Pull and What to Look For
A formal credit check requires written consent from the applicant, which your application form should include. Pull the report through Equifax or TransUnion using the applicant’s full legal name and date of birth. Retain a copy of the report in your files.
What to Look For
Payment history is the most relevant factor. A pattern of on-time payments over several years is a strong indicator. Isolated late payments are less significant than a consistent pattern of delinquencies.
Collections accounts — particularly from previous landlords, utilities companies, or property management companies — are significant red flags in a rental context. A collection from a landlord suggests a prior tenancy ended badly and the landlord pursued the debt.
Credit score range: There is no universal pass/fail threshold, but most experienced landlords treat scores below 600 as requiring additional scrutiny — not automatic rejection. Context matters: a young applicant with a thin credit file is different from an applicant with multiple collection accounts and a history of defaults.
Inquiries: A large number of recent credit inquiries can indicate financial stress or a pattern of applications being declined elsewhere.
Document your evaluation process. If you decline an application based on credit, note what specifically in the report informed that decision and retain that note with the application file.
Red Flags to Watch For in Applications
Beyond credit scores and income ratios, pay attention to the following during the application and showing process:
- Inconsistencies between the application and verbal answers. If the application lists one employer and the applicant mentions a different one in conversation, clarify — and note the discrepancy.
- Reluctance to provide a previous landlord reference. “We parted on bad terms” is not a reason to skip the reference. An inability to provide any rental history for recent addresses is a meaningful gap.
- Pressure to skip the application process or move in immediately. Genuine applicants understand that screening takes a few days. Pressure to waive the process is a signal worth noting.
- Applications that list more people than the unit reasonably accommodates. The Human Rights Code protects families with children, so you cannot decline solely on the basis of family size — but occupancy standards related to municipal housing bylaws are a legitimate consideration where they apply.
- Vague employment information. “Freelance” or “self-employed” without documentation of actual income history requires more verification, not less.
- A previous address the applicant cannot explain properly. If someone lived somewhere for two years but can’t recall the landlord’s name or basic details, that’s a reference that likely won’t survive a phone call.
How Screening Documents Become Your LTB Defense
Most landlords think of screening as a decision-making tool. It is also a retroactive defense document.
If a tenant later claims you discriminated against them in your selection process, your complete and consistently applied application file — showing that you used the same form and the same criteria for every applicant — is your evidence of a lawful process. If you screened this applicant the same way you screen every applicant, you have a defensible record.
If a tenant misrepresented their income or rental history on their application, that misrepresentation may be relevant to an LTB proceeding. While the RTA does not provide a direct eviction ground for application fraud alone, a signed declaration that the information was accurate — paired with documented evidence that it was not — supports the overall picture of the tenancy and can be relevant context in hearings involving other issues.
The screening file also establishes the timeline of your decision-making. Dated notes, a dated application, a dated credit pull, and dated reference call notes show a landlord who followed a process. That matters at the LTB and it matters if a Human Rights complaint is ever filed.
All of this connects directly to having a complete lease package in place from day one. The Ontario Landlord Protection Addendum + Kit includes a residential rental application form as part of its 49-document package — so your screening process and your lease documentation work together as a single consistent file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I require a co-signer for applicants with low income or thin credit?
Yes. Requesting a co-signer or guarantor is a neutral, income-based requirement that applies regardless of protected characteristics — provided you apply it consistently. A guarantor agreement should be a separate signed document that clearly establishes the guarantor’s liability for rent and damages if the tenant defaults.
Can I ask if an applicant has ever been evicted?
You can ask about rental history generally, including reasons for leaving previous tenancies. A prior eviction is not a protected characteristic under the Human Rights Code. If an applicant discloses a prior eviction, ask for the circumstances — a single eviction for non-payment during a documented hardship is different from a pattern.
Do I have to tell an applicant why I declined them?
There is no RTA requirement to provide reasons for declining an application. However, if a Human Rights complaint is filed, you will need to demonstrate that your decision was based on lawful criteria applied consistently. Maintaining written records of your evaluation is the protection — not the explanation you provide to the applicant.
Can I charge an application fee to cover the cost of a credit check?
No. Under the RTA, charging an application fee is an illegal charge. You can ask the applicant to pull their own credit report and provide it to you, which shifts the cost without you charging a fee. Several services allow applicants to pull a soft-inquiry report and share it directly with a landlord.
How long should I keep screening documents after a tenancy ends?
Retain the complete application file, reference notes, and credit report for at least one year after the tenancy ends — the same window as the LTB’s L10 application deadline. If there is any ongoing dispute or LTB proceeding, retain everything until it is fully resolved.
Tenant selection is the highest-leverage decision you make as a landlord. A thorough, consistently applied screening process — with documentation at every step — dramatically reduces the probability of a problem tenancy and gives you a defensible record if one occurs anyway. Pair your screening file with a signed Section 15 addendum before the keys go out, and the two documents work together as your complete protection framework from day one. The Ontario Landlord Protection Addendum + Kit includes the rental application form and all 49 supporting documents you need across every stage of an Ontario tenancy.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
