Enlisting the help of a realtor could solve all these issues. In this article, we explain how a realtor provides access to rentals that you can’t find yourself, helps with the heavy lifting in finding and securing a new home, and provides valuable expertise in the rental process—especially if you’re moving to a new city. The best part is that it won’t cost you a dime.

Access to exclusive listings through MLS

You may be looking to rent an apartment by scouring websites such as Kijiji or Craigslist to find that perfect deal. In markets with low vacancy rates, this is a nightmare. Often, the second a rental is posted, dozens of prospective tenants call in. By hiring a realtor, you avoid these issues.

Although MLS is publicly searchable through Realtor.ca, there’s a 48-hour lag before non-realtors can see these listings. Thus, in cities with low vacancy rates, it’s common for the listing to be already gone by the time the public can lay eyes on it.

Helping with the nitty-gritty of renting

If you live a busy schedule, your real estate agent can also help with the “heavy lifting” of finding a property. This includes finding an available property and closing your rental agreement with the landlord.

After telling your realtor what you’re looking for and your price range, he/she can sift through the hundreds of listings on MLS and other sources to find the perfect fit for you and arrange viewings. They’ll also drive you around to view each place! This can save valuable time that would otherwise be spent calling landlords to set up an appointment to view the property and scouring the internet for your next home.

If you think you’ve found the home or apartment of your dreams and want to make an offer, the advantages of a realtor continue to shine. Because agents deal with rentals so often, they know exactly what the process is, what forms you need to fill out, and what document to provide the landlord. They can help you source papers, such as an employment letter when requested by the landlord.

An agent provides insight into both the rental process and the local real estate market, which is critical when you’re moving somewhere new.

Their expertise can cut out rental listings that are sketchy. The agent also understands your rights as a tenant and makes sure that landlords don’t do illegal acts such as ask for a security deposit in certain Canadian provinces. These two benefits can help save you from common rental scams, something that’s becoming more common as property markets get more competitive.  

Ultimately, your realtor is there to look out for you. He/she can pick up on uncommon or illegal clauses in the lease agreement that you may not entirely understand. And due to their knowledge of the local market, they know or can find out if certain buildings have a bad reputation. For example, some condo buildings may have a history of cockroaches or moulds or were designed by a developer with a reputation for low-quality products.

If you’re moving to a new city, it’s better to hire an agent who knows the market than bothering your one or two friends who live in the city, asking them about every neighbourhood. Real estate agents know their city and the neighbourhoods well. They understand which neighbourhoods are ideal for you, whether their family-friendly, commuter accessible, and much more. They can also prevent you from taking that value listing that turns out to be in the rough part of town.

You don’t pay—so what’s in it for the realtor?

There are many realtors who won’t touch rentals. Other just don’t advertise the fact that they do work with renters. The commission for rentals is much lower than if the agent had sold the property to you. While you, as the tenant, don’t have to pay anything, the landlord usually pays a commission valued at the first month’s rent. This commission is then split between the landlord and the tenant’s agent and any brokerages they work with. So, an agent would ultimately have to take on a considerable number of deals to turn a profit.

So why would real estate agents even help a renter? It’s usually to build a client base and hope that today’s renters become tomorrow’s homebuyers. If you’re satisfied with your rental, you’ll likely go back to the same real estate agent when you buy a home, and this is where the agent would profit. Better yet, you may even refer some of your home-buying friends and family to the agent. This is why, despite the fact that helping you find a rental is unprofitable, a good real estate agent still puts their best foot forward, hoping that your satisfaction makes them a hefty commission down the road.

If you’re looking for a rental property in a market with a low vacancy rate or in a city that you’re not familiar with, then hiring an agent is a must. Even if you aren’t in one of these situations, hiring an agent is still beneficial and likely costs you nothing. So why not take the chance?

The post Should you enlist the help of a realtor to find your dream rental? first appeared on RankMyAgent - Trusted resource about Buying, Selling and Renting.

Each province has its rendition of a human rights code, and each code follows similar values. Generally, Canada’s human rights codes provide Canadians with equal treatment to housing, which is free from discrimination. Not following these laws can result in trouble with a local landlord-tenant board or human rights tribunal.

In this article, we look specifically at the Ontario Human Rights Code and what landlords are obliged to do under it. These laws are similar to other provinces, so this article remains an excellent primer for those outside of Ontario. We explain what a landlord can and cannot do when looking for or evicting a tenant, what a duty to accommodate means, and a landlord’s responsibilities to keep their property free from discrimination and harassment.

Finding or Evicting a Tenant

This means that landlords cannot refuse to rent to someone or evict a tenant due to the following grounds:

• race, colour or ethnic background
• religious beliefs or practices
• ancestry, including individuals of Aboriginal descent
• place of origin
• citizenship, including refugee status
• sex (including pregnancy and gender identity)
• family status
• marital status, including those with a same-sex partner
• disability
• sexual orientation
• age, including individuals who are 16 or 17 years old and no longer
• living with their parents
• receipt of public assistance

Additionally, a landlord can’t discriminate against a rental applicant or tenant for being a friend or family member of someone on the above grounds. That is, a landlord cannot refuse to rent to someone because their sister has a disability.

Many of these rules not only apply when selecting a tenant but also when a landlord advertises their property for rent. Advertisements cannot state the property is for “employed individuals only”. Phrases such as “young professional preferred” or “suitable for students” may also be controversial. These could discriminate against those living off of social assistance.

A landlord can refuse to rent to someone due to poor rental history, credit reference, or credit checks. But, commonly, a person cannot be prejudiced for lack of credit history as this may be seen as discrimination against someone new to Canada.

Income is another tricky area. A landlord can request potential tenants for their income. The landlord cannot expect to learn where the income is coming from, however. This prevents landlords from discriminating against individuals whose income comes from social assistance.

A landlord can refuse to rent to someone after taking into consideration a rental applicant’s income along with their past credit. It may not make sense to rent a luxury condo that costs $2,500 a month, to someone only making $35,000 a year and has had past issues with making debt repayments. However, it’s illegal for a landlord to state rent-to-income cut-off rules — that is, requiring that a tenant’s rent is at most 30% of their income is not allowed by the Ontario Human Rights Code.

The exception to the Ontario Human Rights Code is when the landlord and tenant share a bathroom and/or kitchen. The following types of rental homes are also not covered by the Ontario Human Rights Code:

• Senior Homes → Tenants must be of a certain age
• Single-Sex Residence → Tenants must be of a certain sex

Subsidized Housing → Tenants can be chosen due to their income

A Duty to Accommodate

A landlord has a duty to accommodate their tenants in that they must pay serious attention to their tenants’ requests or needs. Both the tenant and landlord must cooperate to make sure the needs of a tenant are addressed. A duty to accommodate could mean installing a ramp for a resident who uses a wheelchair. However, this doesn’t mean a landlord has to do anything and everything for the sake of their tenant. Landlords only need to accommodate to the point of “undue hardship”.

For example, if the landlord had to install an expensive elevator that would cause serious financial hardship, they may be exempt from the duty to accommodate. But in this case, the landlord still has a duty to provide the next-best solution.

Landlords must take accommodation requests seriously and respond promptly. Not doing so may be seen as not living up to the landlord’s duty to accommodate.

Preventing Harassment in the Property

The Ontario Human Rights Code ensures that landlords protect their tenants from harassment based on the grounds stated previously (such as gender, religion, race, marital status, etc…). This generally includes two responsibilities:

• First, a landlord or their agents cannot harass a tenant on these grounds.
• Second, if another resident harasses a tenant on those grounds, it’s the landlord’s responsibility to take reasonable steps to stop the harassment.

The Ontario Human Rights Code doesn’t allow negative behaviour towards a tenant by the landlord due to the tenant filing a human rights complaint. All Ontarians have the right to claim and enforce their human rights without fear of reprisal. A landlord looking to get revenge is a landlord looking to commit an illegal act.

Unfortunately for tenants, even if they do bring a complaint to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, it’s not common for the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario to find a case of discrimination. In 2018-2019, a report published by Tribunals Ontario showed that of 65 received decisions, only 19 complaints found evidence of discrimination.

Whether you’re a landlord or a tenant, it’s essential to understand your rights and/or obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Understanding what a landlord can and cannot consider in a rental application can ensure you won’t receive a discrimination complaint or that you’re not unfairly rejected from a rental application. Duty to accommodate is also an important and tricky concept to understand. Understanding where “undue hardship” lies may even require legal help. Lastly, any home should be free from harassment. It’s both a landlord and a tenant’s job to do their best to keep it that way.

This article provides general information only. It may not be up to date and does not provide legal advice and should not be relied upon as legal advice. Please consult a legal professional to understand how the law applies to your specific situation.

The post Landlords and the Ontario Human Rights Code first appeared on RankMyAgent - Trusted resource about Buying, Selling and Renting.