Screening checklist

Tenant screening checklist for Ontario landlords (2026)

Q: What should be on a tenant screening checklist in Ontario?

Five phases: showing the unit, application intake, income and identity verification, reference checks, and lease signing. Every item must respect the Ontario Human Rights Code — no questions on protected grounds, no rigid income-to-rent ratios, no rejection based on source of income.

Q: Can I use a generic tenant screening checklist in Ontario?

Templates from US sites often include items that are illegal under the Ontario Human Rights Code (asking about family status, citizenship, or source of income) or the RTA (demanding a Social Insurance Number, applying the 30% rent-to-income rule). Use an Ontario-specific checklist or adapt with care.

Q: What documents should I ask for at the application stage?

Government-issued photo ID, a recent pay stub or NOA (with alternatives offered), the previous two landlords' contact details, and one professional or character reference. You may also ask for written consent to verify income or run a credit check — but you cannot make either a hard requirement.

Q: Do I need to use the Ontario standard lease?

Yes, for most new residential tenancies. The Ontario Standard Lease (Form 2229) is mandatory for tenancies that began on or after April 30, 2018. If the landlord does not provide it within 21 days of a written request, the tenant may withhold one month's rent until it is provided.

Q: Can I reject a tenant based on a credit score?

You can consider a credit report as one input but you cannot reject solely on a thin credit file. The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal has held that automatically rejecting applicants without a credit history (often newcomers, young people, or social-assistance recipients) is discriminatory. Combine credit with other signals.

35 action items across five phases, written to comply with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Residential Tenancies Act. Use it as a worksheet for every applicant — same criteria, same questions, every time.

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PHASE 01

Phase 1 — Showing the unit

What to do before, during, and after the in-person or virtual viewing.

1.1List the unit at a fair market rent backed by CMHC and local comparables. Inflated rents attract bad applicants and trigger OHRC scrutiny.
1.2Use a screening pre-form for inquiries. Ask only permitted questions: desired move-in date, household size by number (not relationships), and a callback number.
1.3Confirm the showing time in writing. A confirmed appointment is a stronger signal than a casual inquiry.
1.4Do not ask, on the phone or at the showing, about race, religion, family status, citizenship, sexual orientation, marital status, age, or source of income. All are protected grounds.
1.5Document the showing in a simple log: who attended, what time, basic observations. No screenshots, no photos of the tenant.
1.6Provide a printed copy of the rental application form and your written screening criteria to every interested party. Same criteria for every applicant.

PHASE 02

Phase 2 — Application intake

Collect everything you need without crossing OHRC or RTA lines.

2.1Use a written application form. Include only permitted fields: legal name, current address, employer (name only), prior landlord contact, references.
2.2Do NOT collect the Social Insurance Number. Demanding the SIN during screening is an offence under RTA s.234.
2.3Collect written consent for credit checks and income verification on the application. PIPEDA requires informed consent in writing.
2.4Ask for photo ID at the application stage. Match it to the name on the application. Do not photocopy and retain the ID after this step.
2.5Date-stamp every application as it comes in. First qualified, not first received.
2.6Apply the same written criteria to every applicant. Document your decision in writing for each one.

PHASE 03

Phase 3 — Income and identity verification

Run the actual numbers, not the surface impression.

3.1Offer at least two ways to verify income: bank-connected verification (best), pay stubs with employer call (second), and an NOA, employer letter, or bank statements as backups.
3.2Do NOT apply a fixed income-to-rent ratio (the 30% rule). The OHRC has been clear this systematically excludes protected groups.
3.3Run any submitted pay stub through the Pay Stub Fraud Checker before relying on it.
3.4Call the employer at a number you found independently on Google or the company website — never the number printed on the pay stub or letter.
3.5If you use credit, treat thin or no credit history as a neutral signal, not an automatic rejection. Combine with income and references.
3.6Cross-check the photo ID name, the bank account name, and the lease name. Any mismatch is worth a question.

PHASE 04

Phase 4 — Reference checks

The cheapest, highest-signal screening step. Skip it and risk everything.

4.1Call the previous TWO landlords, not just the current one. Current landlords sometimes give glowing references to bad tenants to get rid of them.
4.2Confirm rental history with simple, factual questions: dates of tenancy, last rent paid, any LTB notices served, would you rent to them again.
4.3Verify the previous-landlord phone number against public records (land registry, MPAC) before calling. A fake reference is the most common scam.
4.4Skip employer references for income verification (already done in Phase 3) and ask one professional or character reference only.
4.5Document each call: date, time, who you spoke to, key facts. A two-line note is enough.
4.6Treat any refusal to provide previous-landlord contact as a major red flag. Ask why; if the answer is unsatisfactory, move on.

PHASE 05

Phase 5 — Lease signing and move-in

Get the standard lease right and the deposit calculation right.

5.1Use the Ontario Standard Lease (Form 2229). It is mandatory for most new residential tenancies.
5.2Collect Last Month's Rent only — no security deposit, no damage deposit, no key deposit beyond actual key cost.
5.3Set up annual LMR interest payments now. Interest accrues at the guideline rate (2.1% for 2026) every year of the tenancy.
5.4Provide written contact information for repairs, the property address, and emergency contact at signing.
5.5Do an inspection walkthrough with the tenant before move-in. Photo and date-stamp existing conditions. Both parties sign the inspection sheet.
5.6Provide the tenant a copy of the signed lease, the inspection report, and any building rules within 21 days.

OHRC: rules that apply in every phase

These are not a phase — they cut across the whole process.

OHRC.1Apply identical screening criteria to every applicant, in writing.
OHRC.2Never ask about (or factor in) race, ethnicity, citizenship, religion, sexual orientation, family status, age, marital status, disability, receipt of public assistance, or source of income.
OHRC.3Offer the same alternatives (bank verification, NOA, employer letter) to every applicant — do not require pay stubs only from some applicants.
OHRC.4Document why each rejected applicant was rejected, against the written criteria. This is your defense if an applicant files a Tribunal complaint.
OHRC.5Keep all screening records for at least one year after a rejection or one year after move-in.

FAQ

What should be on a tenant screening checklist in Ontario?

Five phases: showing, application, income verification, reference checks, and lease signing. Every item must respect the OHRC — no protected-ground questions, no rigid income-to-rent ratios, no source-of-income rejections.

Can I use a generic tenant screening checklist in Ontario?

US-origin templates often include items that are illegal under the OHRC or the RTA. Use an Ontario-specific checklist or adapt with care — especially around source of income, SIN requests, and the 30% rule.

What documents should I ask for at the application stage?

Government photo ID, a recent pay stub or NOA (with alternatives offered), the previous two landlords' contact details, and one professional or character reference. Written consent to verify income may be requested but not required.

Do I need to use the Ontario standard lease?

Yes, for most new residential tenancies on or after April 30, 2018. If the landlord does not provide it within 21 days of a written request, the tenant may withhold one month's rent until it is provided.

Can I reject a tenant based on a credit score?

You can consider credit as one input but cannot reject on a thin or no-credit file alone. The Tribunal has held automatic rejections on this basis discriminatory. Combine with income and references.

Related guides

Ontario Tenant Screening: A Legal Guide

The full narrative explainer behind every item in this checklist.

Ontario Rental Application

What landlords can and cannot ask on the form itself.

How to Verify Tenant Income (5 methods)

Phase 3 expanded — ranked methods, costs, and reliability.

Tenant Credit Check Ontario

PIPEDA consent, what a credit report shows, and OHRC limits on rejecting thin files.

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Statutory references

Sections of Ontario law this guide is grounded in. Read the source text before acting on a specific situation.

RTA s.234— Offence to demand or accept prohibited information during the screening process
RTA s.12.1— Mandatory standard form of lease (Form 2229) for most new tenancies
OHRC s.—— Prohibited grounds in screening — source of income, family status, and other protected categories
PIPEDA s.—— Written consent required to collect and verify personal information (credit, income)

About this guide

Written and maintained by the ScreenTenants.ca editorial team and reviewed against Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 and the Landlord and Tenant Board's published rules. Last reviewed June 2026.

This is general information for Ontario landlords, not legal advice. Rules change and individual situations vary — confirm details with the LTB or a licensed paralegal or lawyer before acting on a specific matter.

See our editorial policy for sources, review cadence, and corrections.