Everything to Know when Renting with Pets
Toronto’s rental market is one of the most competitive in the country, so it can be a real downer when you find a listing you want to view but the landlord has a no-pet policy. However, is this legal? Yes…
2024 Rent Increase Capped Below Inflation Rate
Landlords of residential units will be able to raise their tenants’ rent by 2.5% again in 2024. The Ontario government approved the increase in June. Tenants of ‘rent-controlled’ units are subject to a 2.5% increase this year, too. While the 2024-approved…
Is Now a Good Time to Buy a Cottage?
The rush on recreational real estate is over. After demand for cottages reached a feverish pitch in 2021/2022, due to the pandemic and people’s ability to work from anywhere outside the office, buyers are shying away from properties in recreational…
Relatively Unknown Reasons for Rental Eviction
A tenant can be evicted for not paying rent or engaging in an illegal act. But there are also some not-so-obvious reasons that a landlord can terminate tenancy. A tenant can be given notice because the landlord will be demolishing…
Seller’s Markets Still Exist Amid Housing Shift
Five Ontario cities are still experiencing a seller’s market despite rising interest rates, according to a new report by Canadian real estate website Zoocasa. Predominantly located in northwestern Ontario, they include Thunder Bay, Sault St. Marie, North Bay and Sudbury,…
How to Measure Water Hardness in your Home
If you have a dishwasher, you've probably noticed at times spots left on your glasses, dishes and silverware after you've run them through the machine. While common causes are the use of too much detergent and improper loading — dishes…
Ontario Approves Maximum Rent Increase
Landlords of residential units can raise their tenants’ rent by 2.5% next year, an increase not seen in a decade. The Ontario government approved the maximum allowable increase in June. The last time tenants of ‘rent-controlled’ units faced a 2.5%…
Housing Promises Ontario Parties are Making
The provincial election campaign officially kicked off May 4, though the parties having been making promises for weeks now. Here are the main tenets of each party’s platform that relate to making housing more affordable for Ontarians. Conservative To address…
This Once Unlikely Home Upgrade is on the Rise
Amid a surge of renovations, more Ontarians are taking the plunge and installing swimming pools, making it one of the most popular home improvement projects in 2020. The province’s Municipal Property Assessment Corp. (MPAC) has reported a 53% jump in…
What Tenants Should Know about Rent Deposits
Did you know it is illegal for a landlord to ask a renter for a security or damage deposit? The only deposit a landlord can collect is the first and last months’ rent, otherwise known as a rent deposit. This…
