What to know
- Listings on platforms like Facebook Marketplace or Kijiji aren’t always scams, but renters should verify ownership, avoid upfront cash requests, and ensure the Ontario Standard Lease is used.
- Missing or misleading photos can be a warning sign that something is wrong with the unit.
- Renters are encouraged to research landlords, speak to current tenants when possible, and watch for poor communication or reluctance to handle repairs.
- During viewings and lease negotiations, watch for signs of damage and illegal clauses such as no-pet rules or guest restrictions.
When deciding to buy a property, home seekers might need to look through them a lot more carefully before making a purchase to avoid any future issues.
While moving in might be often less permanent for renters than buyers, there are also some things they should watch out for to avoid getting stuck in less-than-optimal living conditions.
To help condo renters determine what red flags they should keep an eye out for, Now Toronto spoke with Toronto real-estate agent Will Doyle.
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Be careful with non-MLS platforms
With more and more websites available to connect landlords and renters, some might be looking to rent through platforms that aren’t specialized in real estate, including Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji.
Doyle says that if a property is only listed in one of these websites and not on Multiple Listing Service (MLS) platforms that doesn’t necessarily mean they are a red flag. However, they might require extra caution from tenants.
“I have had clients reach out to me after being scammed through places like Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji. There are legitimate landlords finding tenants not through MLS, but if you’re a tenant, you just have to be more careful,” he warned.
For those looking to rent through these platforms, Doyle recommends:
- Making sure the landlord actually owns the property. You can do that by cross-checking information online or accessing the ServiceOntario OnLand portal for an official property record for a fee;
- Be extra careful if they are approving your application too easily or asking for cash upfront;
- Review contracts and documents carefully before signing anything;
- Become familiar with Ontario’s Standard Lease Form so you can spot any inconsistencies.
“The Ontario Standard Lease Form has to get signed for all leases, regardless if it’s on MLS or not, and that has a lot of the Residential Tenancies Act written out in plain English for both a landlord and a tenant to be aware of what’s allowed in a lease and what isn’t perfect,” Doyle added.
Watch out for the lack of photos
While renters can find more insights about properties when doing a visit, there are some initial red flags they can watch out for before even walking through the doors.
Have you ever been looking into listings and came across one that sounds good on paper but there were no photos to accompany it? While it might just mean the owner was unable to upload them, Doyle says the lack of images could mean there are issues with the property.
“It’s usually a red flag. Sometimes, I’ve seen this just the exterior photo and then nothing on the inside, or they’re skipping rooms inside the photos,” he said. “Especially recently, I’ve seen some photos that are AI-generated almost, and it’s not really a true representation of what the space looks like.”
Look up the landlord
Although information about the landlord might be limited before negotiating or signing the lease, Doyle says renters can also try researching the landlord to see if they are legitimate or have had issues in the past.
Something else that might help is speaking to a previous tenant about their experience with the landlord, including whether they are responsive and willing to make repairs.
“The hard part about being a tenant and applying for a lease is usually you don’t have a lot of direct communication with the landlord until the lease is actually starting. So a great way, if you can, if you’re lucky enough to be doing a showing while the current tenant is living there, is asking them how the current landlord is with dealing with issues, or, any fixing or repairing things.”
What to look for when visiting and negotiating
As opposed to detached houses, condo seekers might have a lot less to worry about when it comes to the condition of the property since a lot of the management is done by the building itself.
According to Doyle, those usually include most things that are located outside of the unit’s walls, including HVAC or electrical issues.
In this case, when visiting the property, condo renters should look out for those issues inside of the unit, which includes things like plumbing or appliances.
“Plumbing is usually a big one, for rentals in condos, or just condos in general. I’d say signs like water damage, or if you see touch up spots or bubbling on the flooring, or I see sometimes in the kitchen cabinets, it can be a red flag,” he said.
Renters might get a lot more insights into the property during lease agreement negotiations. At that point, Doyle recommends renters watch out for any signs the landlord might be hesitant to handle repairs or provide cleaning services before the move-in date.
Another thing to keep an eye on is whether the landlord tries to include any illegal requests on the lease, including no-pet clauses or guest restrictions.
“At that point, there’s some other potential things that can come up, like how they’re communicating with you [and] what they’re asking for. I’ve seen a lot of landlords ask for things that aren’t allowed, like a no-pet clause is a very common one, restricting who’s allowed to stay at the property [too],” Doyle added.
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Green flags and recommendations
While renters should be aware of red flags to avoid issues, Doyle says there are also some signs that the property is a green flag.
One that’s easy to spot is whether the property seems clean, which might be a sign the landlord actually cares about providing good living conditions.
“I see some condos will have little signs about how to maintain things, so like the furnace filter, [might have] a little note saying ‘this needs to be changed every three months,’ he said. “I like seeing that in a rental because it’s kind of a sign that the landlord cares.”
Something that might also help renters identify red and green flags is hiring a realtor, who is usually able to provide more insights about the property, and even the area where the unit is located.
“Working with someone like a realtor who’s knowledgeable in the different areas that someone wants to move into might be a better way to avoid places that you shouldn’t be living [in],” he said.
“The biggest thing is you don’t know what you don’t know. And part of the job of a good realtor is to guide you through the process, and inform you of things that you might not even be aware of going into the whole move to begin with.”
