Professional Tenants Create Pain For Landlords
From the archive. Written in 2013. Laws, figures and links may have changed since. For current Ontario rules, see what changed for Ontario landlords in 2026.
Professional tenants aren't a myth. They exist, and they cause major pain for small landlords across Canada. A 2013 CBC News story described small landlords in British Columbia getting burned by tenants who count on a few first-time landlord missteps and know the loopholes in the tenancy board's process well enough to live rent-free for months.
The Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario said at the time that professional tenants can live for up to six months on a landlord's dime by using every appeal available to them. "We're probably dealing with anywhere between one and two per cent of the tenant population that is doing this," the federation said. "It's a growing phenomenon."
The best defence is due diligence before the keys change hands. Ask for first and last month's rent in a form that clears before the tenant moves in, like a certified cheque. Check credit, and call references from previous landlords, not just the current one, who may be keen to see the tenant go.
What do you think? Do provincial tenancy laws in Canada need tweaking?
Originally published January 23, 2013. We've removed links that no longer work and some that had been added without our permission.