A Seasonal Maintenance Checklist for Ontario Rentals
Rewritten October 2026 for Ontario landlords.
The original version of this post was written for a US audience. We rewrote it for Ontario, kept only facts we could source, and linked each one. This post has no legal content, but your municipality may have its own property standards: check its by-laws. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Ontario's seasons are hard on houses. A short checklist each season catches small problems before they become big ones, and gives you a record that you looked after the place.
Fall: before the cold
- Have the furnace or boiler serviced, and replace filters.
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in every unit.
- Shut off and drain the outside taps.
- Clean gutters and downspouts once the leaves are down.
- Check weatherstripping on doors and windows.
- Insulate exposed pipes in unheated spaces.
Winter: keep it warm and clear
- Know who clears snow and salts walkways, and make it clear in writing.
- Watch for ice dams and icicles along the roofline.
- Remind tenants what to do in a cold snap: keep cupboard doors open under sinks on outside walls, and call you at the first sign of a frozen pipe.
- Keep the furnace filter schedule.
Spring: after the thaw
- Walk the outside: roof, siding, foundation and grading. Water should drain away from the house.
- Check the basement for damp or leaks.
- Clean gutters again.
- Turn the outside taps back on and check for leaks.
- Service the air conditioning if you provide it.
Summer: the easy season
- Check decks, railings and stairs.
- Trim trees and shrubs back from the house.
- Look at caulking around tubs, sinks and windows.
- Plan any bigger jobs for the fall.
Keep the record
Give each job a due date so you're reminded on the day, and note when it was done and what it cost. A to-do list with email reminders and a logbook entry per job is plenty. At tax time, the costs are already recorded against the right property.