Ontario Standard Lease Explained, Section by Section

The Ontario Standard Lease is a mandatory government form that most private landlords must use for residential tenancies signed on or after April 30, 2018. It has 17 sections; only Section 15 (Additional terms) can be customized, and anything there that breaks the Residential Tenancies Act is void. If your landlord doesn't provide it, you can request it in writing and, after 21 days, withhold one month's rent.

Here's what each section means in plain language, plus the red flags to watch for before you sign.

Key takeaways

• Who must use it: most private landlords renting apartments, houses, condos, basement units and rooms, for leases entered into on or after April 30, 2018.
• What you can't change: every section except Section 15. Extra terms that conflict with the law don't count, even if you signed them.
• No lease? Request it in writing. After 21 days with nothing, you can withhold one month's rent, and keep it if 30 days pass after withholding without a lease.
• Another option: you can give notice to end the tenancy early, even in a fixed-term lease.
• Delivery deadline: once you sign, the landlord must give you a copy within 21 days.

This is general information, not legal advice. For your situation, contact the Landlord and Tenant Board or a community legal clinic through Legal Aid Ontario or Steps to Justice.

Who has to use the Standard Lease?

The form applies to most written tenancy agreements for private rentals, including:

• apartments and condos
• single and semi-detached houses and townhouses
• basement units and secondary suites
• rooms in a shared house where the Residential Tenancies Act applies

It is not used for:

• care homes
• sites in mobile home parks and land lease communities
• most social and supportive housing
• member units in co-operative housing
• any housing that's exempt from the Act altogether, such as a room where you share a kitchen or bathroom with the owner who lives there

If you're unsure whether your home is covered, our overview of Ontario tenant rights explains when the Act applies.

The Standard Lease, section by section

Sections 1 to 4: who, where, how long

These look like paperwork, but mistakes here cause real problems later. If you're renting with roommates, check whether all of you are listed as tenants in Section 1. If only one person signs, the others may have weaker rights with the landlord. A roommate agreement can fill in the gaps between you.

In Section 3, consider agreeing to email notices; it makes it easier to prove when notices were sent and received.

In Section 4, a fixed term (often 12 months) doesn't mean you must move or re-sign at the end. In Ontario, a tenancy usually continues month to month automatically when the term ends.

Sections 5 to 9: the money

Section 5 lists lawful rent: base rent plus separate charges like parking. The landlord can charge an administrative fee for a bounced cheque, but the amount is limited by Ontario regulation.

Sections 8 and 9 deal with deposits. The law allows only a rent deposit of up to one month's rent (or one rent period) and a refundable key deposit. A "damage deposit" is not legal. Our rent deposit guide covers interest and refunds.

Sections 10 to 14: living there

• Smoking (10): you and the landlord can agree on smoking rules for the unit itself.
• Insurance (11): the landlord can require tenant liability insurance and ask for proof. Contents insurance is your choice but strongly recommended.
• Changes (12): small things like hanging pictures are usually fine; bigger changes need permission.
• Repairs (13): the landlord maintains the property; you keep it reasonably clean and fix damage you cause.
• Assignment and subletting (14): you have the right to ask. The landlord can't unreasonably refuse a specific person you propose, though they can refuse assignment in general (which then lets you end the tenancy with notice).

Section 15: additional terms, where problems hide

This is where landlords add their own rules. Legitimate examples include snow-clearing arrangements or shared laundry schedules. Terms that are void under the Residential Tenancies Act include:

• a damage, pet or cleaning deposit
• "no pets" in a regular (non-condo) rental
• a ban on overnight guests
• a requirement to provide post-dated cheques
• automatic rent increases, or increases more often than every 12 months
• a penalty fee, or forfeiting your deposit, if you leave early
• the landlord evicting you without the Landlord and Tenant Board
• making you sign a notice to end the tenancy at the same time as the lease

If one of these shows up, you don't need to argue it on the spot. Void terms simply aren't enforceable. Still, it's a signal to read everything else carefully.

Sections 16 and 17: changes and signatures

Changes must be in writing and agreed to. Make sure every adult tenant signs, and get your signed copy. The landlord must provide it within 21 days of you signing and returning it.

What if your landlord won't use the Standard Lease?

Some landlords hand over their own "custom" lease, or rent with no paperwork at all. Here's what the rules allow you to do:

1. Request it in writing. Send an email or letter asking for the Standard Lease. Keep a copy.
2. Wait 21 days. If the landlord hasn't provided it by then, you may withhold one month's rent (only rent that comes due after the 21 days, and no more than one month in total).
3. Keep it if needed. If you still don't have the Standard Lease 30 days after you started withholding, you don't have to repay that money.
4. Or end the tenancy. You can give notice to end the tenancy, even if you're in a fixed term. The notice must still be at least 60 days before the last day of a rental period, but the end date doesn't have to match the end of the term.

If the landlord does provide the Standard Lease after your request and you don't want to sign it, you have 30 days from receiving it to give notice to end the tenancy.

Keep paying the rest of your rent as usual. Withholding more than allowed can lead to an eviction application.

Before-you-sign checklist

• It's the official Ontario Standard Lease form, not a custom template
• Every tenant's name is correct in Section 1
• The landlord's address for notices is filled in
• Rent, due date and what's included match the listing
• The deposit is no more than one month's rent, plus a refundable key deposit at most
• Section 15 has no damage deposit, guest ban or automatic increase
• You've confirmed the landlord or agent actually has the right to rent the unit

That last point matters in Toronto: fake listings are a real problem. See our guide to spotting Toronto rental scams.

Let AI read the fine print with you

On ColivEase, you can run an AI lease check before signing. It reads through the agreement and highlights clauses that look inconsistent with Ontario rules so you know what to ask about. Listings go through landlord or agent verification and AI scam checks too.

Ready to find your next place?

If you're house-hunting with friends, ColivEase lets roommate teams apply together, or rent a whole home room by room and apply per room. Open ColivEase to find your match and sign with confidence.