New Resources! Renting a Place to Live
This resource, prepared by Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO), provides tenants with information about the law, with a focus on tenancy agreements and discrimination. It is not a substitute for legal advice. The resource is available on the FMTA website in the following languages:
New Resources! Multiple Language Brochures on City of Toronto Apartment Standards Guidelines for Processing Complaints
Is there something in your apartment that is in need of repair?
The City of Toronto Apartment Standards website suggests tenants who need repairs made to their unit, start by contacting the Property Manager.
If the landlord doesn't repair, tenants can contact Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS) by calling 311 from within the City of Toronto and requesting an inspection of their unit.
The inspection is free!
A Property Standards Inspector will conduct an inspection. Tenants are provided with copies of any Notices of Violations issued against their unit by the City Inspector.
Tenants can also call the Tenant Hotline at 416-921-9494 or
Click here to visit the City of Toronto Apartment Standards website!
The Apartment Standards website provides brochures in several languages describing the complaints process which are also available on the FMTA website in the following languages:
Amharic
ArabicBengali
Chinese
DariFarsi
French
GreekGujuratiItalianKoreanPolishPortuguesePunjabiRussianSerbianSomaliSpanishTagalogTamilUkrainianUrdu
Vietnamese
New Resources! Is Your Landlord Trying to Evict You?
Is your landlord trying to evict you?
This Fact Sheet prepared by Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO) provides legal information about your rights and options. It is not a substitute for legal advice.
You can also call the Tenant Hotline for assistance at 416-921-9494.
The Fact Sheet is available in the following languages:
Arabic
ChineseEnglishFrenchSomaliSpanishTamilUrdu
Spotlight on Tenants' Associations: The Valley Woods Tenants Group
The Valley Woods Tenants' Group was formed to educate tenants living in North York about their rights by providing information about the law and ensuring landlords comply with relevant Property Standards and the Residential Tenancies Act. The group's blog provides information about local political representatives, lists numerous tenant resources and features a forum available to tenants to report maintenance problems. The blog also features a detailed history of the complex with links to additional information.
The Valley Woods Tenants' Group is always on the look out for tenants who would like to take a more active role in the community. You can contact the Group at: [email protected]
Revisiting: Fairlease!
The FMTA's Fairlease project aims to make tenants aware of their rights and responsibilities in terms of their tenancy with a landlord. A number of tenancies in Ontario are verbal, however those that are written often contain a number of illegal provisions which take advantage of tenants. Since many contracts contain illegal provisions, The FMTA's Tenant Action Committee launched the Fairlease project to give tenants an idea of what a legal lease should look like. It will also give tenants a good place to start from when negotiating to add provisions to a lease.
A copy of Fair Lease is available in the Resources section!
Download and promote Fairlease Today!
Fight for Safe Housing: Rooming Houses in the Suburbs of Toronto
Regi David of West Scarborough Community Legal Services and Lisa Freeman, a UofT grad student have created a video about the rooming house issue with the Scarborough Tenants' Support Group to get the voices of suburban tenants and advocates out there. The short video provides diverse points of view on the issue and calls for the creation of and greater monitoring of rooming houses.
Spotlight on Tenant Associations: The Parkdale Tenants' Association
The Parkdale Tenants Association has been working to improve tenants' lives since 1971. A grassroots group with strong roots in the community, its members have joined together to force landlords to be more accountable. High rent increases, buildings in appalling condition, and harassment by landlords continue to be issues faced by low-income tenants in Parkdale. In recent years, the PTA has focused on individual buildings and landlords responsible for some of the worst maintained high-rises in the area. In some cases, this work has resulted in substantial improvements in building maintenance, refunds for tenants charged illegal key deposits, and improvements in heat and hot water access.
In the Spring of 2002 the PTA launched an aggressive campaign to evaluate living conditions in Parkdale apartment buildings. Tenants had complained that rents were going through the roof and that many tenants were living in slum conditions. In response, the PTA came up with the idea of rating apartment buildings just as the City of Toronto had started rating restaurants and eating establishments.
The PTA relies on dedicated volunteer tenants to promote its campaigns. You can visit the website to learn about campaigns, upcoming meetings, news coverage and other information.
Spotlight on Tenant Associations: High Park Residents Association
The High Park Residents' Association (HPRA) has a catchment area that includes over 15,000 residents living in two distinct geographical areas bordering High Park. Whether renting or owning, all residents within the catchment area are both welcome and encouraged to join the Residents' Association.
The RA's website is a rich source of information: providing details on current news, upcoming development applications and community consultations and a forum for tenants to come together and discuss common concerns.
The High Park RA holds regular open monthly meetings at 7:00 PM on the second Thursday of the month, at Coffee and All That Jazz (72 Howard Park Avenue). You can also contact the HPRA by email at [email protected].
Click here to visit the website of the High Park Residents’ Association!
New Fee Waiver Proposed for Low-Income Tenants
An amendment in proposed legislation dealing with co-op and rental housing was recently introduced by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Bill 14, Non-profit Housing Co-operatives Statute Law Amendment Act, 2013, includes an amendment to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) which would authorize the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) to waive or defer fees it charges to low-income Ontarians, as is currently allowed in other courts and tribunals.
The proposed law deals primarily with housing co-operatives in Ontario. Currently, housing co-ops must appear at court to resolve eviction disputes. If Bill 14 is passed, co-ops would appear before the LTB based on grounds provided for under the RTA.
Unfortunately, the Bill does not allow for co-op residents to make applications to the LTB to resolve disputes about maintenance or other issues with their housing provider, nor are they allowed to mount defences to evictions based on harassment or repair issues.
Spotlight on Tenant Associations: The East York Tenants Group
Comprising tenants in East York, the Association aims to ensure tenants enjoy comfortable rental accommodations and landlords comply with existing property standards. To better inform tenants about the law and their rights, the Association's blog provides an avenue for sharing information about tenants' struggles and actions, neglected properties, tenant-friendly governmental initiatives, helpful organizations and resources that are available for tenants to improve their living conditions.