Crowdsourced Registry Lets Toronto Landlords Vet Tenants

It involves a lot of paperwork, takes time, and can be stressful. But there’s no way around it – tenant vetting is a daunting, but necessary, part of being a landlord.

Letting someone live in your property isn’t without risk, so you need to run through extensive checks before handing over the keys. Police checks, employment records, and credit checks are all important ways to build trust but you’ll also want to know if your tenant has run into problems with landlords before.

Problem tenants are often repeat offenders, taking advantage of unwary landlords until they’re tossed out and move on to their next victim. Thanks to a new website, there’s now an easy way to check if your prospective tenant has a history of trouble.

The brainchild of a small landlord in Toronto, Openroom.ca is an online database of applications to the Landlord and Tenant Board of Ontario (LTB), submitted by users. All entries are verified before being approved and published on the site. 

If your tenant has ever had an LTB application filed against them, you’ll know it. Simply enter their name into the search tool and the details of the filing (considered public information under Canadian law), will appear. You’ll be able to see what application was made, when it was made, and the tribunal’s official decision. Openroom accepts most landlord applications including notices to evict, notices to collect unpaid rent, and notices to end tenancy because of damages.

Stay informed, be proactive

Last year, Openroom ran almost 2 million searches and uploaded over 10,000 documents. 

It’s not hard to explain the site’s popularity. The Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII) is responsible for publishing court orders (which are considered public information under Canadian law) so, theoretically, landlords should be able to search their website for what they need. In practice, that’s not always the case. 

Missing or delayed reports are common, leaving a lot of gaps in court coverage and making the database unreliable. Landlords can run a search for their tenant’s name but just because they don’t appear doesn’t mean they’re in the clear.

Openroom provides extra security and peace of mind, helping landlords proactively ferret out delinquent tenants so they’re fully informed before inviting them into their unit. 

My tenant has an LTB record, what now?

If a quick search on Openroom reveals something about your future tenant, don’t panic. Just because this person has a previous record doesn’t mean they can’t be trusted now. If you can, ask them about it and give them a chance to explain the context. Additionally, you are able to view full court orders on the site so you can easily draw your own conclusions. If, for example, they were clearly evicted for non-payment of rent, that would be an automatic disqualification from renting your property. If, however, it was something like the tenant going to the LTB for repairs not being done to the property, that may not be a strike against them. 

If your tenant has already signed the lease, you can’t evict them based on what you’ve seen on Openroom alone. Landlords must have legitimate grounds to end a tenancy. You may, however, want to keep a record of any dealings your tenant has had with the LTB in case of disputes – it could be useful evidence if problems arise down the road.

When screening for tenants, you can’t solely rely on platforms like Openroom. While helpful, these are only one piece of the picture when screening for good tenants. You should also conduct an in-person interview and ask them for records and references, including:

• Police check
• Employment history
• References from employers and/or former landlords
• Credit score

For more in-depth, professional tenant vetting and management reach out to our team. We go further than the standard checks, running independent credit reports and screening social media for any red flags. Once the vetting process is complete, we’ll help you move your new tenant in – verifying proof of insurance and utility transfer. 

We also offer tenant management, rent collection, and repairs/maintenance so any issues are dealt with promptly and efficiently. Let us handle the hassles, contact Highgate today to get started!