Renting a Condo in Ontario: Lease Rules, Bylaws, and What Tenants Miss

Updated: April 2026

By Françoise Pollard, Realtor®, and Keith Goldson, Broker, Keith & Françoise Real Estate Team, eXp Realty Brokerage. We help condo owners across the GTA and Niagara Region rent their units with confidence, including in Mississauga, Brampton, Milton, Burlington, Oakville, Hamilton, Etobicoke, Toronto, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, and Thorold.

What actually matters when renting a condo in Ontario is not just the Residential Tenancies Act. It is the layered set of rules, provincial law, your condo’s declaration, the bylaws, and the corporation’s rules, that all apply to your unit at the same time. Most condo landlord problems start when an owner forgets that the RTA is only one of those layers.

Renting a condo in Ontario is not the same as renting a house. In addition to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA), condo bylaws, corporation rules, and board approval processes can directly affect whether you can lease your unit and who you can lease it to. If you own a condo in the GTA or Niagara Region and you’re considering renting it out, review both provincial law and your condo corporation’s governing documents before signing a lease.

We work with condo owners across Mississauga, Toronto, Etobicoke, Burlington, and St. Catharines who want to lease their units. The process is straightforward when you follow the right steps, but costly when you don’t. This guide covers exactly what Ontario condo owners need to know, from legal requirements and board restrictions to the risks most landlords overlook.

Can You Legally Rent Out a Condo in Ontario?

Yes, Ontario condo owners have the legal right to rent out their units. The Condominium Act, 1998 does not prohibit leasing, and the Residential Tenancies Act protects tenants in condo units the same way it protects tenants in any other rental property. However, your condo corporation’s declaration, bylaws, and rules can impose conditions on how you lease your unit.

This is where most condo landlords run into trouble. The province says you can rent, but your condo corporation may set minimum lease terms, require tenant approval forms, or restrict short-term rentals entirely. Those rules carry legal weight, and violating them can result in fines and compliance orders.

What the Residential Tenancies Act Covers

Once a tenant occupies your condo unit under a lease, the RTA applies in full. That means rent control rules apply to units first occupied before November 15, 2018. For 2026, the Ontario rent increase guideline is 2.1%. Your tenant also has the right to proper maintenance, 24-hour written notice before entry, and protection from illegal eviction.

The condo corporation has no direct legal relationship with your tenant. If the tenant breaches condo rules, the corporation deals with you as the owner. You are then responsible for ensuring your tenant complies. For a full breakdown of landlord and tenant rights in Ontario, see our guide to tenant rights and landlord obligations.

What Condo Rules Can Restrict Renting a Condo in Ontario?

Condo corporations in Ontario can restrict rentals through bylaws, rules, and declarations, even if the Residential Tenancies Act allows leasing. The declaration carries the most weight because the corporation registers it on title, and it binds all owners. Bylaws must align with the declaration, and rules must align with both.

Common Rental Restrictions in Ontario Condos

Many condo corporations in the GTA set minimum lease terms of six months or one year. Some require that tenants complete an application form reviewed by the property management company. Others restrict the total number of units in the building that can be rented at any given time, often called a rental cap.

Short-term rental restrictions are increasingly common. Condos in Toronto, Mississauga, and other GTA municipalities frequently prohibit Airbnb-style rentals through their declarations or rules. The City of Toronto’s short-term rental bylaw limits operators to renting their principal residence only, and partial-unit rentals are capped at 180 nights per year as of January 1, 2025. Operators must also register with the city and collect the Municipal Accommodation Tax.

How Restrictions Are Enforced

When a condo owner violates rental restrictions, the board typically starts with a written notice. If the owner does not comply, the corporation can escalate to the Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT) for disputes about nuisances, pets, parking, records, and certain compliance matters.

For more serious breaches, the corporation may pursue the matter in Superior Court. In either case, the corporation can also charge back its legal and enforcement costs to the unit owner.

Can a Condo Board Reject a Tenant?

Some condo declarations include tenant approval requirements that the corporation enforces through compliance proceedings against the owner. The corporation’s authority over tenant selection is limited by the Human Rights Code, the Condominium Act, and the specific terms of the declaration.

The Ontario Human Rights Code applies to all tenant screening in Ontario, including condo tenant approvals. Condo boards cannot discriminate based on race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, family status, disability, or receipt of public assistance.

If a board rejects a tenant on any of these protected grounds, the owner or applicant can file a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.

What Boards Can Legitimately Review

Boards that have a tenant approval process typically review identification, proof of income or employment, and references. Some also require the tenant to acknowledge receipt of the condo’s declaration, bylaws, and rules. The board must apply these requirements consistently to all applicants and cannot use them as a pretext for discrimination.

For more on what landlords can and cannot ask during the screening process, read our article on tenant screening in Ontario.

What Documents Do You Need Before Renting a Condo?

Ontario condo owners must prepare specific documents before renting their unit. Section 83 of the Condominium Act, 1998 sets out the legal requirements, and your condo corporation’s bylaws may add to that list. Getting these right before you list the unit prevents delays and compliance issues after a tenant moves in.

Section 83 Disclosure Requirements

Under Section 83, within 10 days of signing a lease or renewal, you must notify the condo corporation that your unit is leased. You also need to provide the corporation with the tenant’s name, your current address, and a copy of the lease or the prescribed summary form.

At the same time, you must give the tenant a copy of the condo’s declaration, bylaws, and rules. If you terminate the lease without renewal, notify the corporation in writing within 10 days of the termination date. For a full breakdown of how tenancies end in Ontario, including notice periods and termination forms, see our guide to how residential leases end in Ontario. These timelines are strict, and the corporation must maintain a record of all leasing notices it receives.

Documents to Prepare

Before listing your condo for rent, gather these documents: your condo corporation’s declaration, bylaws, and current rules; the Ontario Standard Lease (mandatory for most residential tenancies); and any tenant application forms your property management company requires.

You should also have proof of landlord insurance if your condo corporation requires it, along with a copy of the Section 83 summary form available from the Condominium Authority of Ontario.

If your condo corporation requires tenant approval, submit the application and wait for confirmation before finalizing move-in dates. For a broader overview of Ontario leasing requirements, visit our leasing in Ontario guide.

Step-by-Step: How to Rent Out a Condo in Ontario

The process of renting a condo in Ontario involves both provincial requirements and condo-specific procedures. Following these steps in order protects you from compliance issues and delays.

Step 1: Review Your Condo’s Governing Documents

Start with the declaration, bylaws, and rules. Look for minimum lease terms, tenant approval processes, rental caps, pet restrictions, and short-term rental prohibitions. If anything is unclear, contact your property management company directly and ask for written clarification.

Step 2: Check Your Insurance

Standard condo owner insurance may not cover a rented unit. Contact your insurance provider and confirm you have landlord insurance that covers tenant-occupied use. Many condo corporations also require proof of insurance before they process a lease notification.

Your policy should include liability coverage in case a tenant or guest suffers an injury in your unit.

Step 3: Notify Property Management

Before marketing the unit, confirm with your property management company what forms and processes are required. Some require a tenant application package. Others need advance notice of the listing. Getting this information upfront prevents surprises after you find a tenant.

Step 4: Screen Your Tenant

Screen your tenant thoroughly within the boundaries of the Ontario Human Rights Code. You can verify income, run a credit check with consent, contact previous landlords for references, and confirm identification. You cannot discriminate based on any protected ground. Our tenant screening guide covers the full process.

Step 5: Prepare and Sign the Lease

Use the Ontario Standard Lease for all residential tenancies. Add any additional terms your condo corporation requires, such as a clause requiring the tenant to comply with the condo’s rules and maintain tenant insurance. For details on which additional terms are enforceable and which are not, see our guide to Ontario lease clauses that hold up at the LTB. Collect first and last month’s rent only. The RTA prohibits damage deposits and additional fees.

Step 6: Submit for Board Approval and Complete Disclosure

If your condo requires tenant approval, submit the completed application to the property management company and wait for confirmation. Within 10 days of signing the lease, file your Section 83 notice with the corporation. Provide the tenant with copies of the declaration, bylaws, and rules. Only then should you finalize the move-in date and hand over keys.

What Are the Risks of Renting Out a Condo in Ontario?

Renting out a condo carries specific risks that do not apply to freehold rental properties. Condo bylaws can override lease terms, your corporation can charge costs back to your unit, and short-term rental violations can result in significant municipal fines. Understanding these risks before you list your unit is essential. If you later decide to sell the unit while a tenant is in place, the rules become even more complex, which we cover in our guide to selling a tenanted property in Ontario.

Tenant Rejected by the Condo Board

If your condo requires board or management approval for tenants and your applicant does not meet the documented criteria, the tenancy cannot proceed. If you’ve already signed a lease before getting approval, you may need to renegotiate or terminate the lease, which creates legal and financial complications.

Short-Term Rental Violations

Many condo declarations prohibit short-term rentals entirely. The City can pursue summons-to-court convictions with fines up to $100,000, plus daily fines up to $10,000 per day for each day the violation continues. The City can also pursue special fines for any economic gains from the violation. Even if the municipality allows it, your condo corporation’s rules may not. Violating those rules gives the corporation grounds to pursue compliance action and charge the legal costs back to your unit.

Damage to Common Elements

As the unit owner, you are responsible for any damage your tenant causes to common elements such as hallways, lobbies, elevators, and parking areas. Most Ontario condo corporations have a deductible bylaw that allows them to charge back the cost of repairs (up to the corporation’s insurance deductible) to the unit that caused the damage. These chargebacks can run into thousands of dollars.

Insurance Gaps

A standard condo owner insurance policy may not cover claims that arise when a tenant occupies your unit. If you have not updated your policy to landlord coverage, you could be personally liable for damage, injury claims, or loss of rental income. Some condo corporations will not process a lease notification without proof of adequate insurance.

Bylaws Overriding Lease Terms

Condo bylaws and rules can impose obligations that go beyond your lease. For example, if your condo prohibits pets but your lease does not mention pets, the condo’s rules still apply, and the tenant must comply. If the tenant refuses, the corporation will hold you, the owner, responsible for enforcement. Including a clause in your lease that requires the tenant to comply with all condo rules helps, but it does not eliminate the risk entirely. For a full list of lease clauses that the RTA voids regardless of what the parties signed, see our article on illegal lease clauses in Ontario.

Should You Rent Your Condo or Not?

Renting your condo makes sense in some situations and creates more risk than reward in others. Working with condo owners across the GTA and Niagara Region, we’ve found that the decision usually comes down to a clear set of conditions. The framework below isn’t a formal checklist, but it captures the questions every condo owner should answer honestly before listing the unit.

Rent Your Condo If These Conditions Are True

Your condo’s declaration, bylaws, and rules permit residential leasing without restrictions you can’t accept. The minimum lease term, rental cap, and tenant approval requirements all fit your situation.

You can hold the unit for at least one full lease term, ideally one year. Short lease terms in a building that doesn’t permit them or in a market where vacancy is rising create more headaches than rental income justifies.

You have landlord insurance in place and your condo corporation will accept your proof of coverage. The premium increase from owner-occupied to landlord coverage is worth the protection from a tenant-related claim.

Your unit is in rentable condition. Worn carpet, dated appliances, or visible wear will attract weaker applicants and lower rent. If the unit needs work, do the work first.

You’re prepared to follow the RTA. Once a tenant moves in, you cannot simply ask them to leave. Eviction requires the correct N-form, proper notice, and an LTB order. Owners who want their unit back on short notice should not rent it out.

Pause Before Listing If These Conditions Are True

Your condo’s declaration prohibits or significantly restricts leasing, and the restrictions don’t fit your plan. Trying to work around documented restrictions creates compliance risk and potential chargebacks.

You may want to sell within the next year. Selling a tenanted condo is more complex than selling vacant. The tenant has rights to stay until the lease ends or proper notice is given, which limits your options. If a sale is on the horizon, talk to us about timing before you list as a rental.

You can’t comfortably cover the mortgage and condo fees if the unit sits vacant for a month or two between tenants. Vacancy risk is real, especially in newer buildings with high investor concentration. A landlord who needs every dollar of rent has less room to be selective during screening.

You don’t have or can’t afford landlord insurance. The cost of a single liability claim or damage event without coverage will exceed years of premiums.

You’re considering a short-term rental but haven’t checked the condo declaration. Many GTA condos prohibit rentals shorter than 12 months entirely, and Toronto’s short-term rental bylaw adds municipal compliance on top. Confirm both before listing.

If your situation falls into the second category, that doesn’t mean you can never rent the unit. It means the conditions need to change first, whether that’s adjusting your timeline, securing insurance, or revisiting the decision once your circumstances align with what the building and the RTA require.

Ontario landlord and tenant law can change. This article reflects legislation and procedures as of April 2026 and is for general informational purposes only. Confirm current rules and obligations with a qualified legal professional before making decisions.