Originally Posted: 2009-04-06 11:10 (no longer live)
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Attention Landlords -- Some Advice from a Renter

As a renter looking for a new apartment, let me offer some advice to our city’s landlords that will save both you and I a lot of time. Before you list an apartment for rent, please consider all of the following:

1. Unless your apartment is a loft, it is not “loft-like.” Having a high ceiling or being on the second floor or higher does not make your apartment “loft-like.” Being a loft makes your apartment “loft-like.”

2. If you are charging $1500+, especially if the renter is also paying for their own utilities, you’re an asshole for only offering coin laundry.

3. A two-bedroom apartment has two separate bedrooms, not one bedroom and a living room that someone can sleep in.

4. Don't say that your basement apartment is “not your typical basement apartment.” If it’s in the basement, it’s exactly like every other basement apartment: it’s in the basement.

5. Say “no pets” all you want, just as long as you know that you can’t enforce your own rule unless someone else in the house is allergic or the pet is causing a disturbance after I move in (“14. A provision in a tenancy agreement prohibiting the presence of animals in or about the residential complex is void. 2006, c. 17, s. 14.”).

I could go on, but these are the most egregious offenders.

Thank you to all of those landlords who list their properties honestly – I would never paint you all with the same brush, but to the rest of you your listings are transparent and not doing you any favours. Further, why would I want to enter into an agreement with you when you can’t even list your property honestly?

If your apartment has been listed for months, ask yourself why.


  • Location: Toronto
  • it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

post id: 1109422288