Ontario's new standard rental lease will be easier for landlords and tenants

Ontarioleases will soon be easier to read and use as anew standard lease form and guide book will roll out at the end of April.

The provincial government said it will better protect tenants from illegal terms on their leases by making the language simple and easy to understand.

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"[The] standard lease is essentially a plain English or French document that would be common to all tenants and landlords across the province, making it very clear and easyfor a tenant to understand what it is they are agreeing to," Minister of Housing Peter Milczyn told CBC'sThe Morning Edition.

As of April 30,landlords renting residential units across Ontario will have to use the new standard lease form for all new leases. It applies to both individual landlords and property management companies.

The province will also release a guidebook in 21 different languages to accompany the lease.

The new standard lease will outline information about rent, contact information, depositsand utilities, said Milczyn.

He addslandlords will also benefit from having a standard form.

"I suspect that for many small landlords [the standard lease]will make iteasier for them as well by providing them with a document that they know complies with the law and spells out clearly obligations and responsibilities for both parties," he said.

Additional terms

Section 15 of the standard lease form allows for tenants and landlords to makeadditional termsto the lease such asmakingchanges to the unit before the tenant moves in orrules aroundcommon spaces.

However,Milczynsaid that the guide book will alerttenants on what additional terms arelegalandillegal.

"It willprovide examples of what ispermissibleand what is not legal," he said. For example, a landlord cannot prohibit dogs or require tenants to look after snow removalin Section 15; both are protected by law in Ontario.

"A tenant or landlord can always contact the Ministry to get clarification or the Landlord Tenant Tribunal," said Milczyn.