Making a great impression starts with preparation. Learn how to assess potential rentals, ask the right questions, and present a strong application that sets you apart as a reliable tenant.
The information in this guide should not be interpreted as legal advice, and is provided for informational purposes only. If you’re in need of legal advice, contact your local legal aid provider.
Preparing for a Viewing
The purpose of a viewing is for you to check out the place before deciding to sign a lease. This is your opportunity to see if the apartment is a good fit for you and meets your needs. It is also an opportunity for you and the landlord/property manager to get to know each other.
- Landlord’s Questions: Be ready for the landlord to ask questions about your situation. Examples of questions a landlord might ask are listed in the next section.
- Note-Taking: Take notes during the viewing and any conversations with the landlord, and ask before taking any photos, especially if the unit you’re viewing is currently occupied.
- Presentation: Show up on time and present yourself professionally. If possible, it’s recommended that everyone who plans to live there comes to the viewing.
Submitting a Rental Application
What Information Can a Landlord or Rental Application Ask For?
Rental applications can be daunting and are often lengthy. To complete a rental application, you should be prepared to answer a number questions about your current living situation, employment history, and other information like how many pets you have. The questions on rental applications will vary widely, but there are some general do’s and don’ts to help you navigate the process.
Landlords Can Ask About:
- Your income, where you work, and the kind of work that you do.
- How many people will live there, and whether you have pets.
- Permission to conduct a credit check*.
- Date of birth
* Heads up! Your landlord may ask you for your Social Insurance Number (SIN) as part of the credit check process. Your SIN is an extremely sensitive piece of personal information, and you should guard it carefully. You are not legally required to provide this information, but doing so can sometimes increase the likelihood of a successful credit check, since the information your SIN provides is often most up to date. Use your judgment and discretion in cases like these.
Landlords Cannot Ask About:
There are a number of characteristics that cannot be used to inform whether someone is or isn’t approved for a rental. These protected characteristics are defined in Nova Scotia’s Human Rights Act, and include:
- Your ethnic background or religion
- Your family status, marital status, or whether you plan to have children
- Your sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression
- Whether you have a disability
- Political belief, affiliation or activity
Additional Questions You May Be Asked
- Residential History and References: You may be asked to share information about where you’ve lived previously, and provide references. If you’ve only lived in a student residence or in a family home, that’s okay! Tell that to your landlord and try to provide references who can attest to your character and ability to be a good tenant.
- Proof of Finances: You may be asked to prove that you can pay rent. This may include income verification or a credit check.
- Canadian Bank Account: You will most likely need a Canadian bank account in order to pay your rent. Many landlords withdraw rent payments automatically, which requires a Canadian bank account.
- Co-Signer/Guarantor: If you don’t have a full-time job, a co-signer or guarantor may be required to ensure that you can pay rent. A guarantor or co-signer is someone who guarantees your ability to pay rent. They are different from a reference as they do not only put in a good word, they are also financially liable if you are unable to pay your rent. Guarantors are often parents, guardians, or other family members with an established job and steady income stream.
- Tenant’s Insurance: Most landlords will ask you to show proof you have tenant’s insurance prior to moving in. Regardless of whether your landlord requires it, everyone should have tenant’s insurance. It is extremely important and protects your belongings in the event of unexpected damage or loss.
When you apply for tenant’s insurance, remember to ask your landlord for the age of the building, the number of units located in the building, and how your unit is heated. You can also ask what kind of electrical service the unit has (circuits, fuses knob and tube, etc.) and less commonly, the age of the roof or whether there have been major repairs completed lately. When in doubt, ask your landlord for any information your insurance company needs.
Signing Your Lease
How Much Can My Landlord Ask For In Advance?
- Security Deposit: Landlords typically ask for a security deposit, but it can’t be more than half of your monthly rent. The lease should state the deposit amount and the date it was paid. You’ll get this deposit back when you move out, as long as the place is in the same condition as when you moved in and you haven’t caused any damage.
- Monthly Rent: Landlords can ask for the first month’s rent if you’re getting the keys/moving in right after you sign your lease, but can’t ask for it upfront. They also can’t ask for the last month’s rent upfront, or multiple months at once.
- Payment Timing: Don’t send any money before signing the lease. If you do, it’s at your own risk.
- Additional Fees: Landlords cannot ask you to pay an application fee, and any other fee should be included in your lease.
*Heads up! Landlords cannot charge “application fees” or “application deposits” prior to signing a lease. These are illegal and a big red flag. Nova Scotia’s Residential Tenancies Act also doesn’t allow for a tenant to be required to pay rent in advance as a term of a lease (i.e. more than the first month upfront). Landlords may only ask for a security deposit and first month’s rent when signing a lease, and the security deposit can be no greater than 50% of the first month’s rent.
Who Needs to Sign a Lease
- Make sure everyone that will live in the rental unit is listed on the lease, regardless of whether or not they pay rent.
- Everyone who signs the lease will be individually responsible for the unit, even if you split the apartment with a roommate, partner, or flatmate. So, if problems come up, everyone that signed the lease will be accountable.
- If multiple people sign the same lease, they’re all responsible for the full rent. The landlord can hold any of them accountable for the full amount.
- If each person has their own separate lease, they’re only responsible for their own rent and obligations according to their specific lease terms.