Rent guarantors in Toronto
What a landlord may ask for, what a renter without Canadian credit can offer, and what a co-signer takes on. Written for all three sides of the agreement.
For landlords
You may require a guarantee under O. Reg. 290/98, applied consistently and never on protected grounds. Put the guarantee in writing with the lease, name the exact obligations, and keep the guarantor informed. A guarantor who hears about arrears in the first week usually settles them.
For tenants and newcomers
With no Canadian credit history, several options are open to you: a Canadian guarantor, proof of funds, or the last month's rent deposit, which is the only deposit Ontario permits. Get every guarantee term in writing so your guarantor knows exactly what they signed.
For guarantors and co-signers
You are agreeing to pay if the tenant does not, and in most standard wording that continues through renewals. Read the lease, cap your exposure where you can, and ask for visibility of rent status so you hear about a missed payment early.
Guarantors get their own portal
The landlord invites the guarantor, the guarantor reviews and co-signs the lease online, and from then on they have a view of their own:
Digital co-signing
The guarantor reviews the lease terms and signs from any device, with no account needed and a full record kept.
Rent status visibility
A current view of the tenancy they back: what is due, what is paid and what is outstanding.
Missed-payment alerts
When rent is overdue the guarantor is notified automatically, within days rather than months.
A window to put it right
The guarantor can confirm they will cover the payment, so a missed month is settled before any notice is served.
Guarantor FAQ
Can a landlord in Ontario require a guarantor?
Yes. Ontario Regulation 290/98 under the Human Rights Code explicitly permits landlords to require a guarantee for the rent. What landlords cannot do is apply that requirement in a discriminatory way — for example, demanding guarantors only from applicants of a particular background.
What does a rent guarantor actually commit to?
A guarantor (or co-signer) is legally responsible for the tenant's obligations under the lease if the tenant doesn't pay — typically unpaid rent, and depending on the wording, damages. The obligation usually continues through renewals of the same tenancy unless the agreement says otherwise, so guarantors should read the guarantee clause carefully before signing.
I'm an international student with no Canadian credit history. What are my options?
Common routes in Toronto: a Canadian relative or contact acting as guarantor, offering proof of funds or a study-permit-plus-tuition statement, prepaying last month's rent (the only deposit Ontario allows), or using a paid guarantor service. Note that landlords cannot demand extra 'security deposits' — only first and last month's rent.
Is a guarantor the same as a co-signer?
In practice the terms are used interchangeably in Ontario. Technically a co-signer signs the lease as a party (with a right to occupy), while a guarantor signs a guarantee agreement without living in the unit. Either way, they're on the hook if rent goes unpaid.
How does a guarantor find out the tenant missed rent?
Traditionally they don't — until it's already a crisis. That's the gap TenantBay closes: guarantors get their own portal with rent status visibility and missed-payment alerts, so they can step in and fix a problem before it escalates to the LTB.
General information about Ontario tenancy law, not legal advice.