Renting in Toronto: neighbourhoods, deposits and your rights under Ontario law

Renting in Toronto is competitive and pricey, but Ontario's tenant rules are stronger than many Brits expect, as long as you know which ones apply to your flat.

The short version

• Rent is high but has eased. One listings portal put the average unfurnished one-bedroom across the City of Toronto at about CAD 1,969 a month (about £1,044) in its October 2026 report, down 3.7% on a year earlier [1].
• No damage deposit. Ontario landlords can take a rent deposit (normally last month's rent) and a refundable key deposit, and that's it [2].
• Use the standard lease. Most private landlords must use Ontario's standard lease form [3].
• Rent control depends on the building. Increases are capped at 2.1% in 2026 and 1.9% in 2027 for most units, but not for units first lived in after 15 November 2018 [4].
• Scams are common. Never send money for a flat you haven't seen and a landlord you can't verify.

Pound conversions use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = CAD 1.8858).

Where to live

Toronto is a city of neighbourhoods, and most newcomers choose by commute first. The subway's Line 1 (Yonge–University) and Line 2 (Bloor–Danforth) are the backbone, so being a short walk from a station is worth paying for, especially in January.

• Downtown, the Entertainment District and Liberty Village: glass condo towers, short commutes, gyms in the building, and the highest rents per square foot.
• The Annex and Yorkville: older houses split into flats, near the University of Toronto and Bloor Street.
• Leslieville, Riverside and the Danforth: east-end streets with a high-street feel, popular with young families.
• The Beaches: a boardwalk on Lake Ontario and a proper village feel, but a longer streetcar ride into town.
• Roncesvalles and High Park: west-end, leafy, and handy for the park.
• Yonge and Eglinton, North York and Etobicoke: more space for the money, with the trade-off of a longer trip downtown.

Housing types differ from back home. Most rentals are either condo units (a flat owned by an individual landlord in a big tower), purpose-built rental blocks run by a company, or parts of houses, including the classic Toronto basement flat. Basements are cheaper but can be dark, damp and low-ceilinged, so view in person.

What it costs

These Toronto figures are average asking rents from liv.rent, which uses its own listings plus data collected from other sites [1]. ONS figures are rents people actually pay across all property sizes, so treat the comparison as rough. Even so, a Toronto one-bedroom costs well under the London average, and Toronto rents have been falling for over a year, so you may have more room to negotiate than friends who moved in 2023 did.

Budget for extras too. Rent often excludes "hydro" (electricity), and sometimes heat and water in houses. Internet and a mobile plan are always extra. Many leases require tenant insurance, which covers your belongings and your liability if, say, your bath floods the flat below.

Finding a flat and applying

Most listings are on the big rental portals and on Facebook Marketplace, and in condos you'll often deal with a letting agent who represents the landlord (in Toronto they're usually licensed real estate agents). Expect to fill in a rental application with:

• photo ID (your passport and work or study permit)
• a letter of employment showing your salary, or recent payslips
• references, ideally from a previous landlord
• a credit check

That last one is the sticking point for new arrivals, as your UK credit history doesn't come with you. Landlords may ask for several months' rent in advance to make up for it. Ontario law limits what a landlord can require as a deposit, but tenants sometimes choose to prepay to win a flat. If you do, get a receipt, and only ever pay a verified landlord. Building a Canadian credit file quickly helps; see your first month in Canada.

Leases, deposits and rent rises

The standard lease

For most private rentals, landlords must use Ontario's standard lease for new tenancies [3]. If your landlord doesn't give you one, you can ask in writing, and they have 21 days to provide it. If they still don't, you can withhold one month's rent [3]. The standard lease can't include a term that bans pets, though condo rules can still restrict them [3].

Deposits

This is where Toronto differs most from renting back home in the UK, where tenancy deposit schemes protect a damage deposit:

• Rent deposit. The landlord can ask for a deposit of no more than one month's rent, and it must be used for your last month's rent, not repairs [2].
• Interest. The landlord must pay you interest on it each year, at the same rate as the rent increase guideline [2].
• Key deposit. Allowed if it's refundable and no more than the cost of replacing the keys or fob.
• No damage or security deposit. A landlord can't legally demand one in Ontario, and the rent deposit can't be used for repairs [2]. If they say "first, last and a damage deposit", that last bit isn't allowed.

A landlord also can't require you to pay by post-dated cheques or automatic payments, though you can agree to either [2].

Rent rises and rent control

A landlord can raise the rent only once every 12 months and must give at least 90 days' written notice on the proper Landlord and Tenant Board form [4]. For most units, the rise is capped by the province's guideline [4]:

Here's the catch. Units in new buildings and most new basement flats first occupied after 15 November 2018 are exempt from the guideline [4]. Toronto has built a lot of condo towers since then, so ask when the unit was first lived in before you sign. On an exempt unit the landlord still has to wait 12 months and give 90 days' notice, but there's no cap on the amount. Rent can also be reset freely between tenants [4].

Your rights once you're in

Ontario tenancies don't simply end when a one-year lease runs out. Most roll on month to month, and the landlord can't evict you without a valid reason and an order from the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) [3]. A landlord who wants the flat for themselves or a close family member must give proper notice and, in most cases, compensation, and the LTB can order up to 12 months' rent plus moving costs if an eviction is done in bad faith [3].

You can install a window or portable air conditioner with written notice to the landlord [3], which is worth knowing in a humid Toronto July. Disputes go to the LTB, and Legal Aid Ontario community clinics give free advice to tenants on low incomes.

Scams to avoid

Toronto's rental market draws scammers, and newcomers are their favourite target. The usual tricks:

1. The too-cheap flat. A downtown one-bedroom far below the going rate, with lovely photos lifted from an old listing.
2. The overseas landlord. They're "away" and can't show you round, but will post the keys once you e-transfer a deposit.
3. The deposit before viewing. Any pressure to pay before you've seen the inside is a red flag.
4. The fake agent. Check that anyone calling themselves an agent is registered with Ontario's real estate regulator.

Stick to viewings in person (or a trusted friend on a video call), check who owns the unit, and pay only once you've signed the standard lease. If you're caught out, report it to the police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

If you're renting out your UK home while you're in Toronto, the Non-Resident Landlord Scheme applies on the UK side. Our guide to UK income while you live abroad covers it. And for flat-hunting tips from people who've just done it, our community group for Brits in Canada is a good place to ask: join here.

Sources

1. liv.rent: October 2026 Ontario rent report (2 October 2026)
2. Landlord and Tenant Board (Tribunals Ontario): A guide to the Residential Tenancies Act
3. Government of Ontario: Renting in Ontario – your rights (updated 18 September 2026)
4. Government of Ontario: Residential rent increases (updated 23 June 2026)
5. ONS: Private rent and house prices, UK (21 October 2026, data for September 2026)

Keep reading

• Cost of living in Toronto vs London and the UK average
• Buying a home in Toronto as a Brit
• Your first month in Canada: SIN, phone and credit
• UK income while you live abroad: rent, pensions and savings