How much rent can a landlord charge?
When you first rent a place, you and your landlord agree on the rent you will pay. In most cases, the rent can be any amount that you both agree on.
Your rent could include things like:
- electricity
- cable
- parking
- cleaning
- meals
Make sure your rental agreement or clearly says what is included and what is not included.
Most landlords have to use the government's standard lease form if the lease was signed on or after April 30, 2018. If your landlord won't give you a standard lease, there may be steps you can take.
Future rent increases
In most cases, your landlord must wait a year before raising your rent and must give you 90 days' written .
Usually your landlord cannot increase your rent more than the “guideline” percentage which is set by the government each year.
It is important to find out if your place is covered by the guideline. If it is not covered, your landlord can raise your rent as much as they want after a year.
If your rental agreement has any discounts, this could also affect future rent increases.
In some situations, there might be an Order Prohibiting Rent Increase (OPRI). An OPRI means the rent can't be above a certain amount until the landlord does repairs.
This situation is extremely rare, so it is unlikely that your new unit will be affected by an OPRI. If your unit is affected, your landlord has to tell you before you move in.