First-Time Landlords Make the Same Five Mistakes — All of Them Avoidable
Most people become landlords without ever reading the Residential Tenancies Act: they inherit a property, move in with a partner and rent the condo, or buy an investment unit. Then they download a lease, take a deposit the law does not allow, pick a tenant on instinct, and discover the rules only when something goes wrong — at which point the mistakes are already locked into the tenancy.
Our start-up package compresses what experienced landlords know into a fixed-scope engagement at the start of your first tenancy: the right lease with enforceable additional terms, a lawful screening framework, correct handling of deposits and key money, and a plain-language playbook for the first year — rent increases, entry rules, maintenance requests, and the early warning signs that call for advice.
It is designed to be the cheapest legal money you ever spend on the property, because it is priced against the alternative: our hourly rate at a hearing.
What the Package Includes
A fixed-scope engagement covering:
- Ontario standard lease prepared for your property, with custom additional terms that are actually enforceable
- A screening framework: compliant application form, criteria, and guidance on refusals
- Deposit and rent-handling setup — last month’s rent, key deposits, interest obligations, and what you cannot charge
- Move-in documentation: inspection report, utilities and insurance terms, guarantor agreement where wanted
- A first-year playbook covering rent increases, notice of entry, maintenance obligations, and records worth keeping
- A follow-up consultation during the first tenancy when a question inevitably comes up
Common Scenarios We See
Landlords often contact us where:
- A homeowner is renting out a property for the first time
- An investor is closing on a first rental unit and wants the tenancy set up properly
- A landlord is inheriting tenants with a purchase and needs to understand what transfers
- An accidental landlord — relocation, inheritance, cohabitation — needs to get compliant quickly
- A first tenancy is starting in weeks and nothing is papered yet
How We Assist
We assist landlords with:
- Everything in the package above, delivered on a fixed fee
- Adapting the package where tenants come with the property
- Adding property-specific terms: condos, shared utilities, parking, short-term rental restrictions
- Coordinating with your realtor, mortgage broker, or insurer on tenancy-related conditions
- Ongoing support afterward at preferred rates
Why the First Tenancy Sets the Ceiling
Errors made at the start of a tenancy — the wrong deposit, a missing term, an unlawful rent — are frozen into it, sometimes for years. Rent you undercharge is hard to correct; terms you omitted cannot be added without consent. The first tenancy is the one place where an hour of legal work has years of leverage.
Book a Consultation
If your first tenancy is approaching, set it up once and set it up right. Contact us about the start-up package.