Basement Apartments in Ontario: A Landlord’s Guide to Legal Secondary Suites

What is a Basement Apartment & What makes it a Legal unit in Ontario?

A basement apartment is simply described as a home within a home. It is a separate living space in the lower level of the property. In Ontario, these are also called “secondary suites.” They have their own entrance, kitchen, bathroom, and living space.

Many Ontario homeowners add basement apartments to help with their mortgage payment’s. A basement apartment does more than help pay your mortgage and boost your income. As a landlord, you can earn between $800 to $2,500 per month, depending on the size of the unit and where your home is located.

What Every Ontario Landlord Needs to Know About Tenant Guests

Did you know your tenant can move in a new boyfriend, girlfriend, or roommate without asking you first? Many Ontario landlords are surprised by this fact! If you own rental property in Ontario, understanding your rights when tenants have guests is super important.

Ontario Lease Agreement Clauses: What Landlords Can (and Can’t) Include in 2025

Just last week, a Mississauga landlord called us in a panic. Her tenant had stopped clearing snow from the walkway – something they’d agreed to in writing. Now she was facing city fines. Sound familiar?

Like many Toronto-area property owners, she thought having it in the lease made it enforceable. Turns out, some of the most common rental terms in Ontario aren’t worth the paper they’re written on.
Did you know you only have 30 days to handle a deceased tenant’s property correctly? Or that letting the wrong family member into the unit could create serious legal headaches? Our in-depth conversation uncovers the exact steps Oakville and GTA landlords need to take to protect themselves while respecting grieving families.