Landlord questions, answered
The questions landlords ask, with straight answers: cost, timing, screening, the lease and what we don't do.
Cost and payment
How much does Zola charge?
One flat fee of one month's rent plus HST, paid when your new tenant signs the lease.
There's nothing to pay upfront and no monthly fee. See pricing for examples.
What if you don't find a tenant?
You pay nothing.
We keep adjusting the marketing and talk with you about the price until it rents.
Is there a discount for several units?
No, the price is firm.
It's one month's rent plus HST for each unit, the same for every landlord, however many units you have.
What does the 10-month guarantee cover?
If a tenant we placed breaks the lease within 10 months, we place a new one at no extra cost.
The full terms are in your written agreement with Zola.
Timing and showings
How fast can you rent my place?
Our average is 14 days from the listing going live to a signed lease.
The price, the season and the unit all matter. We'll give you a realistic timeline on the strategy call.
How soon does the listing go live?
Within 12 to 24 hours of the photo shoot.
We take professional photos of the entire place, optimize the listing and run ads on 6+ rental platforms.
Do I need to be at the showings?
No.
We run every showing, evenings and weekends included. If you'd like to meet the final applicants, we'll arrange it.
Can you show my unit while the current tenant still lives there?
Yes, once the tenancy is ending.
After a notice of termination, or a written agreement to end the tenancy, Ontario lets a landlord show the unit to prospective tenants between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., after trying to tell the tenant first. We plan showings around the current tenant.
Screening and choosing a tenant
What does your screening check?
Identity, credit, income, rental history and the documents themselves.
We confirm income with the employer, call past landlords, pull a credit report with consent and look for edited documents. See tenant screening and the full 27-point checklist.
Can I check an applicant's Landlord and Tenant Board history myself?
Yes, free.
Our LTB record search checks the Board's published orders by name and by address. A matching name isn't proof it's the same person, and an order a tenant won isn't a red flag.
Who makes the final decision?
You do.
We show you what we found for each serious applicant and tell you what we'd do. No lease is signed without your OK.
Can I require a minimum income?
Not on its own.
Ontario's Human Rights Code lets landlords ask for income information only together with credit references, rental history and a credit check, and weigh it with everything else. The Ontario Human Rights Commission warns that rent-to-income cut-offs breach the Code.
How do you deal with fake documents?
We check the source, not just the paper.
We call employers on numbers we look up ourselves and compare pay stubs with bank deposits. Our fake pay stub guide shows how.
The lease and Ontario rules
Who signs the lease?
You and the tenant.
We prepare it, Ontario's standard lease or a custom lease built around your needs, and set up e-signatures.
Can you write a custom lease?
Yes, where the law allows.
Most rentals in Ontario must use the standard lease, so your own terms go into its additional-terms section, as long as they don't take away a tenant's rights under the Residential Tenancies Act. Rentals the standard lease doesn't cover, such as a room where the tenant shares your kitchen or bathroom, can use a custom lease.
Do I have to use the Ontario standard lease?
For most residential tenancies, yes.
It's required for most tenancy agreements signed on or after April 30, 2018, and the tenant must get a copy within 21 days of signing. Our standard lease guide explains it.
What deposit can I collect?
A rent deposit of up to one month's rent, and a refundable key deposit.
The rent deposit goes toward the last month's rent. Damage and pet deposits aren't allowed. See our rent deposit guide.
Can I ban pets in the lease?
No, a no-pets clause in an Ontario lease is void.
A condo's own rules can still restrict some pets, and the tenant must follow them.
How much can I raise the rent next year?
Up to 1.9% in 2027 for most units.
Units first lived in after November 15, 2018 are exempt from the guideline. Every increase needs 90 days' written notice and 12 months since the last one. See our rent increase guide.
What we don't do
Do you manage the property after move-in?
No, we only place tenants.
If you'd like ongoing management, we can refer you to a property manager.
Do you do the move-in inspection or hand over the keys?
No, you do both.
Once the lease is signed and first and last month's rent is paid, you hand over the keys on the move-in date. Do a move-in inspection with dated photos at the same time; our rent deposit guide explains why.
Do you lease commercial space?
No, only homes.
We lease condos, basement units, houses, multiplexes and units in apartment buildings of any size, all as residential tenancies. We don't lease stores, offices or industrial space.
Do you collect rent or handle repairs?
No.
Once your tenant moves in, you deal with them directly. That's why there's no monthly fee.
Do you handle evictions?
No.
If a tenancy goes wrong, we can refer you to a paralegal or lawyer who handles Landlord and Tenant Board cases. Our guide to landlord rights and responsibilities explains the notices and the September 2026 changes.
Didn't find your question?
Call or text us, or send a request. A person answers, usually within an hour.
Free · No obligation · $0 until your tenant signs · 10-Month replacement guarantee