Shared housing
Who signed the lease decides who the Act treats as the tenant.
A roommate who is not on the lease often has fewer RTA tools against the head tenant. They still have Human Rights Code protections and, in many cases, contract rights. Get the names on paper.
- Sublets and assignments generally need landlord consent; consent cannot be unreasonably withheld for assignment in many situations.
- A landlord cannot refuse extra occupants solely because they are children or a partner — that is often family or marital status discrimination.
- Overcrowding notices must rest on real standards, not a dislike of families.
- If only one person signed, that person is usually the tenant the Board will recognize. Put everyone who pays rent on the agreement when you can.