Get Ready to Rent in Ottawa: Ask an Agent

Nov 16

If you’re preparing to start looking for a rental in Ottawa - you might be feeling a bit stressed! There is so much paperwork to compile, each landlord seems to be using a completely different process for their rentals, and left and right it seems as though there is a new scam. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone.

Did you know real estate agents can help you with rentals, just like they can with buying or selling a home? A licensed real estate agent will be able to assist you in finding your perfect home at absolutely no cost to you.

Let’s dive into some ways you can prepare to make your search for a rental as painless as possible, and identify some of the common scam tactics we’ve seen in recent years in Ottawa.

We brought on Mitch MacKenzie, a New Purveyors agent, to help us break down just what the rental market is looking like in Ottawa.

What should I do to prepare to search for a rental?

Before you start looking for rental properties, its a great idea to gather your paperwork in advance so that you’re ready to fill out a rental application right away. Great rentals go quickly, and with an expensive buying and selling market right now, more and more people are entering the rental market each day.

Some of the paperwork you’ll want to have:

A credit check from Equifax
A completed rental application.
- You shouldn’t fill out any banking information or give any person or company your SIN number. Leave these areas blank.
Proof of employment through a letter from your company or manager.
Your 2 most recent pay stubs.
Photo identification.

Prevalent rental scams in Ottawa:

The most important thing to know about rental scams in Ottawa is that you won’t get scammed if you work with an agent. Agents will have your deposit protected, meaning if a property falls through on their end, you will have your money returned. Because real estate agents work for you, and not for the rental companies or landlords, they will be able to give you an unbiased opinion on the properties you are viewing. If you visit alone or utilize a landlord’s advice, they may be more likely to sway your opinion about a property because they want to fill it.

Some of the warning signs you may see during a rental scam:

The landlord is out of the country during the transaction, especially those who require a wired security deposit.
The rental rate is significantly lower than similar properties available.
Landlords or companies that ask for a deposit without a formal rental agreement in place.
Landlords who are willing to rent to you without meeting you or doing a background check on you.
Links within emails that ask for your personal or financial information.

How to avoid being scammed:

Other than working with a licensed real estate agent, you can also
Google the contact information of a company or landlord
Google sentences from within the email to see if someone has reported the same email
Check similar rentals in the area to match prices