Rental Turnover Checklist for Ontario Landlords

The gap between tenants is usually short, and it's the only time the unit sits empty. Anything you put off now gets done later, with notice to the tenant and the work scheduled around someone else's life.

This rental turnover checklist covers the physical side of getting a unit ready: the repairs and safety checks worth doing before the next tenant moves in. It isn't legal advice. The few rules we mention come from the Landlord and Tenant Board and Ontario's Fire Code, and for anything about the tenancy itself, the LTB is the place to ask.

Plan Before the Old Tenant Leaves

The smoothest turnovers are planned a few weeks out. If you want to walk through the unit beforehand to see what needs work, the Landlord and Tenant Board says you have to give the tenant written notice at least 24 hours ahead. The notice has to state the reason, the date and a specific time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Make a list as you go and take photos. Then line up the work so it can start soon after the unit is empty. Every week it sits waiting for repairs is a week without rent.

If you manage the place from out of town, send the list and photos to whoever is doing the work. They can quote it before they show up instead of after.

Smoke Alarms, CO Alarms and Other Safety Checks

Ontario's Fire Code makes the landlord responsible for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in a rental. Smoke alarms are required on every storey and outside all sleeping areas. In a house, CO alarms are required if there's a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage.

At every turnover, work through these:

• Test each smoke alarm and CO alarm with its test button. The Fire Code requires landlords to test them annually and after every change in tenancy.
• Leave the new tenant a copy of the manufacturer's maintenance instructions for the alarms
• Check the date on each smoke alarm. Ontario's fire safety guidance says smoke alarms wear out and should be replaced every 10 years.
• Press the test button on each GFCI outlet in the kitchen and bathrooms. It should trip, then reset.
• Rekey or change the locks so old keys stop working

Walls, Paint and Floors

Walls take the most wear in a rental. Expect anchor holes and scuffs, plus a dent or two where a door has been swinging into the wall.

• Patch holes and dents, then prime the patches so they don't show through the paint. Small drywall repairs usually run $75 to $200 with us.
• Repaint where touch-ups won't blend. A wall with several patches usually looks better painted end to end, and interior painting with us typically costs $300 to $800 per room.
• Use one neutral colour across your units and write down the brand, colour code and sheen. Future touch-ups get much easier.
• Look for lifted flooring seams, loose transition strips and soft spots near the tub or toilet

Kitchens and Bathrooms

This is where small leaks turn into big repairs, so give these rooms a careful look.

• Recaulk the tub or shower if the caulk is cracked, stained or pulling away. With us, that's typically $75 to $150.
• Look under every sink for drips, water stains or a swollen cabinet floor
• Flush each toilet. Listen for one that keeps running, and check whether it rocks on the floor.
• Turn on the bathroom exhaust fan and make sure it actually pulls air
• Press on the drywall around the tub surround. Soft or stained board there usually means water has been getting in behind it.

Everything You Provide Has to Work

The Landlord and Tenant Board's maintenance brochure says a landlord must keep a rental in a good state of repair, and that everything the landlord provides has to be kept in working order. Its examples include heating, plumbing and electrical systems, appliances, carpets, walls, ceilings, windows, doors, locks and lighting. The LTB's guide to the Residential Tenancies Act adds that this applies even if the tenant knew about a problem when they agreed to rent.

So before the new tenant moves in:

• Run every appliance you supply, including the stove burners and oven, fridge, dishwasher, washer and dryer
• Open, close and lock every window and door, and replace torn screens
• Change the furnace filter and clean out the dryer vent
• Swap burned-out bulbs and check that every switch and fixture works
• Check the weatherstripping on exterior doors, especially for a fall or winter move-in

Getting Your Rental Turnover Checklist Done

Most turnover work is a long list of small jobs, and that's what a maintenance visit is for. With us, a half-day visit (3 to 4 hours) usually costs $200 to $350, and a full day runs $400 to $600. We work through the list, usually in one visit, sometimes two.

Pedro spent 15 years as a Home Inspector, so he'll often point out problems that weren't on your list. You decide what gets done. Send us your list and a few photos, and we'll give you a free written estimate before any work starts. Call (289) 928-5689.