A self proclaimed tenants’ rights advocate caused a controversy this month with a posting on a community forum on Kijiji. The anonymous author offered tips on how rental applicants with bad credit could score a lease by deceiving the landlord.
This bad tenant rant uncovers some of the more common ways a tenant may try to cheat on rental applications–which is useful 
information for any landlord who wants to avoid getting scammed.
The first thing the author points out is that small or “mom and pop” landlords are the easiest to manipulate. “Corporate” landlords, the author suggests, are a waste of time because they will require a tenant background check. Small landlords are less likely to go through the trouble of screening tenants, according to the posting.
To identify small landlords to target, the posting directs tenants to apply for rentals advertised on free sites like Kijiji, because smaller landlords are trying to save costs. The author also suggests driving around and spotting “for rent” signs on lawns. Alternatively, tenants should target ads in free community bulletin boards.
The author suggests those rental applicants on government subsidies who fear discrimination should use words like “Ontario Works” or “ODSP” to describe income, because “many mom and pop landlords don’t know the terminology.”
Those who have had problems with landlords in the past are told to enlist the help of a friend with a cell phone to pose as the previous landlord. The author writes, “It may be a bit dishonest, but finding a home is about survival and having a safe home is more important than a little fib.” The posting suggests prepping this fake landlord by providing them with details about the property, like the address, dates of tenancy, and the amount of rent, and to describe the tenant as quiet, or that their rent came directly from the government.
Finally, the author suggests that if an applicant has a pet, they should not tell the landlord. Instead, they should bring the pet as soon as they move in, and the landlord cannot do anything about it.
For the most part, others participating in this forum discussion criticized the advice, fearing that it will only encourage more scrutiny from landlords, and make it harder for tenants to find a place to live. But others agreed, referring to Ontario’s tenancy rules as too “landlord-friendly”, even calling for the end of tenant credit checks altogether so that a landlord could not reject a tenant for poor credit.
The author did offer one valid tip: Tenants should know their rights and responsibilities when it comes to rental housing.
That’s something everyone can agree on.
This post is provided by Tenant Verification Service, Inc., helping landlords reduce the risks of renting with fraud prevention tools that include Tenant Screening, Tenant Background Checks, (U.S. and Canada), as well as Criminal Background Checks, and Eviction Reports (U.S. only).
Click Here to Receive Landlord Credit Reports.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this post in not intended to be construed as legal advice, nor should it be considered a substitute for obtaining individual legal counsel or consulting your local, state, federal or provincial tenancy laws.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
That is absolutely wild. Very unethical. Thanks for posting.
Jevin
This should have been posted like 10 yrs ago and repeated at least 3 times each year! (or even make a reference to the post) I have been scammed this way in the past and have spoken to other landlords who have had similar problems! These motherf***** are getting more widespread and one even called fire marshal to lock down my unit when I tried to evict!! Absolutely no more ontario works for me..even their case workers cant handle these a**holes! If the Govt want to cut cost this is the 1st place they should start! Ontario Works!!!
Why is it that renters do not see Landlords as human beings? Somehow they hold it against us that we have worked hard to purchase some rental property and are just trying to survive like anyone else. When a tenant doesn’t pay their rent, MY credit suffers. I have a right to ensure that I am not renting a unit to someone who has a poor rental history or a history of not meeting their financial obligations (i.e. credit check.) If a bank won’t let you money, then why should I rent you an apartment? Tenants need to consider that if their rental applications are being refused, chances are they did something in the past to warrant that, and they need to take responsibility for their actions instead of just blaming landlords who are trying to protect their assets and credit rating. I work hard to provide safe, clean housing to people and in the past I have been ripped off and suffered losses due to damages incurred by poor tenants. The person who wrote this article is very selfish. Any sincere and decent human being should have no problem renting an apartment – all they have to do is prove that they are worthy of a Landlord’s trust.
As a property owner, there is a simple way to catch them with some of this. Always ask for the 2 previous landlords, and when calling one or both, when they answer say “I’m calling about the place you have for rent. If they say anything like “what? I don’t rent apartments, you must have the wrong number” then it’s a scam. Also, it’s better to ask the older (not current) landlord for a reference because the current one may say ANYTHING just to get rid of them fast!
Excellent ideas, Joe. Thanks for the contribution. I will need to remember these suggestions!
i DO not agree with this at all this is absoultley horriable you should be completley honest while trying to find a house/apartment you want to create a bond /freindship with your landlords not lie to them
so sad that people do this but the sad thing is your all sitting here discriminating people on ontairo works or odsp but some of those people genuinely need it for short periods of time in there life ive had to use ontario works a few time sin my life to support me and my children and im not embarssed to say it in the least they were there when i needed them most and too many people abuse the system and wreck it for those who truley need it todays soicety its full of scammers it disgusts me that ppl conspire liek this against landlords or anyone for that matter 
why cant people treat other people with the same respect that they expect to be given …