Guarantor

When You Can Ask for One

The requirement has to apply to every applicant in the same situation. The Ontario Human Rights Commission says a landlord may ask for a guarantor only if it has the same requirement for all tenants, not just for people identified by a Code ground.² Its policy names newcomers to Canada and youth as examples of applicants a landlord may not single out for a guarantor.³

The Commission also says a guarantor cannot be held to a minimum rent-to-income ratio that the landlord could not impose on the tenant.³

Screening the Guarantor

Because a guarantor stands behind the rent, landlords usually check the guarantor’s credit and income with the same consent steps as the applicant’s. Get the guarantor’s own written authorization before running a credit check on them.⁴

This page is general information about Ontario law, not legal advice.

Related Terms

• Rent-to-Income Ratio
• Human Rights Code (Ontario)
• Credit Score (Canada)

Sources

1. O. Reg. 290/98: Business Practices Permissible to Landlords in Selecting Prospective Tenants for Residential Accommodation

   Government of Ontario, e-Laws, ss. 1 to 4, consolidated from March 8, 2018. Accessed October 22, 2026.

2. Policy on human rights and rental housing

   Ontario Human Rights Commission, Overview, Choosing tenants. Accessed October 22, 2026.

3. Policy on human rights and rental housing, V. Identifying discrimination in rental housing

   Ontario Human Rights Commission, ss. 4.2.1 to 4.2.6. Accessed October 22, 2026.

4. Privacy in the landlord and tenant relationship

   Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, What personal information do I have to provide?; How should landlords be obtaining my consent?; Does a landlord require my SIN?; Can a landlord ask to see my pay stubs?; Can a landlord call another landlord?. Accessed October 22, 2026.