For students renting off-campus in Ontario, navigating rental terminology can feel like a full-time course, without the benefit of a credit. Two terms often confused are student housing and rooming houses, and understanding the difference matters for safety, legal protection, and avoiding unexpected landlord–tenant surprises. 

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That’s why I’ve created this video - to give you the lowdown you need to know.

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My name is Weiting Bollu, I’m the CEO of Openroom.ca which hundreds of thousands of people use today (and you can too) to search for court orders related to tenancy disputes. I’ve made so many mistakes in rental housing that I’ve now spent thousands of  hours dissecting it so you don’t repeat my mistakes. 

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Be smarter than I was cause I know you can!!! 

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Let’s talk Student Housing

The thing is, “Student housing” is not defined as a separate category under the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA). 

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In most cases, if a student signs a lease for a dwelling unit, whether an apartment, house, or basement, the agreement falls under the RTA just like when you’re not a ‘student’, meaning students have full tenant rights!

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These rights include proper notice of entry, rent control (with some exception on certain units), deposit limits (such as only last month’s rent allowed), and eviction protections.

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In a typical student rental, students may sign one joint lease with roommates or individual leases for each bedroom. The key is that the unit is self-contained, meaning it has its own kitchen and bathroom(s). If each student signs a separate lease with the landlord, each is considered a tenant under the RTA with individual rights and responsibilities.

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In some municipalities rental housing is licensed; find out if your area is subject to licensing before you rent. For example: the city of Brampton has one where all landlords operating rental properties with 1 to 4 dwelling units must have a RRL licence. Operating without a licence is illegal and subject to fines and penalties.

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Rooming Houses (a.k.a. Boarding or Lodging Houses)

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A rooming/lodging house is defined as a house or building, or portion of these, where four (4) or more people are living and where the occupants do not have exclusive access to kitchen facilities and all habitable areas of the building. 

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It does not include a hotel, hospital, nursing home.

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Unlike regular rental housing, rooming houses are heavily regulated by municipal bylaws, fire codes, and zoning rules. Each city sets different rules, some require a rooming house licence; others restrict them in certain neighbourhoods. For example: Toronto has a requirement!

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Some landlords incorrectly market an unlicensed rooming house as “student housing,” hoping no one asks questions. If the property is not licensed and there’s a fire or bylaw inspection, students could end up with no place to live.

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Warning signs for students:

• No lease or a roommate agreement; “Don’t worry, we’re chill here” is a major concern.
• Rent is payable in cash only.
• The landlord says “the RTA doesn’t apply because you're a student.” 
• Overcrowding, as in too many occupants for the number of bedrooms.

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Ok it’s time for a rental trio: the top 3 takeaways on how students can protect themselves.

• Ask for specifics! Like whether the property is a licensed rooming house, a licensed student rental, or a licensed rental unit, if applicable in that city. You’re going to want to know about fire safety: working smoke detectors, exits, and posted evacuation routes.
• Get a written lease using the Ontario Standard Lease Form. They must use this because it’s standardized by the Province of Ontario. A Google Doc sheet they made up doesn’t count!
• Confirm that the landlord is the legal owner or the property manager can prove they have the right to actually rent the unit. 

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Ultimately, choosing housing isn’t just about being close to campus, it’s about being safe, legal, and able to sleep without worrying about surprise inspections or questionable housemates.

Consider it your first real-world assignment. No group work required.

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Alright, that’s it for now! If you’ve learned something new today, I’d love to hear from you in the comments. Please give this video a thumbs up, subscribe, and I’ll see you next week!

• Residential Tenancies Act (RTA), 2006 – Ontario: Ontario's provincial law governing the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants in most residential rental situations.
• LTB Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act: An official plain-language summary from the Landlord and Tenant Board explaining key rules under the RTA for both landlords and tenants.
• City of Brampton – Residential Rental Licensing (RRL) Program: The official City of Brampton page where landlords can learn about licensing requirements for rental properties with 1–4 units and apply for their free licence.
• City of Toronto – Multi-Tenant (Rooming) Houses: New Framework: Toronto's official page on the rooming house licensing bylaw that came into effect March 31, 2024, requiring all multi-tenant house operators to be licensed city-wide.
• Ontario Standard Lease – Residential Tenancy Agreement (Standard Form of Lease): The official Ontario government page to download the mandatory Standard Form of Lease that most private residential landlords are required to use.
• Openroom.ca – Public Record Search: A free searchable database of Canadian tenancy court orders and tribunal decisions, allowing tenants and landlords to research rental dispute histories before signing a lease.
• Openroom.ca – Rental Debt Ledger: A tool that tracks unpaid rental debt based on court orders and reports it to Equifax, where it can appear in the tenant's credit history for up to 6 years.