78 Clauses Missing from the Ontario Standard Lease | Christopher Seepe (President, Aztech Realty)

Please note that an additional clause you should add to your standard lease agreement ontop of what is taught by Chris Seepe in this mini-course is the CREDIT REPORTING clauses. Get them free from Openroom [click me].

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About Christopher Seepe (Chris)

Chris Seepe owns and hands-on operates 70 residential rental units in Ontario. He was a Broker of Record for 10 years specializing in residential investment properties (now retired), and recently retired as the 9-year past president of the Landlords Association of Durham.

Many of Chris's articles have been published in various national magazines and he has been a guest speaker at national and regional property management conferences (e.g. Springfest, PM Expo), various realtor association and brokerage education sessions, and has participated in numerous podcasts and independent video sessions.

What you’ll learn

• Understanding the importance of a robust lease agreement with numerous clauses.

• Learning why thorough tenant qualification is the number one deterrent against tenants.

• Gaining insights into clauses regarding tenant death and the return of possession.

• Exploring a clause to simplify interest payments on last month's rent.

• Understanding the rationale for including clauses that reiterate aspects of the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) in your lease.

• Learning about managing issues related to condensation in rental units.

• Considering a clause to allow taking photographs for property-related purposes.

• Understanding considerations around installing video cameras in common areas.

• Learning about clauses related to illegal activities on the property, such as grow operations.

• Understanding the importance of a joint and several liability clause for multiple tenants.

• Learning strategies for deciding who should be on the tenancy agreement based on financial qualifications.

• Understanding the concept of the right of quiet enjoyment and its implications.

• Gaining Chris Seepe's perspective on the usefulness (or lack thereof) of guarantors.

• Understanding that declining tenants with pets is generally not considered discrimination in Ontario, with exceptions for service animals.

• Exploring the benefits of a separate parking agreement.

• Learning the proper way to address smoking rules in the standard lease agreement.

• Understanding your rights regarding entry to the unit with proper notice.

• Learning about clauses related to repairs and renovations, including the landlord's right to decide on replacements.

• Considering a clause to prohibit businesses from being run out of the rental unit.

• Understanding that email can be an acceptable form of correspondence with a clause in the lease agreement.

• Learning about the legal requirements for tenant termination notice.

• Exploring strategies for handling tenants who want to break their lease early.

• Understanding the importance of requiring tenant content insurance.

• Learning about options for suite metering utilities to avoid disputes over final bills.

• Understanding landlord responsibilities and tenant liabilities for damages to the property.

• Gaining insights on preventing tenants from leaving behind junk and garbage.

• Hearing perspectives on whether to offer fixed-term leases.

• Learning about the legality of utilities companies asking landlords to pay for tenants' outstanding bills.

• Understanding how to handle situations involving pest infestations.

• Learning key aspects of vetting potential tenants, including the importance of bank statements and driver's licenses.

• Understanding the legality of installing cameras in common areas.

Key Takeaways

• Proactive Measures are Key: the best approach to successful landlording is to be proactive through meticulous tenant screening and a comprehensive lease agreement to prevent issues before they arise.

• Know Your Rights and the Law: While some Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) provisions can be reiterated in the lease for clarity and to reduce tenant disputes, landlords must operate within the bounds of the law.

• Practical Solutions Over Legal Battles: The objective is to STAY AWAY from the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) if possible due to time and enforcement challenges.

• Tenant Screening is Paramount: Thorough tenant qualification and going beyond basic credit checks to include verifying income through bank statements and obtaining identification like driver's licenses. "Better vacant than a claimant"!

• Clear Communication and Documentation: Having clear clauses in the lease agreement and documenting communication, such as via email when permitted, can significantly reduce misunderstandings and provide evidence if disputes arise.

Chris Seepe
Where to find Chris Seepe

Address
Aztech Realty Inc.
6 Riviera Drive, Concord, Ontario, L4K 2J1​

Phone
(905) 738-0896 (Office)
(416) 525-1558 (Direct)​

Email
[email protected]​

 In this course, we cover

(00:02:03) Introduction by Chris Seepe

(00:03:24) The importance of a robust lease agreement with additional clauses

(00:05:30) Thorough tenant qualification

(00:07:00) Death of a tenant

(00:09:25) Interest on the last month's rent deposit

(00:12:00) Condensation control and responsibilities

(00:16:45) Right to take photos and videos

(00:19:55) Joint and several liability

(00:30:50) Parking clause, no smoking clause, and right of entry

(00:46:06) Repairs and renovations, explanation of the 60-day notice requirement.

(00:54:00) Fixed-term (one-year) leases versus month-to-month agreements

(00:57:00) Tenant content insurance

(01:02:00) Occupant and Spouses

(01:06:00) Question & Answer from the live audience

(01:27:50) End of Webinar/ Conclusion

Download Chris’s Lease Appendix Presentation Handout

Note that these are not the official lease clauses you would add to the Ontario Standard Lease. These are just notes that was shared in the video so you can watch and browse along with the instructor.

To obtain the actual clauses (for a fee), you should contact Chris Seepe. See more info.

Resources Referenced

• Chris Seepe’s list of clauses in formal terms https://aztechrealty.com/std_lease.html 

• Full list of additional lease clauses in note format (as of April 24, there are 81) https://www.aztechrealty.com/documents/Std%20Lease%20Appendix%20Overview.pdf

• Ontario Standard Lease https://forms.mgcs.gov.on.ca/en/dataset/047-2229 

• Openroom’s Virtual Rental Housing Provider Training Program https://training.openroom.ca/ 

• Openroom’s rental debt ledger to report Rent Arrears into Equifax https://openroom.ca/rental-debt-ledger/

• Openroom’s Rent Rewards program to reward tenants https://openroom.ca/rent-rewards/

• Consent for Credit Reporting, Tenant Screening, and Debt Recovery https://learn.openroom.ca/post/rent-reporting-lease-clauses

• Chris Seepe’s Aztech Realty https://www.aztechrealty.com/

About Openroom University

Free learning mini-courses are part of the vision behind Openroom of creating a transparent and connected rental ecosystem. We believe that knowledge is power and we should have more information to make informed decisions.

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