Get help paying the rent
Question & Answer
What can my landlord do if I owe rent?If you can usually pay your rent but are having a problem right now, you might be able to get help from organizations in your community.
Some communities have rent banks that lend people money to help pay their rent. Rent banks don’t charge any fees or interest for these loans.
If you owe a small amount of rent, you might be able to get help from other programs that try to help people keep their homes. These are sometimes called homelessness prevention programs.
Call 211 or check the 211 website to find programs in your area.
If you get assistance from the Ontario Disability Support Program or Ontario Works, ask your worker about how to get help paying your rent.
Getting a roommate
If you have an ongoing problem paying your rent and you can’t afford your place, you could think about getting a roommate to share the rent. In most cases, your landlord cannot stop you from doing this, as long as it won’t break any local overcrowding by-laws.
Having roommates can create confusion about your rights and responsibilities. CLEO’s online tool Sharing rental housing? can help you find out which laws apply to your situation.
If you live in or rent-geared-to-income (RGI) housing, you probably have to report the income of everyone in your household, including roommates. This could affect your rent or your . It could even affect whether you still qualify to live there. Find out what the rules are before you decide to get a roommate. Check your rental agreement or ask at the office that makes decisions about rent subsidies.
