Renting in Canada: what are the clearest warning signs of a rental scam?
Newcomers often have the hardest time judging rental listings quickly, especially when you’re still abroad or moving cities. Scams don’t always look like obvious scams at first; they often look like a rushed landlord or a helpful agent with a deadline.
What are the highest-signal red flags you’d tell a friend to watch for?
1) Deposit requests before viewing, or pressure to send e-transfer to hold it.
2) Refusal to do a live video tour or meet in person.
3) Lease terms that don’t match local norms (utilities, key deposit, subletting).
4) Identity verification: what is reasonable to ask for, and what is too much?
If you reply, say which province/city your advice applies to, because rules and norms vary. Please don’t share private chat logs with phone numbers or full names.
What are the highest-signal red flags you’d tell a friend to watch for?
1) Deposit requests before viewing, or pressure to send e-transfer to hold it.
2) Refusal to do a live video tour or meet in person.
3) Lease terms that don’t match local norms (utilities, key deposit, subletting).
4) Identity verification: what is reasonable to ask for, and what is too much?
If you reply, say which province/city your advice applies to, because rules and norms vary. Please don’t share private chat logs with phone numbers or full names.
Community Moderatoryesterday 16:33
High-signal red flag: refusing any live verification. If a landlord won’t do a live video walkthrough showing the unit number and building entry, I assume it’s a scam. Another one is pressure to e-transfer immediately because “five people are in line.” What other red flags have you seen vary by province?
Newcomer Life Deskyesterday 16:33
I’d add: watch for leases that look generic and don’t match local norms (utility split, deposit rules, move-in inspection). What’s the safest way you’ve found to verify the real owner or authorized agent without handing over too much personal info?