Question Regarding Apartment Rental Application

[vicontario]

I am about to apply for a new apartment. I am retired so I am providing my most recent notice of assessment from my most recent tax return which shows my annual pension income.
I also have a part time job working from home, I am providing a letter of employment from this employer and my banking information etc.
However they are also asking for a recent pay stub which I do not have. Why do they need a pay stub and a letter of employment? I thought it was either /or/ not both.

[SettlementOrgMod]

@vicontario

I am about to apply for a new apartment. I am retired so I am providing my most recent notice of assessment from my most recent tax return which shows my annual pension income.
I also have a part time job working from home, I am providing a letter of employment from this employer and my banking information etc.
However they are also asking for a recent pay stub which I do not have. Why do they need a pay stub and a letter of employment? I thought it was either /or/ not both.

Hello There,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

You may find some helpful information in Settlement.Org’s article, What kind of questions can a landlord ask? A landlord can ask for information regarding your income and employment.

According to the Human Rights for Tenants Brochure by the Ontario Human Rights Commission:

The Code says what landlords can ask when choosing tenants:

• Rental history, credit references and/or credit checks may be requested.
• A lack of rental or credit history should not count against you.
• A landlord can ask you about your income, but they must also look at any available information on your rental history, credit references and credit rating (such as through Equifax Canada).
• Income information can only be considered on its own when no other information is made available, and only to make sure you earn enough to pay the rent.
• Unless you are applying for subsidized housing, it is illegal for landlords to apply a rent-to-income ratio such as a 30% cut-off rule (which means only considering people if the rent is less than 30% of their income).
• Landlords can only ask you for a “guarantor” (someone who promises to pay your rent if you can’t) to sign the lease if they have the same requirements for all tenants.

If you do not have a recent pay-stub, it may be best to communicate this with your landlord and ask if the other documents you are providing will suffice.

For more specific information, you may also want to contact the Landlord and Tenant Board directly. You can reach them toll free at 1-888-332-3234 or through their TTY Bell Relay Service at 1-800-855-0511.

You may also want to speak to a lawyer who knows housing law about your specific situation. To find community legal clinics near you, visit Services Near Me.

We hope this information is helpful. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here.

Sincerely,

Your Settlement.Org Team