How to win a rental in a competitive market

When a well-priced apartment hits the market in a busy Canadian city, the landlord may hear from many people within days. You can't control demand, but you can control how easy you are to choose.

Be first with a complete application

Speed matters, but only if your application is complete. A half-finished application often gets set aside while the landlord reviews a complete one. Prepare everything in our documents checklist before your first viewing, and apply the same day.

Make the landlord's decision easy

Landlords are trying to answer three questions: will you pay on time, will you look after the place, and will you be easy to deal with. Answer them directly:

• Pay on time: steady income, a clean credit summary and a past landlord who'll vouch for you.
• Look after the place: a short note about how you live, and references.
• Easy to deal with: respond quickly, be polite, and be flexible about small things.

Write a short, specific note

Two or three sentences is enough. Say who's moving in, what you do, how long you hope to stay, and one specific reason you like this place. Specific beats generic every time.

Be flexible on timing

If the landlord wants the unit filled on the first of next month and you can move then, say so. Flexibility on the move-in date or a longer lease term can matter as much as price.

Consider an offer above asking, carefully

Some landlords on Leap open their listings to offers. You can apply at the asking rent, or offer more if the place is right for you. Leap shows how many offers there are, and often the top offer, so you can decide with real information instead of guessing. Read how offers above asking work first, and never offer more than you can sustain for the whole lease, because future increases are calculated from the rent you agree to.

Don't overshare or overpay in the wrong ways

You don't need to offer months of rent in advance. Every province caps what a landlord can ask for upfront. In Ontario, for example, it's a last month's rent deposit of up to one month, and in Quebec a landlord can't require a deposit at all. If a "landlord" demands a large payment before you've seen the place or signed anything, that's a red flag. Read our guide to avoiding rental scams.

Keep your options open

Apply to a few places that fit, not just your favourite. With one reusable profile on Leap, applying to three places takes about as long as applying to one. Find your next place.