📁 Case #004: Lease Agreement Omitted Standard Legal Clauses

🧾 Summary

A tenant rented a newly built condo through a licensed real estate agent. Upon signing, the tenant was given a multi-page lease agreement prepared by the agent. The document was branded by a major real estate brokerage and did not match the layout or content of the official Ontario Standard Lease.

After moving in, the tenant discovered multiple issues with the unit (e.g., faulty plumbing, missing appliances). When attempting to exercise their rights regarding repairs, the tenant noticed the lease contained no mention of the landlord’s maintenance obligations, nor dispute resolution procedures. The lease also lacked a breakdown of additional fees.

The tenant later learned that the lease used was not the legally required government lease. When they requested a corrected version, the landlord refused and stated that “the lease is legally binding.” The tenant vacated the unit early and was not penalized due to lack of LTB action.

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⚠️ Key Issues

• Agent-used lease was non-compliant

• Tenant rights were obscured or excluded

• Landlord and agent both ignored legal lease standards

• No resolution or correction offered

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📎 Supporting Documentation

• Copy of the original lease

• Photos of unit deficiencies

• Emails between tenant and landlord/agent

• Link to Ontario Standard Lease guide (for comparison)

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⚖️ Legal Concerns

• Ontario law mandates the Ontario Standard Lease for all private residential tenancies.

• Any other format may not meet legal thresholds and can lead to disputes over unenforceable clauses.

• Tenants may terminate the lease early if the required lease form is not provided within 21 days of request.

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🔍 Current Status

• No RECO or LTB complaint filed

• Tenant moved out and documented the issue for future reference

• Agent continued to lease other units using the same form