Editor's note, October 6, 2026: this article was reviewed and rewritten in our accuracy check. An earlier version contained a dispute-prevention statistic and a claim about how Ontario law treats all roommates that we could not support; they have been removed or replaced with figures from the sources listed at the end of the article.
Sharing a rental is common in Toronto and other Ontario cities, but the law treats roommates differently depending on how the arrangement is set up. Knowing which set-up you're in tells you who owes the landlord the rent, and what happens when someone wants to leave.
Three common set-ups
- Co-tenants: everyone signs the same lease with the landlord. Each of you is a tenant with rights under the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA). Leases often make co-tenants jointly responsible for the whole rent, so if one person stops paying, the landlord can look to the others.
- Tenant and occupant: one person (or some of you) signs the lease, and the others live there by arrangement with the tenant. The occupant usually isn't the landlord's tenant, which means their rights against the landlord are limited and their arrangement is with the tenant.
- Renting a room from the owner who lives there: if you share a kitchen or bathroom with the owner, or the owner's spouse, child or parent, and they live in the building, the RTA does not apply (section 5(i)). The Landlord and Tenant Board can't help with disputes, so a clear written agreement is even more important.
What a roommate agreement should cover
- Each person's share of the rent and the rent deposit, and how it's paid (one person to the landlord, or each directly).
- Utilities, internet and how the bills are split.
- Who has which room, parking or storage.
- House rules: guests, quiet hours, cleaning, shared groceries, pets (within what the lease allows).
- What happens if someone wants to leave early: how much notice they give roommates, whether they must find a replacement, and how the deposit share is settled.
- How you'll resolve disagreements before they escalate.
A roommate agreement is a private contract between you. It doesn't change your lease with the landlord: if the lease makes you jointly responsible for the rent, the landlord can still claim the full amount.
When someone leaves
- A co-tenant moving out doesn't automatically end the tenancy for the others, but talk to your landlord in writing: any new person moving in should be added to the lease, or the tenancy assigned, with the landlord's consent.
- Ending the whole tenancy needs proper notice: at least 60 days, ending on the last day of a rental period or term.
- Subletting or assigning requires the landlord's consent, which can't be refused arbitrarily.
Student rentals
Many student houses are rented room by room. Check whether you're signing a lease with the landlord (and whether it's the Ontario Standard Lease), whether you share a kitchen or bathroom with the owner, and, in Toronto, whether a house rented room by room is a licensed multi-tenant house. See our comparison of renting by the room or the whole unit.
Frequently asked questions
If my roommate stops paying, can the landlord evict me?
If you're co-tenants on the same lease and the rent is unpaid, the landlord can give notice for the unpaid rent to the tenancy as a whole. Paying the full rent owing before the termination date in the notice voids it; you can then pursue your roommate privately for their share.
Can I add a roommate without asking the landlord?
Your lease and the Act govern this. A new person who isn't on the lease is usually an occupant, not a tenant. If they'll be living there long-term, ask the landlord in writing to add them to the lease so everyone knows where they stand.
Should our roommate agreement be in writing?
Yes. A short written agreement signed by everyone, covering rent shares, bills, deposits and moving out, is far easier to rely on than memory.
Questions about a shared rental? Ask Zara, Summitly's AI virtual agent. For advice on a specific dispute, a community legal clinic can help.
