Rental suite turnover checklist for Ontario landlords and property managers

General guidance for Ontario. Requirements are interpreted by your municipality, so confirm the specifics for your property before you commit to a plan.

What makes an Ontario turnover different

Most turnover checklists online are written for the US and talk about taking repairs out of a security deposit. That does not work here. Ontario does not allow damage deposits. The only deposit is a rent deposit, and the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) says it can only be used for the last month or week of rent, not for repairing damage.

The LTB also says a landlord has to keep the rental property in a good state of repair, even if the tenant knew about a problem when they agreed to rent. So a discount for taking the suite as it is does not get rid of the duty to fix it. A turnover is the cheapest and easiest time to do those repairs, because nobody is living in the suite.

Before the tenant moves out

Most of the time lost on a turnover is lost before the tenant has left. Start as soon as you have the notice.

• Write down the move-out date and the date you want the next tenant in, and work back from it.
• Book a walkthrough with the tenant. A move-out inspection is not legally required in Ontario, but it is strongly recommended, and it avoids most arguments later.
• Walk the suite with your contractor if you can, so that the scope and any long-lead items, such as flooring, cabinets or appliances, are ordered early.
• In a condo or managed building, book the elevator and find out the contractor hours, the certificate of insurance requirements and where materials can be stored.
• Let the tenant know you will need the keys, fobs and parking remotes back.

Move-out day: document everything

Take clear, dated photos and video of every room, including the inside of cabinets, the appliances, the floors and any damage. Compare them with your move-in photos. Note meter readings if the tenant pays utilities, and check that all keys and fobs came back.

If you may claim for damage, keep that record along with your messages with the tenant and at least two detailed quotes or invoices from qualified trades. Because the deposit cannot be used for damage, the route is an application to the LTB. For a tenant who has already moved out, that is typically Form L10, generally within one year of the move-out, and the LTB takes the age of the damaged item into account. A ten-year-old carpet is not paid for as new. This is general information, not legal advice, so check the current rules with the LTB or a paralegal or lawyer on a real claim.

What about things the tenant left behind?

It depends on how the tenancy ended, so confirm this before you throw anything out. According to the LTB, if the tenant moved out under a notice, an agreement to end the tenancy or an LTB order, you can keep, sell or dispose of what they left right away, unless you agreed otherwise. After an eviction enforced by the Sheriff, the tenant gets 72 hours to collect their property, available between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

If the tenant simply abandoned the unit, it is stricter. You need an LTB order or a notice to the tenant, with a copy to the LTB, and then you generally have to wait 30 days. Only unsafe or unhygienic items, such as rotting food, can go right away.

Do the repairs in this order

Trades working out of order is what makes a turnover run long and get redone. This is the order we use on most suites.

• Clear out the suite and remove what is being replaced.
• Fix the hidden problems first: leaks, signs of moisture or mould, drains, electrical issues, and heating that does not work properly.
• Rough-in any plumbing or electrical changes. Any electrical work should be done by a licensed electrical contractor, with an ESA notification where it is required.
• Patch drywall, then repair doors, trim and hardware.
• Prime and paint before the new flooring goes in, so the floor is not splattered or scratched.
• Install kitchen and bathroom updates, flooring, and then the fixtures and final touch-ups.
• Deep clean last, then do a final walkthrough with the list in hand.

Room-by-room turnover checklist

Go through this after the work is finished and before you start showing the suite.

• Entry: door closes and latches, lock changed or rekeyed if needed, buzzer or intercom working, new mailbox and fob details ready.
• Walls and ceilings: holes patched, stains checked for an active leak before painting over them, paint even and clean.
• Floors: no loose boards, lifting edges, trip points or soft spots, and transitions secure.
• Kitchen: taps and drains with no leaks, cabinet doors and drawers working, counters sealed, exhaust fan working, every appliance tested.
• Bathroom: toilet firm and not running, caulking clean and complete, tap and shower pressure good, exhaust fan working, no soft spots around the tub.
• Windows and balcony: open, close and lock, screens in place, seals not fogged or failing, and any balcony door secure.
• Electrical: every light, switch and outlet tested, with the panel clearly labelled.
• Heating and cooling: heat working in every room, filter changed, thermostat working.
• Laundry and storage, if included: machines tested, hoses checked, locker cleaned.

The one test you have to record: smoke and CO alarms

This is the step people skip, and it is not optional. Local fire services say landlords must test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms every year and after every change in tenancy, and keep a written record of the tests. Replace batteries when needed and replace alarms on the manufacturer's schedule. The Ontario government also says landlords must give the tenant a copy of the CO alarm maintenance instructions.

The rules changed on January 1, 2026. Where a CO alarm is required, such as a home with a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage, Ontario now requires one on every storey as well as beside sleeping areas. Older houses and small rentals often have only one, so check at every turnover. If you are in a condo or apartment building, ask your manager or fire department how this applies to your building.

Empty suites in winter

Fall and winter turnovers need one extra check. A vacant suite can freeze if the heat is turned down too far, and many insurance policies have conditions about heat and about vacant homes. Keep the heat on, know where the water shut-off is, and check the suite regularly until the next tenant moves in. Call your broker if it will sit empty for any length of time. Our frozen and burst pipes guide has more on this.

Winter is also a good time to get interior work done, so a suite that is empty in January can often take a bathroom or kitchen update that would be disruptive with a tenant in place.

Before you hand over the keys

A few last items so that the new tenancy starts cleanly.

• Use Ontario's standard lease form, which is required for most tenancies, and give the tenant a copy within 21 days of signing.
• Take new move-in photos and go through them together, so you have a baseline for next time.
• Give the tenant the alarm instructions, the shut-off locations and who to call for repairs.
• Save the invoices, the alarm test record and the photos in the unit's file.

For property managers and landlords with several units

If you turn over suites regularly, the biggest savings come from repetition: a standard scope, the same paint and flooring from unit to unit so that repairs match, and one contractor running the trades. It means you do not have to chase a painter, a flooring installer and a plumber separately, or get a fresh quote each time.

Canata Construction handles suite turnovers, repairs and water-damage rebuilds for landlords, condo boards and property managers across Toronto, the GTA, Hamilton, Halton, Niagara and the rest of Ontario. You get an itemized written quote, before and after photos, and our insurance certificate and WSIB clearance for your file.