What’s Included with a Lease?

Landlords are required to include the following information in a lease or serve the following documents before or when a tenant moves in.

  • Contact information for your landlord: By law your lease must state the landlord’s name, physical address, and telephone number OR the name, address, and number for someone responsible for the property. If you provide your email address for service of documents, the landlord must provide their email address too.

  • Occupants: The landlord has the right to know who will be living with you in the unit. This includes people who will not be responsible for rent (like children). These people are called occupants.

  • What’s included: Rent can include things like appliances, utilities, or a parking spot. If something is included in your rent, then the landlord is responsible for providing it.

  • Security deposit: The lease should state how much money you gave to the landlord as a security deposit, as well as the bank and date that the landlord deposited the money into.

  • Inspection report: A landlord should do an inspection of the unit with you just before you move in. This should be attached to the lease. If no inspection was done, it should say so on the lease.

  • Reasonable rules: The landlord’s rules should be included with the lease and given prior to signing. See Section 2: Landlord Rules for more details.

  • A copy of the Residential Tenancies Act: A landlord must give you (or one of your co-tenants) a copy of the RTA. This can be in paper or electronic form. This has to happen within 10 days of the earliest of the following events:

    • The start date of the lease

    • The date you sign the lease

    • The date the landlord gives you the keys to the rental unit

    • The date you take possession or move into the unit

  • A copy of the lease: The landlord must give you a copy of the lease signed by both the landlord and the tenant within 10 days of the tenant signing.

If a landlord doesn’t give at least one tenant a copy of the RTA or a signed copy of the lease within the time frame specified, you can decide when to end your lease and move out. You must give them written notice that you’re ending the lease and tell them what day you’re moving out. You must move out within 3 months of giving them notice.

See our Resources for a template letter requesting the landlord give you a copy of the lease.

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