Slumlord List (Intro & Law reference)
Exposing landlords violating laws without remorse
Canada has been plagued with landlords setting up rules and expectations that they try to enforce on tenants primarily immigrants from the same background as them. In Brampton, it is mostly done by people of Indian heritage. Here are some of the laws that they typically break when they list their rooms as:
“Vegetarians only”
Violation: Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) – Creed and possibly Religion
Why illegal: Landlords cannot discriminate based on creed, which includes belief systems or cultural dietary practices. Denying someone because they eat meat violates this protection.
“Only people from Gujarat / Punjab / South India / etc.”
Violation: OHRC – Race, Ethnic Origin, Place of Origin, Ancestry
Why illegal: Choosing tenants based on ethnicity or region in India is blatant discrimination under Ontario law. It doesn’t matter if the landlord prefers cultural compatibility — it’s still illegal.
3. “Only Indian tenants” or “No Black / White tenants”
Violation: OHRC – Race, Colour, Ethnic Origin, Ancestry, Place of Origin
Why illegal: Denying tenancy based on race or ethnicity is explicitly prohibited. This is one of the most serious violations of human rights law.
4. “Only females” or “Only males**”
Violation: OHRC – Sex / Gender
Why illegal: You can’t screen tenants by gender unless it’s a shared accommodation situation (i.e., the landlord shares kitchen or bath with the tenant). In most cases, this is discriminatory.
5. “No couples allowed” or “Only single people**”
Violation: OHRC – Marital Status, Family Status
Why illegal: Landlords can’t refuse tenants based on whether they're single, dating, married, or have kids. Doing so is family status discrimination.
6. “No alcohol or meat in the unit”
Violation: Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) & possibly OHRC (Creed)
Why illegal: As long as the tenant follows the law, landlords can’t control legal lifestyle choices like drinking alcohol or diet. They can't impose religious or cultural preferences on tenants.
7. “No guests allowed” or “Visitors only for 1 hour max”
Violation: RTA – Section 22 (Reasonable Enjoyment)
Why illegal: Tenants have the right to receive guests. Landlords cannot enforce curfews or visitor bans unless it's related to damage or disturbance — even then, they must go through the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB).
8. “No parties, no noise after 6pm” or strict curfews
Violation: RTA – Section 64, unless disturbance is proven
Why illegal: Landlords can’t ban social activity altogether. They can only take action if actual disturbance occurs, and even then, it must go through proper notice and tribunal procedure.
9. “Rent must be in cash only” or “No receipt provided”
Violation: RTA – Section 109
Why illegal: Tenants have the right to a receipt and to choose traceable payment methods like cheque or e-transfer. Forcing cash-only is a red flag for tax evasion or fraud.
10. “I need your SIN number / Immigration Status”
Violation: OHRC – Citizenship + Privacy Laws
Why illegal: You are not required to give your SIN to a landlord. Asking about citizenship or immigration status is discrimination unless it's directly relevant (e.g., visa expiry before lease ends).
In the coming posts I will be listing info on such individuals with screenshots of their listings. Stay Tuned.
