Are your rental apartment buildings safe?

A new advertising campaign is urging renters in Toronto to ensure their landlords comply with RentSafeTO.

The program requires rental apartment owners to comply with building operation and maintenance standards. It was launched in 2007 and applies to all rental apartment buildings with three or more storeys and 10 or more units.

Landlords that don’t comply can face orders and court charges which can result in substantial fines.

The new campaign, launched by the City of Toronto, is urging residents to speak to the RentSafeTO team on 311 if they have any issues. It reflects the top 3 complaints that the RentSafeTO officers hear about: pests, broken elevators and leaky ceilings.

“Ultimately we are striving to help ensure that tenants have a safe, secure and decent place to live, as well as protect and preserve the rental housing stock in the city. Our goal with this ad campaign is to remind residents to call the RentSafeTO team if they need support to have problems addressed,” said Mark Sraga, Director of Investigation Services in Municipal Licensing and Standards. “Our message is simple: The RentSafeTO team is the next step after your landlord, and we are here to help.”

Renters that live in buildings not covered by the program are urged to speak to their landlords but the City will still investigate if issues are reported.