If you’re renting a place in Ontario, you might come across different types of leases. Two common ones are joint and several leases and individual leases. Knowing the differences between these can help you understand your rights and responsibilities as a tenant. Let’s explore them in a simple way.
What is a Joint and Several Lease?
A joint and several lease means that two or more tenants share one lease agreement. All tenants sign the same contract, and each person is equally responsible for the entire rent and other rules.
Example: If you and a friend rent an apartment together, you both sign a joint and several lease.
What does this mean for you?
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All tenants are responsible for paying the full rent.
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If one tenant doesn’t pay their share, the landlord can ask the other tenant(s) to pay the entire rent.
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If rent is not paid in full, the landlord can apply for an eviction of all the tenants.
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If someone damages the apartment, all tenants could be held responsible.
What is an Individual Lease?
An individual lease means that each tenant signs their own separate lease. Each person is only responsible for their own part of the rent and their own unit (if in a shared building but separate units).
Example: You rent a room in a house, and the landlord has a separate lease with each tenant in the house.
What does this mean for you?
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You only have to pay for your own rent and follow the rules in your lease.
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If another tenant doesn’t pay their rent, it does not affect you.
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You are only responsible for any damage you or your guests cause, not damage by other tenants or their guests.
Pros and Cons
|
Lease Type |
Pros |
Cons |
|
Joint and Several |
Easier to rent together; landlord deals with one lease |
You are responsible if roommates don’t pay; more difficult to do a lease reassignment for individual tenants within the group as landlords are not obligated to accept |
|
Individual Lease |
Only responsible for your own rent; easier to do a lease reassignment |
Landlord must manage multiple leases; may not be common for shared units; could have a higher rental rate |
Final Thoughts
Regardless of the type of lease you have, a signed lease is a legally binding agreement. If you’re sharing a rental with housemates or other tenants on a joint lease, make sure you are having open and honest conversations to avoid conflict, and refer to our housemate resources (queensu.ca/ocla/housemate-resources).
Always read your lease carefully and ask the landlord or schedule an appointment with an Off-Campus Living Advisor if you don’t understand something. Knowing the difference can help you make smart choices when renting!