For Tenants in Kitchener-Waterloo | D&D Property Management

The Honest Version

We want you to stay, because turnover is expensive for everyone.

Property management has a reputation with tenants, and most of it is earned. Managers who go quiet when you need a repair. Managers who serve an N5 the first time a neighbour complains about noise. Managers who time inspections to catch you at a bad moment. You have probably met at least one of them, and if you have, we are sorry on behalf of the industry.

D&D is set up differently, for one reason that has nothing to do with goodness and everything to do with math: turnover is the single most expensive thing that happens on a rental property. A unit vacated, repainted, re-listed, re-shown, re-leased, and refilled costs the owner roughly $6,000-$9,000 in lost rent, cleaning, advertising, and management time. That is six to nine thousand reasons for us to keep you, the tenant, happy enough to stay. A calm tenant who pays on time and submits maintenance through the portal is gold. Every policy on this page is engineered around keeping you in that category.

Below: how to apply, what we screen for (and what we do not), the portal, how to pay rent, how to report a problem, and a short guide to your rights under Ontario law. If anything is unclear, call us at (519) 502-3905 or email tenants@ddpropertymanagement.ca. We answer.

How to Apply

Four steps, most applications decided within 48 hours.

1

Browse listings

Active D&D rentals are posted on our site, MLS, Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace, and Rentals.ca. Check the listing for address, rent, bedrooms, bath count, parking, lease start date, and utilities included.

2

Submit an application

Online form, 10 minutes. Upload government ID, two pay stubs or a Notice of Assessment, two prior landlord contacts (name, email, phone), and authorize an Equifax credit pull. No application fee.

3

Screening & decision

We call your references live, pull your credit, verify employment, and make a written decision within 48 business hours. If we decline, we tell you why so you can address it before applying elsewhere.

4

Lease signing & move-in

Sign the Ontario Standard Lease (Form 2229) electronically, e-transfer first and last month's rent, and pick up keys on move-in day. We walk through a written condition report with you so deposits cannot be disputed later.

What We Look For (and Don't)

Five things we check. Zero that the Ontario Human Rights Code forbids.

D&D screens every applicant using a written five-point standard so the process is consistent across every property and every applicant. We never screen on grounds prohibited by the Ontario Human Rights Code (race, sex, family status, sexual orientation, disability, receipt of social assistance, etc.). Here is the entire list of what we do check:

Credit score of 650 or above. Equifax pull with your written consent. Scores below 650 are not automatic denials — a guarantor, larger last-month deposit, or co-signer often closes the gap.
Rent-to-income ratio of 30% or below. If rent is $2,400/mo, we want to see $8,000/mo gross household income. ODSP, OAS, and other lawful income sources are counted the same as employment income.
Two prior landlord references. We call them. We ask: did they pay on time, how did they care for the property, and would you rent to them again?
Government-issued ID. Driver's licence, passport, or Ontario Photo Card. Confirms you are who you say you are and allows us to verify no warrants exist.
Clean prior-tenancy history. No outstanding LTB orders against you. Past landlord disputes are not disqualifying — we look at the facts, not the headline.

If your application is declined, we tell you the specific reason in writing. Most declines we see are fixable: a co-signer for low credit, a larger deposit for short Canadian history, documentation for self-employment income. Ask us what is missing; we will tell you.

Tenant Portal

One login for rent, maintenance, lease, and communication.

Every D&D tenant receives portal credentials at lease signing. The portal runs on desktop and mobile and is available 24 hours a day. Core features:

Pay rent

Pre-authorized debit (easiest, free), Interac e-transfer (free), debit card or credit card (2.4% processing fee). Payment history, receipts, and upcoming charges in one view.

Submit maintenance

Photo + short description. We triage within one business day and schedule the trade. You receive live updates when the tech is en route.

Lease documents

Your executed Ontario Standard Lease, condition report, rent receipts, and N-series notices stored in one place. Downloadable PDF.

Messages

Direct thread with your property manager. Everything is timestamped and retained, which protects you as much as it protects us.

Notices

Annual rent increase notices, emergency building notices, and entry requests (always with 24 hours written notice as required by the RTA) arrive here.

Move-out wizard

When it is time to leave, the portal walks you through the N9 form, return-of-deposit tracking, and the move-out inspection booking.

Maintenance Requests

How we handle repairs, and how fast.

Maintenance response time is where property managers earn trust or lose it. Here is the D&D standard:

Emergencies (within 60 minutes of call): flooding, gas leak, no heat in winter, no water, electrical danger, sewage backup. Call the 24/7 line at (519) 502-3905.
Urgent (within 24 hours): partial loss of heat/hot water in warmer months, major appliance failure (fridge, stove), broken lock, broken window.
Standard (within 2-3 business days): running toilets, cosmetic damage, slow drains, minor pest issues, HVAC filter replacements.
Seasonal (scheduled): eavestrough cleaning, furnace maintenance, weatherstripping — planned and communicated through the portal.

We dispatch through the D&D Network (D&D Home Services, Interior Services, Exterior Finishing, Snow) so we know the tech, the invoice is honest, and the job gets closed out properly. If the delay is on us, we tell you. If it is on a contractor, we escalate.

Your Rights Under Ontario Law

The Residential Tenancies Act, in plain English.

The Ontario Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 is your legal floor as a tenant. No lease can override it. Below are the protections that matter most in day-to-day renting — but the full text is at ontario.ca/laws/statute/06r17, and the Landlord and Tenant Board's plain-English guides are at tribunalsontario.ca/ltb.

Your core protections

Entry requires 24 hours written notice. Except for emergencies (fire, flood, gas), the landlord cannot enter your unit without 24-hour written notice stating the reason and a four-hour window between 8am and 8pm.
Rent increases are capped and scheduled. Ontario sets an annual guideline (1.5% in 2024, 2.5% in 2025, provincially announced each June). Increases require 90 days written notice on Form N1 and cannot happen more than once every 12 months.
Evictions go through the LTB, not the landlord. Landlords cannot change locks, remove belongings, or force you out. Every eviction requires an LTB order after a hearing you are entitled to attend and defend.
Last-month deposit is rent, not damage. By law, the deposit can only be applied to the last month of the tenancy, not to cover cleaning, repairs, or damage. Landlords who claim otherwise are violating the RTA.
Interest on the deposit is owed to you. Landlords must pay annual interest on the last-month deposit, calculated at the provincially published rate. D&D credits this interest annually on your statement.
Retaliation is prohibited. You cannot be evicted for reporting a maintenance issue, contacting bylaw, or filing an LTB application.
Free legal help exists. Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO), Waterloo Region Community Legal Services, and tenant duty counsel at the LTB all provide free representation to eligible tenants.

Tenant FAQ

The most common questions we get from applicants and current tenants.

How do I apply for a D&D rental in Kitchener-Waterloo?

Browse current listings on the D&D website, pick the unit you want, and submit the online application. You will need government-issued ID, two recent pay stubs or a Notice of Assessment, two landlord references (name, email, phone), and authorization for an Equifax credit pull. Most applications receive a decision within 48 business hours.

What does D&D look for in a tenant?

D&D uses a written five-point screen: Equifax credit score of 650 or above, verified employment with income at least three times the monthly rent (30% rent-to-income), two reference checks from prior landlords, valid government ID, and a clean tenancy history. Below-threshold applications are not automatic denials — a co-signer, additional last-month deposit, or guarantor can often bridge the gap.

How do I pay rent?

Rent is due on the first of the month. Pay by pre-authorized debit (easiest), Interac e-transfer to rent@ddpropertymanagement.ca, or through the tenant portal with a debit card or credit card (credit-card payments carry a 2.4% processing fee). Cash and post-dated cheques are not accepted. Late rent incurs a $25 administrative fee and triggers an N4 notice on day 15.

How do I submit a maintenance request?

Submit non-emergency requests through the tenant portal 24/7 with photos and a short description — most requests are scheduled within 2-3 business days. For emergencies (flooding, gas smell, no heat in winter, no water, electrical danger), call the 24/7 emergency line at (519) 502-3905. An emergency dispatch arrives within 60 minutes in most of the Waterloo Region.

What are my rights as a tenant in Ontario?

Your rights are protected under the Ontario Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. Key protections: landlords cannot enter without 24 hours written notice (except emergencies), rent increases are capped annually by the province and require 90 days written notice, evictions happen only through the Landlord and Tenant Board, and landlords cannot use last-month deposits to cover damages.

Can my landlord evict me for any reason?

No. Eviction in Ontario is governed by the Residential Tenancies Act and requires one of a limited set of grounds: unpaid rent (N4), substantial interference or damage (N5), landlord's own use (N12), renovation (N13), or the end of a fixed-term lease with valid grounds. Every eviction must go through the Landlord and Tenant Board — the landlord cannot change the locks, remove belongings, or force you out.

What happens when my lease ends?

After the initial fixed term (usually 12 months), your lease automatically becomes month-to-month under Ontario law. You do not need to sign a new lease. You keep the same rent (subject to the annual province-approved increase) and all the same terms. You may give 60 days written notice to move out using Form N9.

What features does the D&D tenant portal offer?

The tenant portal lets you pay rent, view payment history, submit and track maintenance requests with photos, access lease documents, communicate with your property manager, and receive notices electronically. Login credentials are provided at lease signing.

Questions? Reach a real human.

Tenant queries go to a named property manager, not a call centre. We answer the same business day.

Contact Tenant Support

Renting with D&D — what to expect, how to apply, and how we treat you.