Repairs and maintenance in a rent-to-own home: who pays?

This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Talk to a licensed mortgage professional and a real estate lawyer about your own situation.

Repairs are one of the most common sources of friction in rent-to-own homes. Reviewers in the corpus mention slow responses and problems left unfixed, including floors and leaks. The fix is not to avoid rent to own but to settle responsibility on paper before moving in.

Who might pay

Item	Often with the landlord	Sometimes with the tenant-buyer
Major systems (heating, roof, plumbing)	Common	Possible, if the contract says so
Structural defects	Common	Rare
Minor upkeep	Varies	Common
Appliances	Varies	Varies
Property taxes	Varies	Varies

These are tendencies, not rules. Your contract is what governs, and it can differ from a standard lease.

Why this is murkier than renting

In a normal Ontario tenancy, the landlord has set maintenance duties under the Residential Tenancies Act. A rent-to-own deal adds a purchase contract that may shift some duties to you in exchange for the chance to own. Which rules apply to which part can be unclear, and a lawyer is the right person to explain it.

Before you move in

1. Get an inspection. Photos and a written report record the starting condition.
2. List what is included. Appliances, fixtures and any known issues.
3. Settle who pays. Cover heating, plumbing, roof, windows and appliances by name.
4. Agree how to report problems. Written requests, a response time and a named contact.
5. Ask whether repair spend is credited. If you pay, does it count toward your purchase?

During the term

Report issues in writing and keep copies. Photograph damage. If a problem is not addressed within the time agreed, ask a lawyer or a legal clinic what to do next. Avoid deductions from rent without advice, because that can create a separate dispute.

Choosing a provider

Look for providers that put maintenance responsibilities in clear language and respond to questions. Our rent-to-own home programs hub lets you compare approaches, and the ratings on each listing are based on the method on our Scoring Method page. Reviewer comments are individual experiences, not findings about any provider. Before you sign, the questions to ask a rent-to-own provider cover repairs among other terms.

Keep the long view

Small jobs versus big ones

Plenty of friction comes from the grey zone between a small job and a major one. A dripping tap and a failing furnace are not the same, and a contract that says “tenant maintains the property” can be read either way. Ask for a threshold in dollars, a list of covered systems, or both, so you know when a problem becomes the owner’s responsibility. Get it into the agreement rather than a side conversation.

Think like a future owner

If you plan to buy, money you spend on the home can feel like an investment. Legally, though, you do not own it yet, and improvements you make may stay with the home if you do not buy. Ask before renovating, get permission in writing, and ask whether improvement costs could be credited. If the answer is no, think twice about spending on anything other than essentials.

Insurance

Tenant insurance protects your belongings and covers some liability. It does not necessarily protect the building. Ask who insures the structure and what the policy requires from you, and ask your insurer to confirm your coverage matches the arrangement. A short call can prevent a costly surprise after a leak or fire.

A home that needs work is still a home you may buy. What matters is that the work, the cost and the credit for it are agreed before you commit. Return to the home page for other guides and hubs.