Question 1

What is RentSafeTO?

Accepted Answer

RentSafeTO is the City of Toronto's building inspection program for rental apartments. The city sends licensed evaluators to inspect buildings with three or more storeys and ten or more rental units. They check safety systems, building condition, maintenance practices, and pest control. Inspections occur every two to three years. The program helps hold landlords accountable and gives tenants access to official safety information.

Question 2

What is this website and how does it help renters?

Accepted Answer

RentSafeTO.com presents official City of Toronto inspection data in a searchable, readable format. Each building has a detailed page showing its safety score and inspection results. The goal is to give renters complete information before signing a lease. You can search by address, browse by neighbourhood, or explore the interactive map.

Question 3

Is this data official and accurate?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All data comes directly from the City of Toronto's official RentSafeTO program through the Open Toronto portal. We display this data exactly as the city recorded it. No modified scores. No omitted buildings. No altered results. Our role is to organize and present official city data. We do not conduct independent verification of inspection results. For questions about specific inspections, contact the City of Toronto through 311.

Question 4

How often is the building evaluation data updated?

Accepted Answer

The city re-evaluates buildings every two to three years. We check the Open Toronto portal daily for new data. When the city releases updates, we typically deploy them within 24 hours. If the city issues corrections to previously published data, we update our records accordingly. Each building page shows its most recent evaluation date so you know how current the information is.

Question 5

How do I use this website to find a safe apartment?

Accepted Answer

Start by exploring neighbourhoods on the homepage or using the interactive map. Once you find a neighbourhood, click through to see all evaluated buildings in that area. Each listing shows the address, safety score, year built, and number of units. Click on any building to see detailed inspection results organized by category.

Question 6

How do I search for a specific building?

Accepted Answer

Use the interactive map in the navigation bar at the top of any page. Enter an address or location in the search box. You can also browse by neighbourhood to see all evaluated buildings with their scores.

Question 7

What do the safety scores (red/yellow/green) mean?

Accepted Answer

Buildings receive a score from 0 to 100 based on their inspection results. The City of Toronto now identifies the colour ratings using these score bands: Green (85-100) means the building is generally well-maintained. Yellow (70-84) means the building has some issues that need attention. Red (below 70) means the building has significant problems. The city-wide average is 88. A score below average may warrant further investigation.

Question 8

What do Good, Fair, and Needs Improvement mean?

Accepted Answer

City evaluators score buildings on multiple criteria. Each item receives a rating from 0 to 3, or N/A if not applicable. 3 - Good: Meets standards. 2 - Fair: Room for improvement. 1 - Needs Improvement: Unsatisfactory. Requires attention. 0 - Not Inspected: Area was inaccessible or access was denied. N/A - Not Applicable: Does not apply to this building. For example, buildings without elevators will not have elevator ratings. RentSafeTO.com only displays items that were evaluated.

Question 9

What information can I find about a building?

Accepted Answer

Each building page includes the overall safety score and evaluation date, building details (address, year built, number of units and storeys), neighbourhood location, and detailed inspection results. Inspection results are organized into four categories: Exterior, Interior, Safety and Maintenance, and Documentation. You can see the status for dozens of specific inspection items.

Question 10

Can I compare multiple buildings side-by-side?

Accepted Answer

Side-by-side comparison is not currently available. You can open multiple building pages in separate browser tabs to compare them manually. Each building page uses the same categories, making comparison straightforward.

Question 11

Are all Toronto rental buildings included in this database?

Accepted Answer

No. The database includes only buildings that meet RentSafeTO program criteria: three or more storeys and ten or more rental units. Currently, we have data for 3,500+ evaluated buildings across 25 wards. This includes privately-owned rental buildings, TCHC (Toronto Community Housing Corporation) properties, and social housing buildings that meet these criteria. Smaller buildings, single-family homes, and condominiums are not part of the RentSafeTO program and will not appear here.

Question 12

What should I do if my building has a low safety score?

Accepted Answer

A low score indicates the building did not meet certain property standards during its evaluation. You can review the detailed inspection results to understand specific issues. Raise concerns with your landlord or property management in writing. Contact 311 to report ongoing maintenance or safety problems. Learn your rights through the Landlord and Tenant Board. Scores can improve with future evaluations after issues are addressed.

Question 13

How do I report an issue or complaint about my building?

Accepted Answer

Start by contacting your landlord or property owner. Submit your service request in writing when possible. This can cover plumbing problems, leaking ceilings, pests, lack of heat or water, or issues in common areas. Landlords must respond promptly. For urgent issues (electricity, gas, heat, water, or security), they must respond within 24 hours. For non-urgent issues, they have up to seven days. If your landlord does not respond, contact 311 Toronto to create a service request. Submit by phone, the 311 mobile app, the 311 website, or email at 311@toronto.ca. For more information, visit the City of Toronto's RentSafeTO for Tenants page. After you report to 311, a bylaw enforcement officer may request additional details. For urgent complaints, the city aims to respond within 24 hours. For non-urgent complaints, response time is typically 5 to 10 days. The officer can issue a Notice of Violation or Order to Comply. If the landlord fails to act, the city can escalate with fines, court action, or remedial work with costs added to the property.

Question 14

Is this website free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes. RentSafeTO.com is completely free. The City of Toronto makes this data publicly available through their Open Data initiative. We are committed to keeping it accessible to everyone. No account required. No payment information needed.

Question 15

How can I contact you with questions or feedback?

Accepted Answer

Questions and feedback are welcome. Contact us at hello@rentsafeto.com or on LinkedIn. For questions about the RentSafeTO program or specific building inspections, contact the City of Toronto through 311 or visit the official RentSafeTO program page.

Question 16

What are the limitations of this data?

Accepted Answer

This database only includes buildings that meet RentSafeTO program criteria: three or more storeys and ten or more rental units. Many Toronto rental properties fall outside this scope. Evaluations occur every two to three years. Building conditions may have changed since the last inspection. Data reflects what the city recorded at the time of evaluation. We display data as provided by the city. We do not independently verify inspection results or investigate discrepancies.

Question 17

Is RentSafeTO.com affiliated with the City of Toronto?

Accepted Answer

No. RentSafeTO.com is an independent resource. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the City of Toronto. We use publicly available data from the city's Open Toronto portal to create this searchable directory.

Question 18

Can I access this data in bulk or via API?

Accepted Answer

RentSafeTO.com does not currently offer bulk data exports or API access. For raw data access, visit the Open Toronto portal. The city provides the original RentSafeTO dataset for download in multiple formats. Researchers and journalists can access the complete dataset directly from the source.

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