City-wide landlord registration now required in Brampton

The start of the new year includes big changes to bylaw fines and Brampton’s landlord licensing program, with registration rules now extending city-wide.

The controversial Residential Rental License program was launched in 2022 for landlords in wards 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7, requiring landlords in certain wards with properties that have four or fewer rental units to obtain a license to operate.

But the program is now a city-wide pilot project as of Jan. 1, running for at least the next two years.

The RRL was originally set to expand to qualifying landlords in every ward except for 6, 9 and 10 starting in 2026, but Brampton City Council has expanded the program city-wide following a deadly fire at a rental in November.

The updated rules apply to “owners of a rental housing unit, operators of a rental housing unit, and dwelling units used or intended to be used as a rental housing unit,” according to the bylaw.

Landlords must now apply for or renew their RRL licence before renting units, and all new and renewing landlords must complete an online learning module to show their understanding of the city’s rental regulations before being issued a licence.

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A $300 registration fee that was first introduced with the program has since been scrapped amid pushback from landlords, some of whom held protests and felt they were being unfairly called “slum landlords” or “slumlords” by members of Brampton City Council.

And while fees will continue to be waived, not registering with the RRL can lead to fines up to $1,500.

Initial estimates showed the projected revenue of the pilot was $450,000 before the $300 registration fees were waived, with a budget shortfall of $925,000.

The program was launched as a way of cracking down on an estimated 16,000 unregistered rental units in Brampton, and ensuring rental properties meet fire and safety codes.

For more information or to register, visit www.brampton.ca.