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Setting Up Your First Property

This tutorial walks you through setting up your first property, adding a tenant, and creating a lease in OntarioLandlord.

Prerequisites​

  • An OntarioLandlord account
  • Your property information
  • Your tenant's details (if applicable)

Time Required​

Approximately 10-15 minutes

If you have a signed Ontario Standard Lease (OSL), this is the fastest method.

Step 1: Start Upload​

  1. From the Dashboard, click Upload OSL
  2. Or go to Leases → Upload OSL

Step 2: Select File​

  1. Click Choose File
  2. Select your signed OSL PDF
  3. Wait for processing (10-30 seconds)

Step 3: Review Extracted Data​

The system extracts:

  • Landlord information
  • Tenant name(s) and contact
  • Property address
  • Rent amount and due date
  • Lease dates

Review each field and correct any errors.

Step 4: Confirm​

Click Confirm and Create to create:

  • Property record
  • Unit record
  • Tenant record(s)
  • Lease record

Done! Your property is set up.

Option 2: Manual Setup​

If you don't have an OSL, or prefer manual entry.

Step 1: Add Property​

  1. Go to Properties in the sidebar
  2. Click Add Property
  3. Enter property details:
FieldExample
Street Address123 Main Street
CityToronto
ProvinceOntario
Postal CodeM5V 1A1
Property TypeHouse
  1. Click Save Property

Step 2: Add Unit​

  1. After saving, click Add Unit
  2. Enter unit details:
FieldExample
Unit NameMain Floor
Bedrooms2
Bathrooms1
  1. Click Save Unit

Step 3: Add Tenant​

  1. Go to Tenants in the sidebar
  2. Click Add Tenant
  3. Enter tenant details:
FieldExample
First NameJohn
Last NameSmith
Emailjohn.smith@email.com
Phone416-555-1234
  1. Click Save Tenant

Step 4: Create Lease​

  1. Go to Leases in the sidebar
  2. Click Create Lease
  3. Select:
    • Property: 123 Main Street
    • Unit: Main Floor
    • Tenant: John Smith
  4. Enter lease terms:
FieldExample
Start DateJanuary 1, 2026
End DateDecember 31, 2026
Lease TypeFixed-term
Monthly Rent$2,000
Rent Due Day1st
  1. Click Create Lease

What You've Created​

After completing either option:

Property​

  • Address recorded
  • Property type noted
  • Unit(s) created

Unit​

  • Linked to property
  • Status: Occupied
  • Ready for maintenance tracking

Tenant​

  • Contact information saved
  • Linked to lease
  • Ready for payment tracking

Lease​

  • Terms recorded
  • Rent tracking active
  • Notice generation available

Next Steps​

Now that your property is set up:

  1. Record any existing payments - Bring your records current
  2. Connect your bank - Automate payment tracking
  3. Upload OSL document - Attach to lease for records

Tutorials to Continue​

Tips​

  1. Be accurate - Match your actual lease documents
  2. Upload OSL - Even if you set up manually, upload for records
  3. Add all units - Set up all rentable spaces
  4. Note move-in date - Important for rent increase timing

Troubleshooting​

OSL Won't Process​

  • Ensure it's a PDF file
  • Check file isn't password protected
  • Try a cleaner scan

Address Already Exists​

  • Search properties first
  • May be duplicate
  • Edit existing instead

Lease Creation Fails​

  • Ensure unit isn't already leased
  • Check all required fields
  • Verify dates are valid