What's typically included in London rent?

Older purpose-built buildings in Old North and downtown commonly include heat and water, with tenants covering their own electricity and internet. Student-oriented houses and basement apartments near Western are frequently all-inclusive, priced per room rather than per unit. Always confirm exactly what's covered in writing on the Ontario Standard Lease before signing.

What is Ontario's rent increase guideline for 2026 and 2027?

For most units first occupied on or before November 15, 2018 (Ontario's rent control cutoff), annual increases at renewal are capped by a guideline the provincial government publishes every year. The guideline is 2.1 percent for 2026 and 1.9 percent for 2027. Landlords seeking an increase above the guideline generally need approval from the Landlord and Tenant Board (an Above Guideline Increase application), typically justified by capital expenditures, extraordinary utility cost increases, or municipal tax increases. Units first occupied after November 15, 2018 are exempt from the guideline entirely.

How does a security deposit work in Ontario?

Ontario does not allow a traditional damage deposit the way most other provinces do. Landlords can only collect a rent deposit equal to at most one month's rent (or one rental period's rent if shorter), and it must be applied as the payment for your last month of tenancy, not held separately and refunded afterward. Ontario landlords cannot charge a separate damage or pet deposit. If damage occurs beyond normal wear and tear, the landlord's recourse is to apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board directly, not to deduct from a deposit that does not exist for that purpose.

Does my London landlord have to use the Ontario Standard Lease?

Yes, for most private residential tenancies entered into on or after April 30, 2018. The Ontario Standard Lease is a mandatory government form. If a landlord does not provide it within 21 days of a tenant's written request, the tenant can withhold one month's rent, and the landlord loses the right to collect it once the form is provided. Some tenancy types are exempt (care homes, social housing, some co-ops), but the large majority of London apartment and student-housing rentals must use this form.

How do I dispute my landlord at the Landlord and Tenant Board?

The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) is Ontario's tribunal for residential tenancy disputes, covering everything from illegal rent increases and maintenance issues to eviction applications. The LTB carries a significant multi-year backlog, and hearings can take months to be scheduled. Bring your Ontario Standard Lease, all written correspondence with your landlord, photos or inspection records, and any notices you received or served. LTB orders are binding and enforceable, including through the Ontario Court of Justice or Superior Court where needed.

Can my landlord enter without notice?

No, with narrow exceptions. Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act requires landlords to give at least 24 hours' written notice before entering for a reasonable purpose (repairs, inspections, showings to prospective tenants or buyers), and entry must occur between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Emergencies (fire, flood, gas leak) are the main exception where notice is not required. Repeated no-notice entries can be raised with the Landlord and Tenant Board as a breach of the tenancy.

What if my landlord wants to sell the property?

A sale does not automatically end your tenancy. The new owner takes over the existing lease on the same terms. The one major exception is if the new owner (or an immediate family member) intends to personally move in, in which case the landlord must serve a valid Landlord's Own Use notice with the correct notice period and, since recent amendments, compensation requirements. Showings for a sale still require the standard 24 hours' written notice, same as any other entry.

London, Ontario Canada

Living and Renting in London in 2026

Real rents, real neighborhoods, real answers. The complete SQRFT guide for renters and landlords navigating one of Southwestern Ontario's largest university-driven rental markets.

Browse London rentals

Avg 2BR

$1,651

CMHC, Oct 2025

Vacancy rate

4.0%

CMHC, Oct 2025

Population

573,225

StatCan, 2024

Universities

Western, Fanshawe, King's

FFrancis, SQRFT TeamCanadian Rental Market Analysts, SQRFT Editorial Team Updated September 20, 2026 10 min read

Section 1

What London rents look like in late 2025

London remains one of the more affordable major rental markets in Southwestern Ontario, though its large student population from Western University and Fanshawe College keeps demand consistently strong. According to the CMHC Fall 2025 Rental Market Report (based on an October 2025 survey), the average rent for a purpose-built two-bedroom apartment in the London CMA was $1,651 per month, with a vacancy rate of 4.0 percent.

$1,651

Average 2-bedroom, in-place

CMHC · Oct 2025

4.0%

Purpose-built rental vacancy

CMHC · Oct 2025

Note: unlike our Toronto and Ottawa guides, we are not able to cite a Rentals.ca asking-rent figure for London. Rentals.ca and Urbanation's National Rent Report does not currently break out London as its own market, so CMHC's survey is the only verified primary-source figure available for this city. We will not estimate or borrow a number from a different market to fill that gap.

The practical read

A 4.0 percent vacancy rate, the loosest of any Ontario city in this guide series, is driven partly by a wave of purpose-built rental construction completing near downtown and along the BRT corridors. Student-heavy pockets near Western still lease up fast each August, but overall the market favors renters more than it has in years.

Section 2

Where Londoners rent: the district guide

London's rental market splits sharply between its student-dense north end and its more suburban, family-oriented east and south sides.

Downtown

Core commercial and entertainment district along Richmond Row and Dundas Place, growing purpose-built rental supply.

Old North

Historic, tree-lined, houses close to Western's main campus, popular with students and young professionals.

East London

More affordable rental stock, mix of older apartments and industrial-adjacent housing.

South London

White Oaks and surrounding suburbs, family-oriented, close to Highway 401/402 interchange.

Byron / West London

Affluent, low-density, further from downtown, mostly single-family housing near the Thames Valley Parkway.

SQRFT is building out detailed neighborhood-level pages across London. In the meantime, browse live listings from the rentals index and filter by area.

Section 3

London schools and school boards

Where you live decides which public school your kids attend.

The two boards

Thames Valley District School Board

TVDSB

Serves families across the City of London with designated catchment schools plus alternative and specialized programs.

London District Catholic School Board

LDCSB

Serves families across the City of London with designated catchment schools plus alternative and specialized programs.

How to find a school for your address

1
Use the board's school locator first.Enter the address on the TVDSB or LDCSB site and it returns the designated school for each grade level.
2
Check whether the school is capped.Fast-growing south and southeast London subdivisions can see designated schools close to non-catchment students.
3
Confirm before you sign the lease.School-driven address decisions do not have a rewind button once you have committed to a lease term.

Public vs Catholic vs private

•
Public (TVDSB):free, catchment-based, one of Ontario's largest school boards by geography.
•
Catholic (LDCSB):free, catchment-based, priority for baptized Catholic families with some open enrolment for others.
•
Private schools:concentrated in Old North and Byron, tuition typically $10,000 to $25,000+ per year.

Section 4

London universities and post-secondary

Western University and Fanshawe College together enroll over 85,000 students, making London one of Ontario's largest post-secondary rental markets outside the GTA.

Western University

~41,000 students

Western

Students concentrate in neighborhoods within walking or short-transit distance of Western.

Fanshawe College

~45,000 students

Fanshawe

Students concentrate in neighborhoods within walking or short-transit distance of Fanshawe.

King's University College at Western

~3,600 students

King's

Students concentrate in neighborhoods within walking or short-transit distance of King's.

Timing tip

Rentals near Western (Old North, Broughdale) and Fanshawe (east London) hit peak demand in July and August as students sign leases for the fall semester. If you are a landlord targeting students, list early, and expect per-room student rentals to behave differently than standard family leasing.

Section 5

Getting around London

The London Transit Commission (LTC) runs the city's bus network; London has no rail rapid transit.

The essentials

•
Shift BRT network:a bus-rapid-transit system partially built out along key corridors, intended to eventually link downtown to Western, Fanshawe, and the east and south ends.
•
No rail rapid transit:unlike Toronto or Ottawa, London's rapid transit is entirely bus-based.
•
VIA Rail London station:serves the Toronto-Windsor corridor for longer intercity trips, not local transit.
•
Car-dependent suburbs:White Oaks/South London and Byron/West London are considerably more car-reliant than downtown or Old North.

Car-optional zones

Downtown, Old North, and areas immediately around Western are the most walkable and transit-accessible parts of London. Most of the rest of the city expects a car.

Section 6

What it costs to live in London in 2026

Rent is the biggest line, but not the only one. Here's how London's fixed costs stack against the rest of Ontario.

Where London wins

•
One of Ontario's most affordable major markets.London's average two-bedroom rent of $1,651 sits well below Toronto, Ottawa, and Mississauga.
•
The loosest vacancy rate in this guide series.A 4.0 percent vacancy rate gives renters real choice and negotiating leverage, particularly outside student-heavy pockets.
•
No separate damage deposit required.Ontario law caps the move-in deposit at one month's rent applied to your last month, unlike provinces requiring a separate refundable damage deposit.

Where London is expensive

•
HST.Ontario charges 13 percent HST (combined federal and provincial sales tax).
•
Student-area premiums.Per-room student rentals near Western can carry a higher effective per-bedroom rate than the citywide average suggests.
•
Heavier lake-effect winters.Proximity to Lakes Huron and Erie means higher snowfall and heating costs than Toronto sees in a typical winter.

For live monthly cost-of-living data, Statistics Canada's Consumer Price Index release publishes the London CMA component broken down by category.

Section 7

London events, culture, and why people love it here

The last section before we get to the practical answers. If you're deciding whether to move to London in the first place, this is what tips the scale.

London blends a large student population with a growing arts and culinary scene centered on Richmond Row and Dundas Place, plus a full summer festival calendar along the forks of the Thames River.

Major annual events

Sunfest

July, world music and arts festival

A signature London event drawing large crowds citywide.

London Ribfest

July

A signature London event drawing large crowds citywide.

London's climate

-8°C

January average low

Environment Canada 1991-2020

26°C

July average high

Heavier snowfall

Lake-effect snow from Lakes Huron and Erie exceeds Toronto's typical totals

London's professional sports

London Knights (OHL)

One of London's major professional or major-junior sports franchises.

London Lightning (CEBL)

One of London's major professional or major-junior sports franchises.

Section 8

Renting in London: Ontario tenancy law essentials

These rules apply to every London rental. Bookmark this section.

The common rule of thumb is 30 percent of gross monthly income on housing (rent plus utilities). On CMHC's average two-bedroom rent of $1,651, that means a gross household income of roughly $66,000 a year to stay within that guideline. London is a large university and college town, so its rental market has an unusually strong student-driven demand cycle centered on Western University and Fanshawe College each fall.

Try the free rent affordability calculator →

Section 9

Live London rentals on SQRFT

Browse listings across London neighborhoods. All listings verified. Free to list.

Browse London listings

Pricing

What should London rent cost?

Get a free rent estimate

SQRFT Rent Estimator

See a data-driven rent range for your London property based on our Canadian rental market model.

Sources