Saskatchewan Rental Application + Tenant Screening Tool
Free interactive tenant-screening scorecard plus a downloadable Saskatchewan rental application form. Built around The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 and the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code so you screen on the criteria that actually matter — and avoid the criteria that get you in trouble.
- 7-criteria scorecard with 0–100 score
- SK Human Rights Code-aware
- Signing-ready application PDF
Applicant signals
Score weights criteria that are legal to evaluate in Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan Human Rights Code protected grounds (age, family status, source of income beyond employment, marital status, disability, etc.) are not part of the score.
Applicant score: 84 / 100
Solid file across the criteria that matter for Saskatchewan landlords. Standard offer + standard deposit (max 1 month rent under s. 25). Document the file, sign the lease, move on.
Breakdown
- Credit22 / 25
- Income vs. rent22 / 25
- Employment11 / 15
- References7 / 10
- Prior landlord7 / 10
- History gaps5 / 5
- Eviction history10 / 10
This scorecard is a triage tool, not a decision. The landlord is responsible for the final call, for following the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, and for documenting the legitimate business factor behind any decline. Never decline on a protected-ground criterion.
How to screen a tenant in Saskatchewan
Tenant screening in Saskatchewan is a balance: you need enough information to make a confident decision, without crossing into questions that the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code prohibits. The good news is that the legitimate screening criteria — credit, income, employment, rental history, references, eviction history — are also the most predictive of how a tenancy will go.
Saskatchewan Human Rights Code — the protected grounds
In residential tenancy decisions, the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination on the basis of:
- Race, creed, religion, colour
- Ancestry, place of origin, nationality
- Sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation
- Age (where applicant is 18 or older)
- Marital status, family status
- Physical or mental disability
- Receipt of public assistance
You cannot ask about these on an application form, in an in-person showing, or anywhere in the screening conversation. The decision criteria you apply also cannot be a proxy for a protected ground (e.g., refusing applicants with children is decision-by-family-status; refusing applicants on social assistance is decision-by-source-of-income).
What you can ask + use
- Identity + contact — full legal name, current address, phone, email, and government-issued ID
- Employment + income — employer, role, length of employment, gross + net monthly income, with the right to ask for verification (pay stubs, T4, employment letter)
- Rental history — last 1–2 addresses, landlord names + contacts, dates of tenancy, reason for leaving
- References — typically 3: prior landlord, employer, and a personal reference
- Credit check authorization — explicit written consent to run a credit check via Equifax, TransUnion, or a Canadian rental-screening platform
- Pet + smoking — pet count, type, and any history; smoking inside the unit (yes/no)
- Eviction or ORT dispute history — yes/no, plus an explanation if yes
The 2.5×–3× income rule
Most Saskatchewan landlords use 2.5×–3.0× monthly rent (net income) as the minimum. Three times is the conservative threshold for a single applicant; 2.5× works when there are multiple incomes, excellent credit, or a guarantor. Set the threshold in writing on your screening criteria before you start showing the property — applying the same standard to every applicant is the cleanest defence against any discrimination complaint.
How to check references properly
The prior-landlord call is the most predictive. Ask:
- How long was the tenant in the unit?
- Were there any rent payment issues?
- Were there any complaints from neighbours or the landlord?
- Was the unit returned in good condition?
- Was the security deposit returned in full? Why or why not?
- Would you rent to this tenant again? (the most useful question)
For the employer call, you only need to confirm employment status, length of employment, and gross income. For the personal reference, you're looking for character information (would this person take care of a place, do they have stable housing history, etc.) — keep it short.
Document every call: date, person spoken to, one-line summary, and any flags. The ORT and the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission both look at how consistently the screening process was applied.
Documenting a decline properly
When you decline an applicant, write down the reason. Tie it to a legitimate business factor — “income did not meet our minimum 2.5× rent threshold,” “prior landlord indicated they would not re-rent to this tenant,” “ applicant declined to authorize a credit check.” Never tie it to a Human Rights Code protected ground, in writing or in conversation. If a complaint is filed later, your written record is the defence.
Saskatchewan deposit cap
Section 25 of the RTA, 2006 caps the security deposit at one month's rent. You cannot require “first + last + a security deposit” like in some other provinces. You can ask for the first month's rent paid up front — that's just pre-paid rent, not a deposit — but that's the limit.
Frequently asked questions
What can I legally ask on a rental application in Saskatchewan?
You can ask for everything that helps you assess whether the applicant can pay rent and care for the unit: name + contact info + government ID, employment + income, rental history (last 1–2 addresses + landlord contacts), references, credit-check authorization, and pet/smoking-in-unit details. You cannot ask about Saskatchewan Human Rights Code protected grounds — race, religion, ancestry, place of origin, nationality, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age (over 18), marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, or receipt of public assistance.
What income-to-rent ratio should I require?
Most Saskatchewan landlords use a 2.5×–3.0× rule: monthly net income should be 2.5 to 3 times the monthly rent. Three times is the safer threshold for a single income; 2.5× is workable when there are multiple incomes or excellent credit. Set the threshold up front in writing so every applicant is measured against the same standard — that's what defends you against any human-rights complaint.
Can I refuse to rent because the applicant gets social assistance?
No. The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code lists 'receipt of public assistance' as a protected ground in residential tenancy decisions. Refusing to rent because the income comes from social assistance, employment insurance, disability benefits, or similar is unlawful. You can require that any income source be verifiable — that's a legitimate business factor — but you can't decline on the source itself.
Can I refuse to rent to people with kids?
No. 'Family status' is a protected ground in Saskatchewan. You cannot decline because an applicant has children, is a single parent, or plans to have a baby. You can apply legitimate occupancy standards (e.g., a one-bedroom unit isn't suitable for a family of five) but the standard has to be objective and applied to every applicant.
Is a credit check required, and how do I do one properly?
It's not required by statute, but it's the single most useful piece of screening data. Use a service like Equifax, TransUnion, or a Canadian rental-screening platform (TenantPay, SingleKey, etc.) — never run a credit check without the applicant's explicit written authorization. Our application includes a credit-check authorization clause; the applicant must sign it. Don't rely on a self-reported score.
How many references should I check?
Three is the standard: prior landlord (most predictive), employer (income confirmation), and a personal reference. The prior landlord is the most useful — ask: 'Would you rent to this person again?' The answer often tells you more than the credit report. Document each call with date, person spoken to, and a one-line summary.
What happens if an application is declined and the applicant complains?
Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission complaints are real — the Commission has a streamlined intake for tenancy decisions. Your defence is documentation: the same application form for every applicant, written screening criteria applied consistently, and a written reason for the decline tied to a legitimate business factor (income, credit, references, history). Decisions tied to protected grounds are findable in correspondence and on social media — assume any conversation can come up later.
Can I require first + last month's rent?
No. Section 25 of the RTA, 2006 caps the security deposit at one month's rent. You cannot require last month's rent on top of the security deposit. You can ask for the first month upfront — that's just normal pre-paid rent, not a deposit — but that's it.
Sources
- The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (CanLII) — full statute, especially s. 25 deposit cap
- Saskatchewan Human Rights Code — the protected grounds in tenancy decisions
- Office of Residential Tenancies (gov directory)
Need help screening at scale?
GoodDoors screens every applicant for our Regina and Saskatoon portfolio with the same Human Rights Code-compliant scorecard you see above. Our typical applicant-to-tenant ratio is 5–8:1 — we look at every file before recommending one. If you'd like to hand off the screening process, contact us or call (306) 994-5475.
Get the Saskatchewan rental application form
RTA 2006-aligned · Saskatchewan Human Rights Code-compliant · Signature page + credit-check authorization · PDF + editable DOCX
Saskatchewan-RTA-aligned application with built-in credit-check authorization. Edit in DOCX or print-and-sign in PDF.