Every day a rental unit sits vacant is a day of income that cannot be recovered. For landlords managing one property or many, vacancy is not just an inconvenience — it is a direct cost that erodes returns, disrupts cash flow, and compounds quickly when tenant turnover is handled without a clear strategy.
The good news is that vacancy is largely a manageable problem. Most extended vacancies are not caused by bad luck or a weak rental market — they are caused by pricing errors, poor presentation, weak marketing, or a tenant screening process that moves too slowly. Address those four areas deliberately, and vacancy rates drop significantly.
At Frederic Murray Location, we work with landlords across the Canadian rental market who want to fill their units with quality tenants, minimize turnover, and maximize the income their properties generate. This guide covers the practical strategies that make the biggest difference.
Start With the Right Rental Price
Pricing is the single most important variable in how quickly a rental unit fills. Set the price too high and qualified tenants scroll past your listing without a second look. Set it too low and you fill the unit quickly but leave money on the table month after month — a loss that compounds over the entire tenancy.
The goal is to price at market — the point where your unit is competitive with comparable listings in the same area without undervaluing what you are offering.
How to find the right market rent:
Research active listings — not sold or previously rented properties, but units currently available in your building’s immediate neighborhood. Focus on properties that are genuinely comparable: similar size, similar condition, similar amenities, and similar proximity to transit, schools, and services. Look at five to ten comparable listings and identify where your unit sits relative to them honestly, not optimistically.
Account for the condition of your unit realistically. A freshly renovated unit with in-suite laundry, updated appliances, and good natural light commands a premium over an older unit with shared laundry and dated finishes — even in the same building on the same street. Price accordingly.
Consider seasonal timing. Rental demand in most Canadian markets peaks between May and September, when the majority of lease transitions occur. Listing in peak season gives you more applicant volume and more pricing leverage. Listing in February in a cold-weather market requires more competitive pricing to generate equivalent interest.
Avoid the common pricing mistake of anchoring to what a previous tenant paid. Rents shift with market conditions, and what was appropriate two or three years ago — or even twelve months ago — may be meaningfully below or above current market rates. Revisit pricing fresh for every new vacancy.
Present the Unit at Its Best Before Listing
First impressions in rental listings are formed within seconds. Tenants browsing dozens of listings will skip past yours if the photos are dark, cluttered, or unprofessional — regardless of how good the unit actually is in person. Strong presentation does not require expensive renovation; it requires attention and effort.
Clean thoroughly — A spotlessly clean unit communicates to prospective tenants that the landlord maintains their property with care. This matters to quality applicants. Professionally cleaned carpets, sparkling bathrooms, and clean kitchen appliances make a measurable difference in how a listing is perceived.
Handle deferred maintenance before listing — Fix the dripping faucet, replace the burnt-out light bulbs, touch up scuffed paint, and address any minor issues that would be immediately visible during a viewing. Tenants who notice maintenance neglect during a showing assume they will experience the same responsiveness as a landlord’s tenant.
Stage thoughtfully if vacant — An empty unit can feel smaller and less inspiring than a furnished one. Even minimal staging — a few pieces of furniture in key rooms, some greenery, good lighting — helps applicants visualize the space as a home rather than an empty box.
Photograph with care — Use a wide-angle lens in good natural light, shoot each room from the most flattering angle, and capture the full set of spaces tenants care about: living area, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and any unique features like a balcony, in-suite laundry, or parking. If photography is not your strength, hiring a professional real estate photographer for a single session is an investment that typically pays for itself in reduced vacancy time.
Write a Listing That Attracts the Right Tenants
The written description of your listing is your first conversation with every prospective tenant. It needs to be accurate, specific, and compelling — without being misleading or padded with phrases that every other listing also uses.
Lead with the most important features — Tell tenants immediately what they most want to know: the size, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the rent, what is included, and the availability date. Do not bury these details at the bottom of a long paragraph.
Be specific rather than generic — “Spacious, bright unit in a quiet building” describes a thousand listings. “750 sq ft two-bedroom on the third floor with south-facing windows, in-suite laundry, and one parking spot included” describes yours. Specificity builds credibility and filters your applicants toward people who genuinely want what you are offering.
Mention the neighborhood honestly — Proximity to transit, walkability, nearby parks, schools, grocery stores, and other services are significant decision factors for most tenants. Describe the location with the same specificity you bring to the unit itself.
Be transparent about rules and restrictions — If your building has a no-pets policy, a no-smoking policy, or specific parking arrangements, state these clearly in the listing. Filtering out non-qualifying applicants at the listing stage saves everyone time and prevents difficult conversations later.
Distribute the listing broadly — Post on all major Canadian rental platforms simultaneously. Reach through a single platform is never sufficient in a market where tenant behavior varies by age, neighborhood, and property type. The goal is maximum qualified exposure in the minimum amount of time.
Screen Applicants Thoroughly and Move Quickly
Quality tenant screening is one of the highest-leverage activities a landlord can perform. A well-screened tenant reduces vacancy, minimizes rent arrears, causes less wear and tear, and stays longer — compounding into significantly better financial outcomes over the life of a tenancy.
A reliable screening process includes:
A completed rental application with full contact information, employment details, income verification, and references from previous landlords. Do not skip reference checks — a five-minute call with a previous landlord will often reveal information that no document can.
A credit check conducted with the applicant’s written consent. Look not just at the score but at the pattern: what types of obligations does this person carry, and how consistently have they been met? A modest credit score with a clean payment history on rent and utilities is often more meaningful than a higher score with erratic patterns.
Income verification that confirms the applicant earns enough to comfortably afford the rent. A standard benchmark is that gross monthly income should be at least three times the monthly rent — though this varies by market and individual circumstance.
Balance thoroughness with speed. Quality applicants are often entertaining multiple options simultaneously. A screening process that takes two weeks loses good candidates to landlords who move in five days. Build a process that is rigorous but efficient: have your application and consent forms ready before the first viewing, process applications as they come in rather than waiting to batch them, and make your decision decisively once you have the information you need.
For landlords managing multiple units across several properties, coordinating screening, lease administration, and ongoing tenant relations can become a significant time burden. Frederic Murray Management (fredericmurraymanagement.com) provides full-service tenant management support for landlords who want professional systems without the day-to-day operational demands. Investors who are also looking to expand their rental portfolio can explore available income properties through Murray Immeubles (murrayimmeubles.com) and Frederic Murray Properties (fredericmurrayproperties.com).
Retain Good Tenants to Reduce Future Vacancy
Filling a unit is only half the equation. The other half is keeping a good tenant once you have found one — because every turnover restarts the entire vacancy cycle, with all of its associated costs and time demands.
Tenant retention is not complicated, but it requires intentionality. Respond to maintenance requests promptly and professionally. Communicate any building-wide changes with advance notice and respect. Conduct periodic property check-ins that balance your legitimate interest in the building’s condition with your tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment. When lease renewals approach, consider the full cost of turnover — lost rent during vacancy, cleaning, repairs, advertising, and screening time — before deciding how aggressively to increase the rent.
A tenant who renews for a second or third term is one of the best outcomes a rental property can produce. They know the unit, they understand the building’s rhythms, and they have demonstrated by staying that they are satisfied. That stability has real financial value — and landlords who recognize and nurture it outperform those who treat every tenancy as a transaction to be maximized in isolation.
The team at Frederic Murray Location understands that successful rental property ownership is built on consistent occupancy, quality tenants, and proactive management. Whether you are filling a single unit or managing a portfolio of buildings, we are here to support every step of the process.
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