scilly

But the advice often given on here, often from personal experience, is that you are much more likely to get stuck in rented accommodation in an area that you really don't like after living there for several weeks.

Exploring a town as a visitor is very very different from actually living in a neighbourhood!

A couple of months in temporary accommodation might well be preferable to 12 months in unsuitable ...... and also the latter would been uprooting the whole family once again, and possibly changing schools for the children, not because of getting into a "better" school but because you've moved into a different feeder area.

HGerchikov

I understand your concerns and they aren't without merit. The rental market in the GTA has been fierce with multiple offers on the good properties (particularly at the more reasonable price points), with that in mind you are unlikely to be able to secure a place more than 2 months before you move, tenant notice to landlord is 2 months so the landlord will only know about the upcoming vacancy at that time - they won't accept an offer for occupancy in 3 month's time because they won't want the vacant month in the middle. If you trust your relative to make the decision (and that is putting a lot of responsibility on them) then it can definitely be done. I have known people find rentals within a day or so of arrival and others where it has taken weeks due to just missing out on multiple offers, landlord deciding not to rent after all etc.....

no good name

You can yes. We did. But be careful. Website, photos looked decent.. We put down a deposit to secure it. When we went to view it on arrival, the landlord/building management or whatever they are called (it was an apartment) were just in the process of evicting the previous tenants.. Crack users allegedely.. The apartment was a sh**hole. The hallway carpets were manky.
It's fair to say I wasnt impressed or happy with having my kids live there. We lost our full deposit. Great start to our shiny new and improved, "better" life...

Siouxie

Your credit history in the UK is pretty much worthless here. Do have a read of our wiki on renting https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Renting-Canada

A few websites with advice on scam rentals, just in case you aren't aware - there's a lot of it around. I would suggest getting a good Realtor who can look for a property for you to rent, negotiate with the landlord, hold the deposit - sign off on your behalf.

https://www.thespruce.com/apartment-...d-avoid-155640
https://www.rentboard.ca/renter/fraud_and_scams.aspx
https://www.edmontonpolice.ca/CrimeP...ms/RentalScams