In an effort to pay off suddenly high-interest mortgages, some landlords in and around Toronto are resorting to desperate measures to bring in as much rent money as they can, whether by renting out portions of their property that shouldn't really be considered apartments or jamming multiple tenants into one bedroom.

At the same time, with the currently high cost of living, inconceivable demand and rent prices going through the roof, tenants are likewise faced with limited options — and one person renting out a room in Brampton seems to know that even the most dismal apartments get snapped up for the right price in this market.

The landlord's listing offers up a bedroom in a home with a shared washroom by Hurontario Street and Highway 407 near downtown Brampton.

At $700, the small, basic, very minimally furnished room is far cheaper than the average rent for purpose-built rental apartments and condos in the GTA city, which hit $2,713 in September.

But, the catch lies in the landlord's lengthy criteria for prospective tenants, which extends to their lifestyle choices.

The room is fine for a single room in Brampton, though it has no mention of a kitchen and has a long list of behavioural requirements. Photo from Kijiji.

"No smoking, no drinking, no parking. Best for bachelor, student or professional," the listing starts, also noting that the room is located close to a supermarket, bank, public transit and restaurants. 

It also specifies that the occupant must have no pets and be "vegetarian only," which seems especially interesting given that only shared washroom facilities are mentioned, and nothing about a kitchen.

Though landlords can, of course, have an ideal tenant in mind, even restrictions on pets aren't enforceable by law in Ontario unless a unit is in a condo whose corporation does not permit animals.

But, a landlord is allowed to be as selective as they want when choosing who they rent to, so long as it is not discriminate based on the categories protected in the Human Rights Code.