How Scotland and Toronto Rate Landlords

This episode explores a simple but powerful idea: a landlord registry. We examine how Scotland’s “fit and proper person” test and Toronto’s RentSafeTO building rating system are tackling information asymmetry in rental markets. Can transparency alone—without rent control or heavy-handed regulation—force slumlords to improve and reward good landlords? We break down the design tensions, from enforcement gaps to the risk of weaponized complaints, and ask whether a "Goldilocks registry" is actually achievable.