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Roommates, Co-Signers & Responsible Parties

One policy per lease; how roommates are covered

Padder works on a “one policy per lease” model, not one policy per person.

  • If you live with roommates, all tenants on the lease are covered under a single Padder policy (Padder Guarantor and/or Padder Deposit, where applicable).
  • Everyone listed on the lease is treated as part of the same household for risk and coverage purposes.
  • The landlord is protected for the full lease, not just for one roommate’s share of the rent.

You and your roommates are still jointly responsible for the rent under your lease. Padder doesn’t split coverage by bedroom or by person.

When we might ask for a responsible party / supporter

In some cases, Padder may request a responsible party (also called a “supporter”) to stand behind the lease with you. This is similar to a traditional co-signer, but done through Padder’s insurance structure.

We may ask for a responsible party when, for example:

  • Everyone on the lease has limited or no Canadian credit history, or
  • Your income or savings are close to the minimum Padder is comfortable with, or
  • There are recent credit challenges and added support is needed to safely approve the application.

A responsible party:

  • Is typically a parent, guardian, relative, or trusted supporter with stronger income and/or credit.
  • Does not live in the unit and is not added to your lease as a tenant.

This extra support can allow Padder to approve applications that might otherwise be declined.

How co-applicants (roommates) apply together

If you’re applying with roommates, the process is designed so you can apply as a group:

  1. One person starts the application
    1. The primary applicant sets up their Padder account.
    2. They enter the property and lease details, along with their personal details.
  2. Add all other leaseholders as co-applicants
    1. The primary applicant adds each roommate’s email.
    2. Padder sends each person a separate invite link to complete their application.
  3. Each roommate completes their own application
    1. Property and lease details
    2. Personal details
    3. Income/savings information and any required documents
    4. Consent for checks (e.g., PIPEDA, soft credit, where applicable)
  4. Padder reviews the household as a whole
    1. We look at the combined risk of everyone on the lease, not just one person.
    2. A decision is made when all co-applicants have finished their applications.

Once approved and paid:

  • One Padder policy sits behind your shared lease.
  • Your landlord is protected for the total rent, and
  • Each person who signed the indemnity is responsible for repaying Padder if a valid claim is paid.