At 54, Tamara never expected to be starting over. After a difficult divorce, she lost almost everything she had built over nearly two decades.
Not long after, she suffered a stroke and then lost the job she had held for 17 years, going from having enough to cover the bills to suddenly relying on EI and trying to stretch every dollar.
During this transition, Tamara moved in with her sister, whose family lived in a Skyline Living community. When a renovated unit in the same building became available, Tamara was able to move into her own home while staying close to the support system of her brother and sister in the same community.
Like many Canadians, Tamara is paid every two weeks, which never lined up well with paying rent once a month.
When her building started offering Zenbase, the ability to align her rent payments with her bi-weekly income felt, in her words, like a “blessing from God.” Instead of worrying about having the full month’s rent ready on the first, she could spread her payments out in a way that matched how money was actually coming in.
For Tamara, Zenbase started as a way to make rent more manageable, but it quickly turned into something more.
After receiving an email inviting her to check her credit score, she logged in and was shocked: “OMG, it’s going up! It’s amazing!”
Over just 11 months, Tamara’s credit score climbed from around 400 to 660, powered by consistent, on-time rent payments being reported to the credit bureaus.
The financial benefits were only part of the story for Tamara. Each time she reached out to Zenbase, she felt the team was “so good,” describing every interaction as kind, accepting, and focused on “How can we help you?” rather than judgment.
Their tone, she noted, was never condescending; instead, she felt respected and supported, even when talking about late payments or financial stress.
When her EI ended and she began transitioning onto disability, there was another gap and another period of uncertainty. During that time, Zenbase worked with her on payment timing and options so she could stay on track without feeling abandoned in yet another transition.
Today, Tamara’s story is one of resilience as she rebuilds after a divorce, a medical crisis, and job loss while slowly regaining control over her financial life.
With Skyline Living providing a stable home and Zenbase helping her align rent with her income and build credit, she has turned rent, once a source of stress, into a tool for financial health.
Tamara’s journey shows how small, consistent steps, such as splitting rent to match paycheques and reporting those on-time payments, can add up to a powerful turning point for residents working hard to rebuild their lives.
Rebuilding Credit and Confidence in Vernon, BC
When she first came across Zenbase, she was not searching for a miracle. She was simply looking for a fair chance to rebuild.
Based in Vernon, BC, she had been renting with Skyline Living for over five years and always took pride in paying her rent on time. Financial responsibility was never the issue. The challenge came from a situation outside her control. She had co-signed a car loan for someone else, and when the primary borrower stopped making payments, her credit was negatively impacted.
Despite doing everything right personally, her credit score suffered. Like many Canadians, she felt stuck and frustrated that a single situation could undo years of responsible behaviour.
Her introduction to Zenbase came from a simple moment. She noticed posters in the elevator of her building. The message caught her attention, especially the idea that rent, something she was already paying reliably, could finally work in her favour when it came to building credit.
She decided to sign up for CreditBuilder to repair her credit profile and CustomRent to improve her cash flow and monthly budgeting. She had never been late on her rent before, and the ability to build credit while continuing her existing payment habits felt like a natural fit. The setup process was straightforward and easy to complete.
Once enrolled, the impact was both tangible and life-changing.
After setting up rent reporting through RentHistory and CreditBuilder, her credit score increased by 30 points and continued to rise by a few points each month. Over time, those consistent improvements made a meaningful difference. Thanks to the credit history built through CreditBuilder, she was able to qualify for a mortgage and successfully purchase her first home.
Using CustomRent also changed the way she viewed her household expenses. Breaking rent into smaller scheduled payments made budgeting easier, reduced stress around bill timing, and gave her a clearer sense of control over her finances.
Beyond the financial improvements, what stood out most was the human support behind the product. Her experience with the Zenbase team was consistently positive. Communication was clear, responses were timely, and she always felt treated with care and respect.
The difference between how she felt before using Zenbase and how she feels now is significant. Where there was once frustration and uncertainty, there is now confidence, stability, and pride in what she has achieved.
Her journey came full circle. What started as a tool to rebuild credit became a pathway to homeownership. She hopes Zenbase continues to be available to Canadians working toward their first home, proving that with the right support, everyday rent payments can open the door to bigger life milestones.
Renters, on average, have credit scores about 40 points lower than homeowners, a gap that affects far more than borrowing power. Lower scores can limit access to loans, raise interest rates, increase insurance costs, influence job opportunities, and even make it harder to secure a rental. Part of the problem is that, even though rent is often the biggest bill renters pay each month, it generally hasn’t been counted toward their credit scores
Thankfully, with the rise of rent reporting services, renters can now have their payments reflected on credit files, helping close the gap with homeowners.
There are a handful of key reasons why renters have lower credit scores compared to homeowners:
In Canada, 56% of renters fall within the bottom 40% of earners. Lower income makes it harder to manage debt, keep balances low, and avoid missed payments, which are all key factors in credit scoring. With tighter budgets, renters may rely more on credit products with higher interest rates, which can put even more strain on their credit scores. This financial pressure creates a structural disadvantage compared to higher‑earning homeowners.
Many renters are earlier in their financial lives and have not had as much time to build a high income, save money, and build a long and healthy credit history. A big part of a good credit score is a higher average credit age, so shorter credit files will usually result in lower scores. Younger renters may also have lower credit scores because they may have fewer credit accounts, making their scores more vulnerable to small mistakes.
This is one reason younger people often have lower credit scores, which helps explain why renters’ scores tend to be lower than those of older, established homeowners.
A big reason renters’ credit scores tend to lag behind homeowners’ is that owning a home comes with a mortgage, which can really help boost credit over time. Mortgages are large, long-term loans, and making regular, on-time payments shows lenders that you’re responsible. They also add variety to your credit mix and build a long, positive credit history – two factors that can play a big role in your credit score.
On the other hand, renters make similar monthly payments, but those payments are not reported to the credit bureaus. As a result, renters miss out on one of the biggest opportunities to demonstrate responsible payment behaviour.
Rent reporting is a service that allows you to have your rent payments reported to the credit bureau(s). Generally, it’ll appear as a tradeline on your credit report, much like a loan or credit card. This allows renters to turn their largest monthly expense into positive credit history without taking on new debt.
Much like a mortgage, rent reporting strengthens your credit in the following ways:
This helps level the playing field for renters who want to build or strengthen their credit but don’t have access to traditional credit‑building tools.
Rent reporting services are available through several Canadian platforms, including Zenbase, which automates the entire process for renters. Zenbase comes with the following features:
With services like Zenbase, renters can build credit without taking on new debt, giving them a fair chance to strengthen their credit score.
This, in turn, can help renters level the playing field with homeowners. With better credit, renters can:
To make the most of a rent reporting service, consider these tips:
Until recently, rent didn’t help renters build credit the way mortgage payments help homeowners. But now, with rent reporting from platforms like Zenbase, your rent payments can help you build credit without borrowing money. It helps strengthen your financial profile, access loans and lower rates, and ensures the money you already spend each month contributes to your credit growth.
Approximately five million Canadian households rent their homes*; rental payments on credit reports could help millions showcase responsible payment behaviour, marking a major step forward in financial inclusion.
TransUnion and Zenbase today announced a partnership to expand the availability of rental payment information within the credit reporting ecosystem, giving renters a new way to strengthen their TransUnion credit reports and broaden access to greater financial opportunities. Rental payment information will now appear on TransUnion credit reports as a dedicated category – separate from traditional credit obligations – so that timely rent payments help improve credit files without being treated as debt. This will help Canadians showcase their responsible payment behaviour beyond traditional measures.
TransUnion has long championed financial inclusion by helping Canadians gain expanded access to credit – an important pathway to building wealth – and remains a strong proponent of reporting information that more fully reflects a consumer’s payment history. By ingesting rental payment data and treating this information as distinct from traditional credit obligations, these payments will help strengthen credit reports without being classified as debt.
Through its direct integration with property management systems, Zenbase enables property managers to activate rent reporting with no added processes or administrative overhead. This facilitates the delivery of v rental data to TransUnion, while allowing residents to be recognized for their rent payment history.
“At TransUnion, we believe every Canadian should have the opportunity to build and showcase their credit history,” said Juan Sebastian D’Achiardi, Regional President, TransUnion Canada. “By partnering with Zenbase, we’re integrating rental data that helps demonstrate financial reliability. This rental information is kept outside the core credit file and treated separately, giving lenders valuable insights to make more informed decisions, while helping renters showcase consistent payment behaviour and improve access to financial opportunities, adequately reflecting rent for what it is and not classifying it as a traditional credit obligation.”
“At Zenbase, our mission is to improve the financial health of renters by turning their largest monthly expense into an opportunity to build credit,” said Koray Can Oztekin, CEO of Zenbase. “Now with TransUnion accepting our rental data, we’re giving residents the recognition they deserve for their responsible payment history to build credit, unlock capital, and participate fully in the economy.”
About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU)
TransUnion is a global information and insights company with over 13,000 associates operating in more than 30 countries, including Canada, where we’re the credit bureau of choice for the financial services ecosystem and most of Canada’s largest banks. We make trust possible by ensuring each person is reliably represented in the marketplace. We do this by providing an actionable view of consumers, stewarded with care.
Through our acquisitions and technology investments we have developed innovative solutions that extend beyond our strong foundation in core credit into areas such as marketing, fraud, risk and advanced analytics. As a result, consumers and businesses can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good® — and it leads to economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for millions of people around the world.
For more information visit: www.transunion.ca
About Zenbase
Zenbase is a Canadian financial health platform delivering the country’s only automated rent reporting and flexible rent payment solution. Guided by ESG principles, Zenbase is committed to advancing economic inclusion by empowering renters to take control of their financial futures.
For most Canadians, rent is typically the largest monthly expense, yet it doesn’t contribute to building credit. Rent is also due on a fixed schedule, often misaligned with irregular pay cycles, unexpected expenses, and changing financial priorities. Zenbase addresses these challenges by turning rent into a tool for financial progress and flexibility.
Today, Zenbase is available in more than 200,000 homes across Canada, supporting a healthier and more inclusive financial ecosystem. Learn more at myzenbase.com.
* Statistics Canada. Household characteristics. 2021 Census of Population. November 15, 2023.
Wyse Meter Solutions, Canada’s leading submetering and billing provider, has partnered with financial health solutions expert Zenbase to make it easier for residents to report Wyse submetered utilities and rent payments directly to credit bureaus, thus strengthening credit profiles.
“Wyse has always believed that our submetering and billing services should add value to the lives of our clients and their residents,” said Peter R.J. Mills, Wyse CEO. “At its heart, this partnership is about ESG and social impact. By recognizing rent and utilities payments, we’re expanding access, reducing inequities, and giving more Canadians the opportunity to participate fully in the financial system.”
This partnership offers residents tangible financial advantages, including:
“For too long, everyday expenses like rent and utilities have gone unrecognized in credit building,” said Koray Can Oztekin, Zenbase Founder and CEO. “This partnership with Wyse gives residents a new way to benefit from their rent and utilities payments, turning everyday financial responsibilities into long-term financial opportunity.”
ABOUT WYSE METER SOLUTIONS
Founded in 2006, Wyse Meter Solutions entered the Canadian utility industry to offer a superior submetering experience to building developers, owners, managers, and residents. Since those early days, Wyse has become a leader in innovative solutions and programs with a bold goal of helping clients reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 7.5 billion grams of CO2 by 2025.
ABOUT ZENBASE
Zenbase, a proud Canadian company partnering with leading Canadian businesses, is a financial wellness platform dedicated to making life more affordable. By offering innovative products like rent and utility reporting, Zenbase empowers residents to improve their credit and achieve greater financial stability. Learn more at www.myzenbase.com.
The 2025 Canadian Multi-Residential Satisfaction Study, conducted by simplyDBS with insights from over 27,000 residents across the country, has uncovered a powerful truth: financial health amenities are no longer optional — they’re becoming essential for Canadian renters.
While traditional amenities like yoga or fitness classes may contribute to physical zen, today’s residents are just as focused on achieving financial zen. Renters are increasingly looking for tools that give them more control, flexibility, and opportunity when it comes to their financial health.
Splitting Rent Payments:
53% of renters have a preference to split rent into two payments during the month.
Building Credit with Rent:
76% of renters consider rent reporting to credit bureaus valuable in their housing journey.
These findings prove that renters aren’t just looking for a place to live — they’re looking for financial wellness tools that support long-term stability and success.
At Zenbase, we’ve built our mission around exactly that: empowering renters with tools that strengthen their financial health. Today, we’re proud to already serve over 250,000 homes across Canada, making these renter priorities a reality through:
Financial well-being is now a key driver of renter satisfaction and long-term retention. By offering financial health amenities, property managers can stay ahead of rising renter expectations, stand out in a competitive market, and advance their ESG objectives.
The data is clear: financial wellness tools aren’t just “perks.” They’re the new must-have amenities.
With Zenbase, property managers can deliver exactly what renters want — greater flexibility, stronger financial footing, and peace of mind.
