# Azyba rental-search survey kit
Version 1 · September 27, 2026

This is an editable questionnaire and reporting template, not a completed study. No responses have been collected through this file. You may reuse and adapt it with attribution to Azyba: https://www.azyba.com/resources/rental-research. Mark your changes and do not imply that Azyba conducted or endorsed your survey.

## Before inviting participants

Define one question the study should answer, a geographic scope and a reference period. Example: where did adult renters searching in a specified city during the last 90 days encounter delays? Separate active searches from completed searches. Decide eligibility, recruitment channels, collection dates, duplicate handling and the reporting plan in advance. Pilot the wording with a small group before launching.

Set a retention period and who can access raw answers. Use voluntary participation, allow skipped questions and explain how aggregate results will be used. Do not collect identity documents, exact home addresses, financial files or landlord names. If your survey platform stores contact or device data, disclose that fact and review its settings; do not call the survey anonymous unless that is true. Do not connect answers to leasing decisions or require participation to access a home.

## Invitation template

We are studying [specific question] among [eligible population] during [period]. Participation is voluntary. You can skip any question. We will use answers to [purpose] and report aggregate findings. We will retain raw answers until [date], accessible to [roles]. Please do not include names, exact addresses or identifying details in comments. Contact [research contact] with questions. [Describe withdrawal options and any limits once data is aggregated.]

## Questionnaire — adapt and pilot

1. Did you actively search for a rental home in [area] during [period]? Yes / No / Prefer not to answer. End the questionnaire if ineligible; explain why.
2. What is your current search stage? Still searching / Selected a home but not moved / Moved into a home / Paused or stopped / Other / Prefer not to answer.
3. In which city or broad area did you primarily search? [Approved broad-area list] / Other / Prefer not to answer. Avoid exact addresses or postal codes.
4. How long did you actively search within the reference period? Less than 2 weeks / 2–4 weeks / 5–8 weeks / More than 8 weeks / Not sure / Prefer not to answer. Completed searches and ongoing searches must be reported separately.
5. Approximately how many distinct listings did you contact during the period? 0 / 1–5 / 6–10 / 11–20 / More than 20 / Not sure / Prefer not to answer.
6. Among the listings you contacted, how often did you receive a reply? None / Fewer than half / About half / More than half / All / Not sure / Not applicable / Prefer not to answer. Report these as self-reported categories, not an exact response rate.
7. Which steps were difficult? Choose all that apply: finding suitable homes / understanding total costs / receiving replies / arranging viewings / preparing documents / coordinating household members / confirming listing legitimacy / none / other / prefer not to answer. Randomize the non-exclusive options if the survey platform supports it; keep none exclusive.
8. What information was most often unclear? Inclusions / availability / application steps / viewing arrangements / none / other / not sure / prefer not to answer. Ask for one primary choice.
9. What one change would have helped your search? Optional short comment. Do not include names, exact addresses or personal financial details.

## Reporting worksheet

- Study owner, funding and commercial interests:
- Exact questionnaire/version and any changes after collection began:
- Target population and eligibility:
- Recruitment channels, dates and geographic scope:
- Invitations sent, where known; do not invent a response rate if the denominator is unknown:
- Started, completed, excluded and included responses:
- Missing and skipped answers by question:
- Counts for each category and the answered-question denominator:
- Separate active-search and completed-search results:
- Multi-select percentages may sum above 100%; label them:
- Duplicate and quality rules applied before analysis:
- Weighting, if any, with justification and method:
- Limitations: self-selection, recall, nonresponse and channels not reached:
- Suppressed small groups or identifying comments:
- Release date, corrections and archived version:

A convenience sample is not automatically representative of all renters. Do not attach a conventional probability-sample margin of error to it without a justified statistical method. Do not combine anonymous comments with external data to identify a person. Publish only findings supported by the collected answers; never substitute plausible numbers for missing responses.

## Reference

Statistics Canada, Questions to ask about surveys: https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/customized-products-services/custom-surveys/questions-to-ask