Some landlords recommend using a 3-month trial period fixed term lease then will sign a periodic lease after that. That is just predatory in my opinion.
How could a 3-month trial period be predatory? The only way I can see it being predatory is if someone was illegally increasing the rent at the end of the trial period. If that's the case, that landlord should be fined.
We ONLY work with fixed term leases because we like the fact we can choose not to renew (very handy if you have a problem/high maintenance tenant who doesn't commit substantial breaches worthy of eviction), and we like that we can better schedule tenant turnover (to avoid winter moves in Edmonton).
And a trial lease protects both the landlord and tenants against mistakes and misjudgment.
We have had tenants take advantage of the trial lease when one misjudged the commute to work and another didn't realize basement suites could have spiders (and she had a phobia). And we once took advantage of the trial lease when we discovered an otherwise good tenant had the habit of screaming cuss words at her children and it bothered the sweet, young bible camp counselors who lived in the upper suite.
With a trial lease, there is no confrontation or eviction battle, and everyone parts on somewhat friendly terms.