Ontario Landlord/Tenant fact sheet

Governing or Regulatory Body

Landlord and Tenant Board

Name of Act/Regulations

Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) and regulation
Maintenance Standards
Suite Meters and Apportionment of Utility Costs
Statutory Powers Procedure Act

Types of Housing/Living Arrangements Covered by the Provincial Legislation

Rental residential housing

Exemptions: co-op housing when occupied by a member of the co-op, vacation, seasonal or temporary accommodations: hotels, motels or motor hotels, resorts, lodges, tourist camps, cottages or cabins, inns, campgrounds, trailer parks, tourist homes, bed and breakfasts vacation establishments or vacation homes, staff accommodation for farm employees, accommodation in a business or enterprise, non-profit housing in some situations, penal and correctional facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, short term emergency shelters, staff accommodations provided by an educational institution, accommodation whose occupant or occupants are required to share a bathroom or kitchen facility with the owner, the owner’s spouse, child or parent or the spouse’s or same-sex partner’s child or parent, and where the owner, spouse, child or parent lives in the building in which the living accommodation is located. Some rehabilitative and therapeutic facilities are exempt from the Act — for example facilities offering occupancy for a specified period would be exempt. Not all educational institutions are exempt.

Types of Rental Periods

All types of rental periods are allowed; however, the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) takes precedence over leases. In other words, when terms in the lease do not comply with the RTA, the RTA takes precedence over the lease.

Is a signed lease required?

No. If the tenancy agreement is not in writing, the tenant must be provided with written notice of the legal name and address of the landlord for the purpose of giving notice or delivering other documents. The landlord must provide the tenant with this information within 21 days after the tenancy begins. If the landlord fails to provide the required information, the tenant’s obligation to pay rent is suspended until the landlord complies. If there is a written tenancy agreement, the landlord must give a copy to the tenant within 21 days of the tenant signing it.

Is a signed move in/move out condition report required?

No. A checklist is recommended but not required.

Deposits

Landlords can require a rent deposit up to one month’s rent, but this deposit is not a security deposit. In Ontario, security deposits may not be required. Last month’s rent may be collected as a deposit, but it may not be required as security against damages. Landlords collect the last month’s rent, or if rent is paid weekly the last week’s rent, at the beginning of the tenancy and pay the tenant interest. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, the rate of interest to be paid annually to a tenant is equivalent to the rent increase guideline of the same year that the interest is due. This deposit may only be applied to the last month’s rent. It is not considered a damage or security deposit.

Key Money

A key deposit may not be required. A landlord may not require a fee or similar charge from a tenant or a prospective tenant other than a rent deposit for the last month of the tenancy.

Post-dated Cheques

Post-dated cheques can be suggested, but a person cannot be refused a rental unit for refusing to give them. Landlords must provide tenants with a rent receipt if the tenant requests one.

Renewal of a Lease Term

The landlord and tenant can agree to extend or renew the tenancy on the same terms and conditions, or on modified terms and conditions. If both parties can’t reach an agreement, once the fixed term lease expires, the tenancy automatically becomes a month-to-month arrangement, if the tenant pays rent monthly; or a week-to-week arrangement, if the tenant pays rent weekly.

Terminating a Tenancy (Lease): Notice and Timing

Prior to a lease terminating, it is the responsibility of landlord and tenant to re-negotiate terms or terminate the lease. Tenants can give notice during a fixed term lease, provided that the date of termination is not any earlier than the last day of the tenancy and is in compliance with the RTA. Landlords may only terminate a tenancy for specified reasons as set out in the legislation and cannot terminate simply because a fixed term has expired. When a fixed term tenancy goes to a month to month term, the landlord cannot force a tenant to sign another lease or agree to another fixed term. When a lease is renewed, unless otherwise agreed, other than the new term of the lease, all other conditions of the lease remain the same with the exception of rent increases. The landlord can raise the rent with 90 days written notice.

To terminate a tenancy, landlords must provide notice in writing to the tenant, and required notice times vary depending on the reasons for the notice. Please refer to the detailed online and print brochures: “Terminating a Tenancy by a Tenant” and “Reasons for Terminating a Tenancy by a Landlord”.

The tenant can terminate daily or weekly tenancies with 28 days written notice. Otherwise tenants must give 60 days notice when moving.

Assignments and Sublets

Landlords must approve or disapprove the tenant’s request to sublet. The original tenant can dispute a landlord’s decision to reject the sublet or potential assignee(s) by applying to the Landlord and Tenant Board using the appropriate form.

Rent Increases: Notice and Timing

Ontario sets rent guidelines each year. Landlords must give 90 days written notice and can only increase the rent once every 12 months. Rent increases must follow the provincial guidelines. To increase rent beyond the guideline, the landlord must apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for permission. (Capital expenses are capped at 3 per cent above the guideline, per year for a maximum of 3 years.) Note that there are some residential tenancies that are exempt from the rent control provisions of the legislation, such as rent geared-to-income tenancies and tenancies where the occupant shares a bathroom with the owner or family member of the owner, although the 12 month rule and 90 day notice requirement may still apply.

If there are serious outstanding maintenance issues a tenant can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board to prohibit all rent increases and above guideline increases. In severe cases tenants would pay all or portions of their rent to the Board until maintenance and repair issues were resolved. This must first be approved by a Board Member before monies can be paid into the Board and it is up to the Board Member to determine in which cases it is appropriate. Since the RTA does not define what qualifies as a severe case, the Board evaluates each application on a case-by-case basis to determine if it qualifies.

Note: Rent increase rules apply to an existing tenancy. Once the tenant moves, the landlord can increase the rent for that unit to whatever the market will bear unless there is an order to prohibit rent increases due to serious maintenance issues.

Late Rent Payments

The day after rent is due, if it is unpaid; the landlord can give a “Notice to terminate for nonpayment of rent.” The tenant then has 14 days if they are monthly or yearly renters, and 7 days if they are daily or weekly renters, to pay. If this grace period passes and no rent has been paid, the landlord can file an application with the Landlord and Tenant Board for rent arrears.

Evictions

There are numerous grounds for eviction but the main reason is rent arrears. Evictions for rent arrears in Ontario proceed as follows: The day after the tenant is late paying rent; ,the landlord can serve notice to end a tenancy early for non-payment of rent to tenant; tenant has 14 days to pay rent; if the tenant does not pay, then on the 15th day the landlord can pay a filing fee for Application to evict a tenant for Nonpayment of Rent and to Collect the Rent the Tenant Owes; the Landlord and Tenant Board gives Notice of Hearing and a copy of the application to the landlord; landlord serves Notice of Hearing and copy of the application on the tenant; landlord completes and signs a certificate of service as proof that the above documents were served to the tenant.

Unlike the previous legislation, there is no default process under the RTA and all applications will go to a hearing. The hearing is held as soon as possible. If the landlord is successful in their claim, the Board will issue an order terminating the tenancy and evicting the tenant and this order will allow the landlord to arrange with the provincial Sheriff to evict the tenant, unless the tenant pays everything that is owed (which may include the landlord’s filing fee) before the date set out in the order.

In cases where the tenants cause wilful damage, the RTA sets out a 10 day notice period and tenants cannot void the notice by repairing the damage. In cases of excessive wilful damage, an order can set an immediate eviction date.

Fine Points

Permitting Landlord Entry to the Premises (Times and Reasons)

The situations where a landlord may enter the premises may be written into the lease. Typically, landlords must give 24 hours written notice. The written notice must specify the reason for entry, the day of entry and a time of entry between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. A landlord can enter a unit without written notice if there is an emergency or if the tenant consents to the entry.

May the tenant withhold rent for repairs?

No.

Changing Locks

Allowed provided the landlord gives the tenant a key for any new lock. A tenant cannot change the locks without the permission of the landlord.

Pets and Smoking

May a landlord refuse to rent to a person who has pets?

The Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) does not cover individuals before they become tenants, so if a landlord refused to rent on the basis of pets, a tenant could not apply under the RTA for this reason.

May a landlord include a no-smoking clause in the lease?

The RTA does not address smoking.

If a no pets and no smoking clause is written into a lease and the landlord discovers that the tenant has a pet and/or smokes in the rental unit, is this grounds for the landlord to evict the tenant?

A landlord cannot evict a tenant because they have a pet in violation of a “no pets” clause in the lease. The RTA does not address smoking. However, a landlord may have grounds to apply to evict a tenant, either for having a pet or for smoking, if the pet or smoke damages the property or bothers other tenants.

Other

Under the RTA, February is considered to have 30 days for the purpose of the tenant giving a termination notice.

Contact Information

For general information about the Residential Tenancies Act and about landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities in Ontario contact:

Visit the Board’s website at: www.ltb.gov.on.ca
Call the Board’s Call Centre: 416-645-8080, or (toll-free) 1-888-332-3234
Visit a Board Office: Find your nearest Board Office at
www.ltb.gov.on.ca/en/About_Us/STEL02_111279.html

Ordering Ontario government publications:
Government of Ontario publications are available from many different sources. You can order in several ways:
On-line: https://www.publications.serviceontario.ca/ecom/
Tel.: 416-326-5300
Toll-free: 1-800-668-9938, 1-800-268-7095 (TTY)
Email: webpubont@ontario.ca

There are also two government information centres in Toronto and Ottawa — contact Publications Ontario for locations and hours of service.

Housing Help and Other Community Housing Resource Centres

This list provides contact information for centres that offer housing assistance programs in the province. Many centres offer a service to help landlords and tenants connect.

Almonte
Mills Community Support Corporation
Helps tenants find housing in the private market.
Box 610, 67 Industrial Drive
Almonte, ON
K0A 1A0
Tel.: 613-256-1031
Fax: 613-256-1185
info@themills.on.ca
www.themills.on.ca/

Ajax
Housing Help Durham
458 Fairall St. – Unit # 4
Ajax, ON
L1S 1R6
Tel.: 905-686-2661
Toll-free: 1-866-746-3696
Fax: 905-686-4157
Email: info@cdcd.org
www.cdcd.org/programs/housingprogram/

Alliston
Community Service Centre South Simcoe
Town Square
39 Victoria Street East
Alliston, Ontario
Tel.: 705-435- 4900
Fax: 705-435-1106
Email: contact@contactsouthsimcoe.ca
www.contactsouthsimcoe.ca/

Barrie
Barrie Housing Support Services
320 Bayfield Street Unit 79
Barrie, ON
L4M 3C1
Tel.: 705-739-0485
Fax: 705-727-0280
www.simcoecommunityservices.ca/programs/familyServices/barrieHousingSupportServices.aspx

Belleville
Hastings Housing Resource Centre
210A Front Street
Belleville
Tel.: 613-969-1748 ext. 31
Fax: 613-969-1464
www.hastingshousing.com/

Brantford
Housing Resource Centre
220 Colborne Street
Brantford, Ontario
N3T 2H1
Tel.: 519-759-3330
Fax: 519-759-1932
www.brantford.ca/residents/support_services/housing/HousingPrograms/Pages/HousingResourceCentre.aspx

Brockville
Leeds and Grenville Social Housing
25 Central Ave West, Suite 200
Brockville, ON
K6V 4N6
Tel.: 613-342-3840 ext. 2450
Fax: 613-342-8908
www.leedsgrenville.com/en/live/housing/socialhousing.asp

Cambridge
Cambridge Shelter Corporation — The Bridges Project
26 Simcoe Street
Cambridge
N1R 8P2
Tel.: 519-624-9305
Fax: 519-624-0801
Email: info@cambridgesheltercorp.ca
www.cambridgesheltercorp.ca

John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington
310 Charles Street East
Kitchener, Ontario
N2G 2P9
Tel.: 519-743-6071
Fax: 519-743-9632
Email: inquiries@waterloo.johnhoward.on.ca
www.waterloo.johnhoward.on.ca

Chatham
Salvation Army Housing Services
19 Raleigh Street, Box 715
Chatham, ON
N7M 5K8
Tel.: 519-354-1430
Fax: 519-354-1919
www.chathamsa.org

Cobourg
The Help Centre of Northumberland
1005 Elgin St W., Suite 301
Cobourg, ON
K9A 5J4
Tel.: 905-372-2646
Toll-free: 1-888-698-3382
Fax: 905-372-2205
www.thehelpcentre.ca

Collingwood
Georgian Triangle Housing Resource Centre
115 Hurontario Street , Suite 203
Collingwood, ON
L9Y 2L9
Tel.: 705-445-0643
Fax: 705-445-1656
Email: info@housinginfo.ca
www.housinginfo.ca

Dunnville
Haldimand-Norfolk Housing Support Program
108 Bridge Street
Dunnville, ON
N1A 2Y1
Tel.: 905-774-4251 or toll free: 866-882-9910
Fax: 905-774-7858
hnhousing.org/income-housing

Fergus
Community Resource Centre
PO Box 442
Fergus, ON
N1M3E2
Tel.: 519-843-7000 ext. 5
Toll Free: 1-866-840-3249, ext. 5
Fax: 519-843-7597
communityresourcecentre.org

Guelph
Fresh Start Resource Centre
40 Baker Street
Guelph, ON
N1H 4G1
Tel.: 519-822-2887
www.mytown.ca/ev.php?URL_ID=119026&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201&reload=1262805240

Wellington and Guelph Housing Services
138 Wyndham Street North
Guelph, Ontario
N1H 4E8
Tel.: 519-824-7822
Tollfree: 1-800-663-0750
Fax: 519-837-6349
www.wellington.ca/en/socialservices/housing.asp

Hamilton
Housing Help Centre
119 Main Street East
Hamilton, Ontario
L8N 3Z3
Tel.: 905-526-8100
Fax: 905-528-1448
Email: Info@housinghelpcentre.ca
www.housinghelpcentre.ca

City of Hamilton — Housing Services
350 King Street East
Unit 110 (First Place)
Hamilton, ON
L8N 3Y3
Tel.: 905-523-8496
Fax: 905-523-5228
Email: housing@hamilton.ca
www.hamilton.ca/HealthandSocialServices/SocialServices/Housing

McMaster Off-Campus Resource Centre
1280 Main Street West
MUSC Lower Level, Room B112
Hamilton, Ont.
L8S 4S4
Tel.: 905-525-9140 ext. 24086
www.macoffcampus.ca

Mount Forest
Community Resource Centre
PO Box 442
Fergus, ON
N1M3E2
Tel.: 519-843-7000, ext. 5
Toll Free: 1-866-840-3249, ext. 5
Fax: 519-843-7597
communityresourcecentre.org

Kingston
Home Base Housing (Housing Help Centre and Youth Services)
540 Montreal Street
Kingston, Ontario
K7K 3J2
Tel.: 613-542-6672
Fax: 613-542-6317
Email: dsadler@kingstonhomebase.ca
www.kingstonhomebase.ca

Housing Help Centre:
Tel.: 613-531-3779
Email: info@kingstonhomebase.ca
Youth Services
kingstonhomebase.ca/youth-services/

Kitchener
Kitchener Housing Services
41 Weber Street West
Kitchener, ON
N2H 3Z1
Tel.: 519-749-2450
Fax: 519-749-0519
www.lutherwood.ca/housing

John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington
310 Charles Street East
Kitchener, Ontario
N2G 2P9
Tel.: 519-743-6071
Fax: 519-743-9632
Email: inquiries@waterloo.johnhoward.on.ca
www.waterloo.johnhoward.on.ca

Lindsay
John Howard Society of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton
31 Peel Street
Lindsay, ON
K9V 3L9
Tel.: 705-328-0472
Toll free: 1-888-665-6615
Fax: 705-328-2549
www.jhscklh.on.ca

London
London Housing Registry
379 Dundas St Suite 203
London, ON
N6B 1V5
Tel.: 519-434-3344
Email: intake@londonhousingregistry.com
www.londonhousingregistry.com

Housing Access Centre
379 Dundas Street, Suite 116
London, ON
N6B 1V5
Tel.: 519-661- 0861
Fax: 519-661- 4466
Email: hac@london.ca
www.london.ca/residents/housing/pages/default.aspx

London Property Management Association
460 Berkshire Drive, Unit 102
London, ON
N6J 3S1
Tel.: 519-672-6999
Fax: 519-672-6462
Email: info@lpma.ca
www.lpma.ca

Midland
Community Reach
850 Hartman Drive, Unit 104
Midland, ON
L4R 0B6
Tel.: 705-528-6999
Fax: 705-528-6990
Email: housing@communityreach.ca
www.communityreach.ca

Niagara Falls
Housing Help Centre Project S.H.A.R.E.
4129 Stanley Ave.
Niagara Falls, ON
L2E 7H3
Tel.: 905-357-5121
Fax: 905-357-0143
Email: info@projectshare.ca
www.projectshare.ca

North Bay
Low Income People Involvement of Nipissing (LIPI)
127 Main Street East
North Bay, ON
P1B 1A9
Tel.: 705-472-1337
Fax: 705-472-4454
Email: lipi@cogeco.net
www.lipinipissing.com

Oakville
Halton Regional Housing Help Centre
1151 Bronte Road
Oakville, ON
L6M 3L1
Tel.: 905-825-6000
Toll: 1-866-442-5866
Email: AccessHalton@halton.ca
www.halton.ca/cms/One.aspx?portalId=8310&pageId=9096

Orillia
Orillia Housing Resource Centre
Suite 215, 169 Front Street South
Orillia, ON
L3V 4S8
Tel.: 705-325-3883
Fax: 705-325-3576
Email: housingcoordinator@housinginfo.ca
www.housinginfo.ca

Ottawa
Action Logement
261 chemin Montreal
Ottawa, ON
K1L 8C7
Tel.: 613-562-8219
Fax: 613-241-1526
Email: info@action-logement.ca
www.action-logement.ca

Housing Help Ottawa
309 Cooper Street, Suite 502
Ottawa, ON
K2P 0G5
Tel.: 613-563-4532
Fax: 613-563-8019
Email: info@housinghelp.on.ca
www.housinghelp.on.ca

Peel Region — Social Services
10 Peel Centre Drive
Brampton
Tel.: 905-791-7800
www.peelregion.ca/social-services/homelessness/

Peterborough
Housing Resource Centre
540 George Street North
Peterborough, ON
K9H 3S2
Tel.: 705-743-2272
Fax: 705-742-3015
Email: hrcpeterborough@yahoo.ca
www.housingpeterborough.com

St. Catharines
Housing Help Centre
129 Church Street
St. Catharines, ON
L2R 3E2
Tel.: 905-984-8955
Fax: 905-984-8838
Email: catherinehhc@communitycarestca.ca
www.communitycarestca.ca/page/housing_help

Sudbury
Crisis Housing Liaison Canadian Red Cross
1460 Fairburn Street
Sudbury, ON
P3A 1N7
Tel.: 705-674-0737
Fax: 705-674-4310

Toronto
These centres in Toronto are access centres for Housing Connections (the subsidized housing waiting list in the city), the Rent Bank, Share the Warmth and Winter Warmth funds.

Albion Neighbourhood Services
21 Panorama Court, Suite 14
Toronto, Ontario
M9V 4E3
Tel.: 416-740-3704
Fax: 416-740-7124

COSTI — North York Housing Help Centre
Sheridan Mall, 1700 Wilson Avenue, Suite 114, P.O. Box 88, M3L 1B2
(Near intersection of Jane Street and Wilson Avenue)
Tel.: 416-244-0480
Fax: 416-244-0379
Email: nyork@costi.org
www.costi.org/programs/program_details.php?sid=0&pid=0&id=167

East York Housing Help Centre
1350 Danforth Ave.
Toronto, ON
M4J 1M9
Tel.: 416-698-9306
Fax: 1-866-580-4680
Email: eyhhc@eyetfrp.ca
www.eastyorkhousinghelp.ca

Etobicoke South Housing Help Centre
185 Fifth Street
Toronto, Ontario
M9V 2Z5
(Near intersection of Islington Avenue and Lakeshore Road)
Tel.: 416-252-5990
Fax: 647-258-0606
www.albionneighbourhoodservices.ca

Flemingdon Neighbourhood Services Housing Program
10 Gateway Boulevard, Suite 104 M3C 3A1
Tel.: 416-424-2900
Fax: 416-424-3455
Email: info@fnservices.org
www.fnservices.org

Neighbourhood Information Post
2^nd floor, 269 Gerrard Street East (Parliament Street Public Library) M5A 2G3
Tel.: 416-924-2543
Fax: 416-924-4748
Email: nipost@nipost.org
www.nipost.org

Scarborough Housing Help Centre
2500 Lawrence Avenue East, Unit 205 M1P 2R7
(Near intersection of Kennedy Midland Road and Lawrence Avenue East)
Tel.: 416-285-8070
Fax: 416-285-5410
Email: info@shhc.ca
www.shhc.org

West Toronto Housing Help Services
2333 Dundas Street West, Suite 404
Toronto, ON
M6R 3A6
Tel.: 416-531-0841

Woodgreen Community Centre — Housing Help Centre
650 Queen Street East M4M 1G5
(Near intersection of Broadview Avenue and Queen Street East)
Tel.: 416-645-6000 ext. 1142
www.woodgreen.org/ourservices/housing.aspx

Unison Community Services (Formerly York Community Services)
1651 Keele Street M6M 3W2
(Near intersection of Keele Street and Rogers Road)
Tel.: 416-653-5400
Fax: 416-653-1696
unisonhcs.org

Waterloo-Wellington
(See Cambridge)

Welland
The Hope Centre
179 – 181 East Main Street L3B 3W7
Tel.: 905-788-0744
Fax: 905-788-0748
Email: info@thehopecentre.net
www.thehopecentre.net

Windsor
Housing Information Services of Windsor and Essex County Inc.
3450 Ypres Avenue, Second Floor N8W 5K9
Tel.: 519-254-4370
Fax: 519-254-3450
Email: housinginfo@hislscdg.com
windsoressex.cioc.ca/record/WIN2640

Woodstock
Salvation Army Emergency Housing
906 James Street
Woodstock, Ontario
N4S 1S4
Tel.: 519-539-7235
Email: saemerghouse@rogers.com
www.execulink.com/~sawdstk/EmergencyHousing.html

York Region
10271 Yonge Street, Unit 303
Richmond Hill, ON
L4C 3B5
Tel.: 905-508-1877
Fax: 905-508-1237
Email: info@housinghelpcentre.org
www.housinghelpcentre.org

Disclaimer: Information provided on this page was retrieved from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s website and is for non-commercial, educational purposes only. This information is subject to change at any time. For the most up-to-date information available, please visit the Your Guide to Renting a Home > Provincial/Territorial Fact Sheets > Ontario section of the CMHC website.

Do you have additional questions about leases, or are interested in becoming a Landlord or a Tenant? Contact your trusted, full-time Realtor® Anushree (Anu) Joshi.

Anushree (Anu) Joshi
Sales Representative / REALTOR®
HomeLife/Miracle Realty Ltd., Brokerage
mobile: +1 647 381 4387
office: +1 416 747 9777
email: anujoshirealty@gmail.com
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Fine Points

Contact Information

Related Links

Housing Help and Other Community Housing Resource Centres

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