A Comprehensive Guide to Landlord-Tenant Disputes in Toronto
In this article, we will address ten common questions that landlords and tenants often have regarding their rights and responsibilities in rental units. Whether…
Common issues
What people usually ask us about
Residential tenancies in Ontario are governed by the Residential Tenancies Act, and most disputes are heard by the Landlord and Tenant Board. Several rules changed on September 21, 2026, and the Board has published a summary of the changes.
Landlords
- Leases. Most residential tenancies signed since April 30, 2018 must use Ontario’s standard lease. If a tenant asks for one in writing and doesn’t get it within 21 days, they can withhold a month’s rent.
- Rent arrears. The process starts with an N4 notice. For N4s given on or after September 21, 2026, the notice period for a monthly tenancy is 7 days instead of 14.
- Moving in yourself. For N12 notices served on or after September 21, 2026, a landlord who gives at least 120 days’ notice no longer has to pay a month’s compensation, but must normally move in within 60 days of the date in the notice.
- Rent increases, and disputes with a tenant over damage or other tenants’ enjoyment.
Tenants
- Repairs and maintenance. A tenant can apply to the Board on form T6 if the landlord doesn’t keep the unit in good repair.
- Harassment or cut-off services. Form T2 covers tenant rights, including interference with vital services.
- Arrears hearings. Since September 21, 2026, a tenant who wants to raise other issues at an arrears hearing must first pay the landlord half of the arrears claimed, at least seven days before the hearing.
- Notices given in bad faith. A tenant can apply on form T5, now up to two years after moving out.
Notices and applications
The Landlord and Tenant Board forms you’re most likely to see
Most residential disputes start with a notice from one side, and only reach the Board if an application is filed. Knowing which form you’ve received tells you what stage you’re at.
| Form | What it is |
|---|---|
| N4 | Landlord’s notice to end a tenancy early for non-payment of rent. Paying the arrears within the notice period cancels it. |
| L1 | Landlord’s application to the Board to evict for non-payment and collect the arrears, filed after an N4. |
| N12 | Landlord’s notice to end the tenancy because the landlord, a family member or a buyer intends to move in. |
| N5 | Landlord’s notice for damage, or for interfering with others’ reasonable enjoyment. |
| N1 | Notice of a rent increase. |
| N9 | Tenant’s notice to end the tenancy. |
| T2 | Tenant’s application about tenant rights, such as harassment or withheld vital services. |
| T6 | Tenant’s application about maintenance and repairs. |
A notice doesn’t end a tenancy by itself. Unless the tenant moves out or agrees, only an order of the Board can evict, and only the Court Enforcement Office (the Sheriff) can carry it out. Every form, with instructions, is on the Board’s forms page.
Why Wannes Law
A Toronto law firm that keeps you informed
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Rosalie Wannes, licensed by the Law Society of Ontario, is responsible for your file from start to finish.
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Every step explained
Plain-language explanations of what happens, what you provide and what we handle, at every stage.
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Reach your lawyer and law clerk directly by phone and email while your matter is underway.
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Meet at our Sheppard Ave E office in Toronto, or review documents by video and courier the originals.
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Rent increases
How rent increases work in Ontario
- Rent can go up once every 12 months, counted from the last increase or from when the tenant moved in.
- The landlord must give at least 90 days’ written notice, usually on form N1.
- Most units are limited to the annual rent increase guideline the Province publishes. Units first occupied as a residence after November 15, 2018 are generally exempt from the guideline, though the 12-month and 90-day rules still apply.
- A landlord can apply to the Board for an increase above the guideline in limited cases, such as major capital repairs.
Buying a home with a tenant in it? The tenancy usually continues after closing, and ending it for your own use follows the N12 rules above. Buying a home with us. Our guide to landlord and tenant disputes in Toronto
How it works
How we handle landlord and tenant enquiries
Landlord and tenant matters are handled as a referral after we review your situation. The aim is to get you to the right place quickly, because Board deadlines can be short.
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Step 1: Tell us what’s happening
Choose landlord or tenant in the quote form and describe the situation, including any notices or dates you’ve received. The date on a notice or a hearing is usually the most important fact, so put it first.
You provide
- Your lease, if you have one
- Any notices, applications or letters
- Key dates, including any hearing date
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Step 2: We review it
Rosalie’s office reviews what you’ve sent: which form you have, what stage the matter is at and whether something needs to happen before a deadline. That way you’re pointed in the right direction rather than guessing.
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Step 3: Referral to the right resource
We connect you with the resource that fits your situation. Depending on the facts, that may be a lawyer or a licensed paralegal who appears at the Board, the Law Society of Ontario’s Referral Service, which offers a free consultation of up to 30 minutes, or, for tenants with a low income, a community legal clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario. This path has no online booking.
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Step 4: If a sale or purchase is involved
When the tenancy is tied to a property you are buying or selling, such as a house with a basement tenant, we can act on the real estate side ourselves: the agreement’s terms on vacant possession, the rent and deposit adjustments on closing, and the documents the buyer needs. Buying a home with a tenant
Questions
Landlord and tenant questions
What issues do landlords and tenants most often ask about?
Lease agreements and disputes, rent arrears, rent increases, maintenance and repair issues, and evictions. Residential tenancies in Ontario are governed by the Residential Tenancies Act.
How much can my landlord raise the rent?
For most units, by no more than the annual guideline the Province sets, once every 12 months, with 90 days’ written notice. Units first occupied as a residence after November 15, 2018 are generally exempt from the guideline, but the timing and notice rules still apply.
Can my landlord evict me to move in?
A landlord can give an N12 notice if they, a close family member or a buyer genuinely intend to live in the unit for at least a year. The notice must give at least 60 days and end on the last day of a rental period. For N12s served on or after September 21, 2026, a landlord who gives at least 120 days’ notice for their own or a family member’s use no longer has to pay a month’s compensation; with less notice, the compensation rules still apply, and the change doesn’t cover notices for a buyer’s own use. If the tenant doesn’t leave, the landlord must apply to the Board.
I received an N4. What does it mean?
It is a notice for unpaid rent. If the arrears are paid within the notice period, the notice is void. If not, the landlord can apply to the Board, and there is still an opportunity to address the arrears before an eviction order is enforced.
Do you represent landlords or tenants at the Landlord and Tenant Board?
Landlord and tenant matters are handled as a referral. After reviewing your situation, we connect you with the right resource for it.
Guides
Landlord and tenant guide
Areas We Serve
Serving clients across Toronto and the GTA
From our Toronto office we act for clients across the Greater Toronto Area, including Durham, York and Peel regions: Markham, Richmond Hill, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Mississauga and Brampton.
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Scarborough
Our office is at 3319 Sheppard Ave E, Suite 103.
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North York
In person on Sheppard Ave E, or fully remote.
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Markham
Close by in York Region, in person or by video.
Here to help
Find out where your issue belongs.
Describe your situation in the quote form, or call the office.
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