r/OntarioLandlord

Hi, 

We let a friend going through a hard time stay rent-free in my dad's vacant condo while he was visiting the US. She moved in mid-February and said that she would move out in May. A few days ago, I spoke with her daughter, who said the friend applied for government housing, just received a denial letter and now has nowhere to go. We told them that we are planning to sell the condo this summer. When I mentioned that to the daughter, she told me that her mother does not have any money to rent a place and kept asking me what my thoughts are. Now, I am worried that she won't move out of my father's condo. What are our options?

I’m looking for realistic opinions on what people think the likely outcome of this Ontario LTB situation will be because it has completely spiraled and I’m overwhelmed hearing about my father navigate it.

Before anyone judges me for helping him: my father is an addict and has a brain injury. He was abusive when I was growing up and I do not have a close relationship with him. I am not defending his past behaviour or trying to paint him as a saint (the opposite really). The only reason I’m involved is because if he loses his housing situation entirely, he becomes volatile and unpredictable, and I’m trying to prevent him from ending up homeless and potentially coming after my family. I’m just trying to keep a roof over his head while he’s still alive and keep things stable.

The situation:

My father owns and lives in the home. He rented out the basement to a woman. The basement has its own kitchen and bathroom, but there is NO separate entrance. The furnace, hot water tank, utilities, and laundry are all located in the basement area.

Before she moved in, she was specifically told that my father would need ongoing access to the basement at any time for laundry and access to utilities/mechanical systems, and that this would not be considered a completely self-contained unit but rather a roommate situation.

After moving in, she installed locks on the basement door and laundry room without permission or consent. My father did not authorize these locks.

Things have deteriorated badly since then.

She has:
- Called my self and daughter inappropriate names simply because she wanted to vent to me about my father while I was going through a difficult pregnancy and in the hospital and asked her to reach out to my aunt instead (dad’s sister)
- Threatened to “kick my fathers teeth in” and saying she wanted him dead
- Refused access to the basement utilities
- Locked access to the furnace/hot water tank area
- Caused a situation where there was temporarily no hot water in the house because access to the mechanical area was blocked
- Hidden from my father and refused communication and hasn’t lived in the unit since January but leaves belongings there.
- Allegedly told friends she has used the LTB system before to stop paying rent and pressure landlords for money
- Allegedly said she has experience “squatting”

Police were contacted at one point regarding threats/conflict, but they basically said it was an LTB matter.

My father has already issued:
- An N12 because he wants the house back for personal use and lives in the home himself
- An N5 regarding interference with lawful rights/access and the lock issue

There is also now a T2 application against my father from the tenant alleging harassment/threats, although there is no actual proof of threats from him. Likewise, we don’t have proof of her threat either, so it’s basically competing allegations.

Important context:
- My father does live in the same house
- There is shared use/access issues involving the basement
- Utilities and laundry are downstairs
- The tenant changed the locks herself
- The basement was never intended to be completely exclusive/private due to utility access needs
- She has petitioned the LTB to sue my father for 2 counts of $50,000.

I know people here aren’t lawyers, but based on experience with Ontario LTB:

1. What outcome would you realistically expect?
2. Is the illegal lock/access issue likely to matter significantly?
3. Does the shared access/no separate entrance situation weaken her position?
4. Could the T2 realistically result in major fines against my father?
5. Do adjudicators generally view situations differently when the owner actually lives in the home?
6. If the N12 was issued properly and compensation is paid before the hearing, is possession likely?
7. Could her conduct end up hurting her credibility overall?

Please keep comments constructive. I’m exhausted and trying to manage a situation I never wanted to be involved in. Clearly there are addiction issues on both ends and neither party is in the right. On top of this my daughter and I are currently sick and unable to speak for my father on his behalf at the (3 separate) hearings next week. My dad will have to defend himself and essentially has the brain capacity of a 12 year old so I’m not sure what to expect here.

Thanks in advance!

Moved to waterloo in september 2025 for university. Sept-Dec there was a roach problem when I moved in. I left for Jan-April for coop. Come back May 1 and the problem is here and if anything worse. All the landlord did was buy some bait in september, and after I told him it doesnt work anymore he hasnt done anything. He keeps saying he will try to contact a company but he clearly hasnt. Is there anything I can do about this? I already requested to end the lease before (due to him unfairly denying a sublet), and he denied my request. I cant even go out my room at night, and I cant eat dinner at all since all the roaches come out at night in the kitchen. I hate it what can I do lol

So I’m moving out of my current unit on May 30th, I gave 60 days notice and I have possession of the unit till June 30th. My last deposit is applying to June despite me moving out on the 30th of May. The reason I’m moving so soon is because the shower in my unit has been leaking for… years… (I just moved in last May) and the wall next to the shower is FULL of black mold. This has given me mold exposure sickness and I’ve been incredibly sick since moving in here. My landlady just told me she doesn’t want me moving on the 30th as she’ll have guests over… I’m wondering if she can even do that?? And also if she gives me a hard time is there anyway I can fight her for compensation for the mold sickness?? She hasn’t done anything about the mold other than having a few guys come to give her quotes and she offered for me to use her shower but I’m a night shifter and she works 9-5 so that’s just completely not possible…

I’m just wondering where I should/could go with this??

Edit to add- I have pictures documenting the mold and i visited the ER for a respiratory infection about 3 weeks ago

I am trying to rent out my 2-bed townhouse in Pickering. Listed at $2,600/month(similar unit got leased for 2650 in April, other similar units are listed between 2650 to 2850). Got 40 viewings in a week, 3 serious applicants, but all 3 walked away after the lease was sent (claimed they found better deals).

Lost all of May to vacancy. Now torn between:

1. Lowering to $2,400/month to fill NOW

2. Waiting for July 1 at $2,500/month

3. Hiring a placement company or realtor ($1,250+)

Is this a market thing or am I missing something? Has anyone been through this?

Thanks!

Is there somewhere online where I can see?

Our basement tenant of 12 years, tried giving us his 30 day notice today but I informed him that it is 60 days ( i said it in a respectful way). He said he doesn't care anymore and hes leaving at the end of june no matter what. He also mentioned that we can use his rent deposit for junes rent and he will pay the remainder ( his deposit 11 years ago was $800 and now his rent is $1000).

Is it worth taking him to court? for 12 years we only had one other issue which was late rent and he paid.

How long are wait times to have a hearing for eviction in mississauga or getting the junes rent? What should I do?

Background

Three of us signed a residential tenancy agreement (Ontario Standard Form of Lease) with our landlord. There's actually a bit of a story behind the lease itself — the landlord originally drafted a lease starting April 1, 2026 which I signed, but couldn't deliver the unit on time. He then created a second one, reflecting the corrected start date of April 15, 2026 which I did not signed, with rent due on the 15th of each month.

Issues I have experienced

When we moved in on April 15, our bedroom had no window. This is a clear violation of Ontario's property standards — habitable rooms are required to have a window. i had to contact the City which issued an official property standards order against the landlord. The window issue was eventually fixed roughly 3 weeks after move-in, meaning we lived in a non-compliant unit for that entire period.

Sometimes when try to contact him he just straight ignores me

**2. Washer/dryer dispute**

Our lease includes on-site laundry as an amenity (checked "Yes" in Section 6 of the standard lease). After signing, the landlord denied that this agreement exists. This is a direct contradiction of the signed lease.

3. Stairs not repaired — outstanding city order

The City property standards order identified multiple issues. While the window was eventually fixed, the stairs remain unrepaired and are a safety concern. The landlord has not fully complied with the city order to this day.

Current situation

i want to leave the tenancy early. Ideally I would like to leave by May 31 or July so they have time to find someone, 2026 but my housemate wants to stay the lease runs till April 2027

I want to end my lease but he doesn't want to. He wants to find someone I tried but the room is small 100 by 95 inches and I am paying 635 a month plus utilities what you I do?

Question about “commercial use” in a condo rental.

I own a condo unit that I rent out, and I’ve recently had applicants whose full-time income comes from creating online content from home (YouTube, cooking videos, podcasts, etc.).

I’m trying to understand where the legal line is between normal remote work vs operating a business out of a residential condo unit.

Example: if a tenant is producing monetized cooking content from the condo kitchen on an ongoing basis, but there are no customers visiting the unit and all activity happens privately inside the condo, is that still considered normal residential use in Ontario?

I’m also wondering:

• Can condo corporations restrict this type of activity even if it’s entirely inside the unit?
• Can landlords add enforceable lease terms around filming/business activity/excessive kitchen use?
• At what point would this become something beyond ordinary residential use under Ontario law?

Not trying to ban WFH tenants or casual creators. I’m specifically asking about situations where the unit is involved in someone’s income-generating business.

Been renting now for about 7 years, last 6 yrs have been month to month. Im proud to say we are model tenants. I almost never call my landlord's real estate agent who manages the property (the owners live overseas in UAE) as I do mox fixes and repairs myself. Our lawn is perfect while all neighbours have weeds galore. We traveleld the world and rented everywhere and we always treat a rented home as our own because it is: we live there. Ok enough background, LOL

We are buying a home and after reno's, we are looking at a possible exiting of this rental later this year. I know I must give 2 months notice, which is fine BUT if the reno work isnt done on time (and I know this sounds terrible) but can we just refuse to leave? We will pay for any additional rent (we are not trash) but if we needed to stay an extra month, could we? Granted, I will tell the owner beforehand that this is a possibility and that we would be happy to pay but just checking of there is an issue we might run into that we cant see. BTW, I will not allow prospective tenants to come through the property while we are here. Tough shit, I won't budge on that point. So in that regard, it isnt like they will have someone ready to move in regardless.

Thanks

If a married couple is applying for an apartment where one partner's primary income is from dividends and the other's is from self-employment, how do landlords typically view this? What kind of proof do they usually look for? Both incomes together cover rent and more.

Hi everyone,

I’m a landlord in Ontario. My tenant currently owes around $8,000 in unpaid rent, about 4 months’ worth.

I tried to work with the tenant instead of starting the eviction process earlier, but the arrears have continued. Now we have a signed N11 Agreement to End the Tenancy, and they are supposed to move out this month.

The tenant says they are serious about paying the arrears and wants to work out a payment plan before leaving. They are asking me not to take them to court/tribunal because they say they will pay over time.

I’m unsure how much I should trust that, and I don’t want to lose leverage once they leave.

My questions:

1. If they move out as agreed under the N11, is the correct next step for unpaid rent an L10 with the LTB, instead of Small Claims Court?

2. Should I still file with the LTB even if they sign a private payment plan, just to protect myself?

3. Is a private payment plan enforceable if they stop paying later, or is it better to get an LTB order?

4. What should a payment plan include to protect me? For example: admission of debt, payment dates, missed-payment clause, forwarding address, e-transfer records, signatures, etc.

5. If they do not move out on the N11 date, is the correct form an L3?

6. Since I did not serve/file an N4 earlier and tried to work with them, could that hurt my ability to recover the unpaid rent?

7. What is the safest practical way to make sure I can recover the $8K after they leave?

I’m not trying to be unreasonable, but I also don’t want to rely only on promises and then have no practical leverage after they move out. Looking for practical Ontario landlord/LTB advice from people who have dealt with unpaid rent, N11, L10, L3, or payment plans.

Thanks.

I am moving to a new place on september 1st. For the date of my last day of tenancy on the N9 form, should I put september 1st since I can only move into my new place on that specific date? Im worried about potentially be charged a month of rent by my current landlord for the month of september. But I cant leave my current place on august 31st since I cant move into my new place until september first. Thanks 😄

https://preview.redd.it/d46da9imqw1h1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6b6d67b6cea55c7222348698ee7fa7070af3c14b

I have lived here for 20 years. My lease is a standard lease from back then. Fully inclusive. I thought the changes for AC fees did not start till july? Can someone tell me how to deal with this, it feels a bit... sketchy.

We rent the upper unit of a bungalow in Brampton. Basement is a separate unit. Lease says utilities are split 60/40 between us and basement tenants.

My parents came to Canada on a Super Visa and are staying with us long term. We are now 5 adults and 2 kids in a 4 bedroom unit. Basement has 4 adults in 2 bedrooms. Total house occupants is 11 across 6 bedrooms.

Landlord pointed to a lease clause saying $250 per extra person not listed on the lease. We tried to offer 80/20 for utilities, landlord declined and told us we should pay 100% of utilities instead of the 60/40 split written in the lease. Landlord kept the accounts under their name btw yet we pay.

We have always paid rent on time and have a civil relationship. No complaints or issues. Maintains the property neat, snow shoveling, mowing the lawn, etc.

Main questions
• Can a landlord charge per extra occupant in Ontario?
• Can they change the utility split mid lease if we do not agree?
• Would refusing this realistically risk eviction later?

Trying to decide whether to stand firm or move for peace. Any insight appreciated.

I’m currently looking at a condo rental lease for my cousin in midtown, and the landlord literally wrote in the appendix: Tenant is responsible for all snow removal on the balcony, must pay a $500 non. refundable pet cleaning fee, and no overnight guests allowed for more than 48 hours without written permission.

I know enough about the RTA to know guest bans and pet deposits are completely void in Ontario, but the sheer confidence of writing it into a legal document blows my mind.

Hello, when we moved into our current apartment in October 2025 we were told twice that this unit included AC , we had confirmed this in writing via email before getting rid of our portable unit. It is also listed on our lease that the landlord will provide AC, along with hydro, gas, water and heat.

However, we found out today also in writing, that the unit does not have AC. We have decided to just go ahead and purchase a new unit or two we are concerned the LL will say we're not allowed or try to charge more based on AC use.

Is there anything we should do to protect ourselves?

Hello everyone,

I have filed a T2 application against my landlord due to ongoing harassment, illegal entry, and an invalid eviction notice.
• The landlord has tried to restrict my guests, including telling me my sister cannot visit or stay overnight. When I refused to comply with these illegal restrictions, the landlord demanded I move out.
• After I refused to leave, the landlord issued a retaliatory N5 form filled with false accusations. This includes claims that I allowed unauthorized people into the house and that I am parking on the driveway without permission—despite the fact that I have been parking there with her full knowledge for the past 7–8 months.
• The landlord consistently enters the property without providing the required legal notice.

Do I need to pay rent until the LTB hearing date as there is no lease or agreement signed between us?

And am i allowed to park my car?

What landlord can do in this case?

Please advise on this.

Hi everyone,

I’m a landlord in Kitchener, Ontario. My tenant has not paid rent for May, and we have already served an N4 for non-payment of rent.

I’m trying to understand the next steps clearly:

1. If the tenant paid first and last month’s rent at the start of the lease, does the “last month’s rent” deposit count toward an unpaid month like May? For example, if the lease runs from September 2025 to September 2026 and May 2026 rent is unpaid, can the tenant say the last month deposit covers May, or can we still proceed with the N4/L1?

2. Is it realistic to file the L1 ourselves, or is it better to hire a paralegal/lawyer to avoid mistakes?

3. What is the current realistic timeline from filing the L1 to hearing, order, and actual eviction in Ontario?

4. What should we do to make sure the N4/L1 process is done properly and not dismissed for a technical mistake?

5. If the fixed-term lease ends soon, can the tenancy still become month-to-month while the N4/L1 process is ongoing?

6. Is there anything we should do now to protect ourselves legally while still following the proper LTB process?

Thanks.