Tenant Rights in Ontario

Know your rights as a renter in Ontario — protections, rules, and what your landlord can and cannot do.

Published: 2025-04-01 | Category: Housing & Daily Life

Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) provides strong tenant protections. Since April 2018, landlords must use the Ontario Standard Lease for most residential tenancies.

Rent increases: landlords can only increase rent once every 12 months with 90 days written notice. The increase is capped by the provincial rent guideline. Units first occupied after November 15, 2018 are exempt from rent control.

Your landlord cannot: enter without 24 hours written notice, change locks without consent, shut off vital services, harass you, evict you without LTB process, or charge a damage deposit (only last month's rent is legal).

Eviction: landlords must file with the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) and you have the right to a hearing. Never leave just because your landlord asks verbally.

Maintenance: landlords are responsible for keeping the property in good repair. If repairs aren't made, file a T6 application with the LTB.

Where to get help: Landlord and Tenant Board (tribunalsontario.ca/ltb), community legal clinics, Federation of Metro Tenants' Associations, settlement agencies.

Tips: always get everything in writing, take photos when you move in and out, keep copies of all rent receipts.