Blog
Practical notes for Ontario landlords on rent, notices, tenants and keeping good records.
- How to Fill In the New N4, Line by LineA field-by-field walk through Ontario's September 2026 N4: the rent owing table, the total, the 7-day termination date, naming tenants and signing.
- Rentingwell vs OntarioLandlord: Which Fits an Ontario Landlord? (2026)Rentingwell vs OntarioLandlord for Ontario landlords: pricing, rent ledger, N4 and LTB notices compared. Want an OntarioLandlord alternative? Start here.
- Old LTB Forms Stop Being Accepted November 30: What to ReplaceThe LTB replaced ten forms on September 21, 2026 and refuses old versions after November 30. A checklist of what to replace and where to get it.
- Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act, Explained for Small LandlordsOntario's Residential Tenancies Act in plain English for small landlords: who it covers, the LTB, rent, repairs, entry, ending a tenancy, and what you can't do.
- Tenant Screening Checklist for Ontario LandlordsA tenant screening checklist for Ontario landlords: what you may ask, the checks to run, how to decide fairly under the Human Rights Code, and what to keep.
- Getting Ready for November 30: A Prep Plan for Ontario LandlordsOntario's LTB rules changed on September 21, 2026, and old forms are refused after November 30. Seven steps to get ready, from your forms to tenants behind on rent.
- Spotting Rental Fraud, From Both SidesFake listings, forged documents and rent scams. Practical checks that protect Ontario landlords and the tenants who answer their ads.
- Ontario's Standard Lease: What Landlords Need to KnowIn Ontario you don't need a lease template: most new leases must use the government's standard lease. What it covers, what you can't change, and what happens if you don't use it.
- Ontario N4 Notice for Unpaid Rent: Dates and StepsHow to give an Ontario N4 for unpaid rent under the September 2026 rules: the 7-day notice period, counting the termination date, extra days for mail, and when you can file an L1.
- Fixed-Term vs Month-to-Month in Ontario: What Happens When the Lease EndsIn Ontario a one-year lease doesn't end the tenancy. It rolls over to month-to-month on the same terms, and you can't end it just because the term is up. What that means for landlords.
- What Changed for Ontario Landlords in 2026Every September 2026 change at Ontario's Landlord and Tenant Board, in plain words: the 7-day N4, the November 30 form deadline, the half-arrears rule, the N12 120-day rule and more.
- Tracking Rental Income and Expenses for Your T776How Canadian landlords can keep rental books that make tax time easy: what the CRA's rental income guide says about the T776, current and capital expenses, and keeping records.
- Keeping Your Rental Paperwork Digital, and FindableLeases, notices, receipts and photos: a simple way for Canadian landlords to store rental documents so they're there when you need them, and kept as long as the CRA requires.
- Preventing Disputes With Tenants in Ontario: Keep the RecordMost disputes with tenants come down to what was agreed and what happened. How a clear lease, written messages and a dated record keep small problems small in Ontario.
- A Seasonal Maintenance Checklist for Ontario RentalsWhat to check in an Ontario rental each season, from furnace servicing in the fall to clearing gutters in the spring, and how to keep track of it.
- Rental Expenses You Can Deduct in CanadaThe rental expenses the CRA's rental income guide (T4036) lists as deductible, from mortgage interest to travel to collect rent, and the current-versus-capital rule.
- Landlord Software or a Spreadsheet?A spreadsheet works for one unit, until it doesn't. An honest look at when it's worth moving rent, receipts and records into landlord software.
- Screening Tenants in Ontario, Fairly and ThoroughlyWhat Ontario landlords can and can't ask when choosing a tenant, from the Ontario Human Rights Commission's policy, and a simple process to follow for every applicant.
- Ontario Landlords Are Now Required To Pay Tenants If They Evict On The Basis of Personal UseA 2017 change to Ontario's rules for ending a tenancy for a landlord's own use (the N12). The rules have changed again since; check the Board's current guidance.
- Move-In Inspections in Ontario: Your Best RecordOntario doesn't hand you a required inspection form, and you can't take a damage deposit. That makes a dated, signed move-in inspection your best record of the unit's condition. What to check and keep.
- Why Tenant Screening Is Wickedly ImportantMistake number one for landlords is renting on a hunch. Why credit, references and background checks matter, with figures from a Canadian screening company in 2013.
- It's Tricky Being a Condo LandlordRenting out a condo means answering to two sets of rules: your condo corporation's and Ontario's tenancy law. What that means in practice.
- How Landlords Can Prevent Bursting Water Pipes in Cold WeatherWhy pipes freeze and burst in a cold snap, and six things landlords and tenants can do to prevent it.
- Why You Should Be Insuring Your Rental Property ProperlyUnder-insured rentals and undisclosed basement suites can void a policy. The insurance terms every landlord should know, and why to review coverage every year.
- Ontario Rent Increases: The 2026 and 2027 Guideline, Notice and ExemptionsOntario's rent increase guideline is 2.1% for 2026 and 1.9% for 2027. When you can raise the rent, how much notice to give, and which units are exempt.
- What To Do When You're Not Getting Paid in Ontario: Serving an N4 and Submitting an L1How a small Ontario landlord gives an N4 for unpaid rent and applies to the Landlord and Tenant Board with an L1. Originally published 2013, with notes on what has changed since.
- Why You Should Look at More Than Just a Credit ScoreA low credit score doesn't always mean a risky tenant. Why references and rental history matter as much, and what Ontario's human rights policy says.