What Changed for Ontario Landlords in 2026
The original version of this post was written for a US audience. We rewrote it for Ontario, kept only facts we could source, and linked each one. Anything we couldn't confirm is marked “to verify”. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Ontario's rules for renting out a home are set by the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, and disputes go to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). In 2026 several of those rules changed. If you last dealt with unpaid rent a year or two ago, here's what's different now.
The changes from September 21, 2026
The LTB published an operational update on September 21, 2026. The parts that matter most to a small landlord:
- The N4 notice period is now 7 days. For an N4 (notice to end a tenancy early for non-payment of rent) given on or after September 21, 2026, the notice period is 7 days. It used to be 14 days for monthly tenancies. (Source)
- There are new N4 and L1 forms. The L1 (application to evict for non-payment and collect rent owed) has been replaced, and the Board won't accept previous versions after November 30, 2026. Download forms fresh each time rather than reusing an old copy. (Source)
- Tenants who want to raise other issues at an L1 hearing must first pay half the arrears. For applications filed on or after September 21, 2026, a tenant who wants to raise other issues must pay the landlord half of the arrears claimed, at least seven days before the hearing, directly to the landlord. (Source)
- "Persistent late payment" now has a clearer meaning. Rent received more than seven days after the due date, at least three times within six months. A payment the landlord applied to something else, like arrears, isn't counted as late. (Source)
The filing fee
The fee to file an L1 is $186 through the Tribunals Ontario Portal, or $201 on paper. (Source)
Other rules worth knowing
- Use the standard lease. New leases must use Ontario's standard lease template. (Source)
- Rent increases follow a yearly guideline. The 2027 rent increase guideline is 1.9%. (Source) The notice you must give and the units that are exempt: to verify before you rely on them.
What we haven't covered
Service methods (in person, mail, email), how the termination date is counted for each, what happens if the tenant pays before the termination date, and how hearings run are all to verify against the LTB's current guides. Rentingwell's notes on these are being reviewed by a paralegal.
If your situation is contested or unusual, talk to a paralegal or lawyer. The LTB's own pages are the place to start.