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). On September 21, 2026, changes made by Bill 60 and Bill 97 took effect, on top of changes made on July 1, 2026. If you last dealt with the LTB a year or two ago, here's what's different now. (Source)
The short version
| What changed | Applies to | Details |
|---|---|---|
| N4 notice period is 7 days, not 14 | N4s given on or after Sep 21, 2026 | Unpaid rent |
| Old versions of 10 forms refused | From November 30, 2026 | The forms |
| Tenant must pay half the arrears to raise other issues | L1s filed on or after Sep 21, 2026 | Unpaid rent |
| "Persistent late payment" defined | From Sep 21, 2026 | Unpaid rent |
| No compensation with 120+ days' notice on an N12 | N12s served on or after Sep 21, 2026 | Own use |
| Bad faith presumed if no one moves in within 60 days | N12s served on or after Sep 21, 2026 | Own use |
| New duties when a tenant wants to return after renovations | N13 tenancies | Renovations |
| Stricter tests to delay or cancel an eviction order | From Sep 21, 2026 | Eviction orders |
Unpaid rent
- 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, down from 14. There's an updated N4 form. (Source) Our post on N4 dates shows how to count the termination date, and the free N4 calculator does it for you.
- 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, such as maintenance, must pay the landlord half of the arrears claimed at least seven days before the hearing. It's paid directly to the landlord, not to the LTB in trust. The tenant must still give you and the LTB a description of the issues seven days before the hearing. (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. A tenant can also be found persistently late in other circumstances. (Source)
The new forms and the November 30 deadline
On September 21, 2026 the LTB replaced the N5, N6, N8, N12 and N13 notices, the L1, L2, L9 and L10 applications and the T5 application. Previous versions of these forms won't be accepted after November 30, 2026. The N4 was updated too. Download forms fresh from the LTB's forms page each time rather than reusing a saved copy. (Source)
The fee to file an L1 is $186 through the Tribunals Ontario Portal, or $201 on paper. (Source)
Ending a tenancy for your own use (N12)
- No compensation with at least 120 days' notice. For an N12 served on or after September 21, 2026, a landlord who gives at least 120 days' notice no longer has to pay the tenant compensation or offer another acceptable unit. With less than 120 days' notice, the old rules still apply. This doesn't apply to an N12 given for a purchaser's own use. (Source)
- Someone must move in within 60 days. The landlord, or the family member or caregiver named on the notice, must normally move in within 60 days of the termination date. If they don't, and the tenant files a T5, the N12 is presumed to have been given in bad faith. You can rebut that at the hearing. This doesn't apply to purchaser's-use notices either. (Source)
Renovations and repairs (N13)
If a tenant who got an N13 tells you in writing, on or after September 21, 2026, that they want to move back in after the work:
- tell them in writing, without delay, when you expect the work to be done, and again if that estimate changes;
- tell them in writing when the work is done and the unit is ready;
- give them 60 days to move back in, where the work is finished on or after September 21, 2026.
The rent for a returning tenant can't be higher than you could have charged if the tenancy hadn't been interrupted. If you don't give the readiness information or the 60 days, you're presumed not to have given the tenant their right of first refusal. A tenant's T5 application now has to be filed within two years of moving out, or six months after the work is finished, whichever is later. (Source)
Delaying or cancelling an eviction order
- Delaying an eviction. If you agree, the LTB can delay an eviction. If you don't, it must be satisfied that the delay wouldn't be unfair to you or other tenants in the building, and that there are compelling reasons for it. For N12 and N13 cases, only the first test applies. (Source)
- Cancelling an order made without a hearing. When an eviction order was issued because of a written agreement or the tenant's own notice to end the tenancy, the LTB can set it aside only if doing so "would not be unfair". It can't consider changes in the tenant's circumstances after the agreement or notice. (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
The July 1, 2026 changes, and the updated Rules of Procedure, are described in separate LTB updates and aren't covered here. How hearings run is to verify against the LTB's current guides.
If your situation is contested or unusual, talk to a paralegal or lawyer. The LTB's own pages are the place to start.