Protect Your Rental Investment

Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA) is one of
the most tenant-protective statutes in Canada. A single procedural error
on a Notice of Termination — such as an incorrect termination date
on an N4, wrong compensation amount on an N12, or missing particulars on
an N5 — can cause the Landlord and Tenant Board to
dismiss your application after months of waiting.

Our team ensures your paperwork is flawless from day one, your evidence is
organized, and your case is presented persuasively at every hearing.
Whether you own one unit or an entire building, we treat your matter with
the urgency it deserves.

Common Landlord Mistakes That Delay Evictions

Even experienced property owners make procedural errors that cost months
of lost rent and reset the entire process. The Landlord and Tenant Board
will not overlook a defective notice — no matter how legitimate your
claim. Here are the mistakes we see most often:

1. 1
   Wrong termination date on the N4.The earliest termination date must be at least 14 days after the
   notice is given. If it falls on the wrong day, the Board will
   dismiss the L1 application and you must start over.
2. 2
   Improper service of the notice.Sliding a notice under the door without following the methods
   prescribed by Section 191 of the RTA (personal delivery, mail with
   an additional 5 days, or posting on the door) can void the entire
   proceeding.
3. 3
   Missing or vague particulars on the N5.An N5 notice must describe the specific behaviour, the dates it
   occurred, and the unit affected. Stating “the tenant is
   noisy” without detailed incidents will not survive a
   challenge.
4. 4
   Failing to pay N12 compensation before the termination
   date.If you are evicting a tenant for personal use, one month’s
   rent compensation must be paid (or offered) to the tenant before the
   termination date — not at the hearing, not after.
5. 5
   Accepting partial rent after serving an N4.Accepting any amount less than the full arrears can void the N4
   notice entirely, forcing you to re-serve and wait another 14
   days.
6. 6
   Self-help evictions.Changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities is
   an illegal lockout under Section 26 of the RTA. The tenant can file
   a T2 application and you may face fines of up to $50,000 for an
   individual or $250,000 for a corporation.

A licensed paralegal reviews every document before it is served, catching
these errors before they derail your case. The cost of professional
representation is almost always less than the cost of a single dismissed
application and the months of additional unpaid rent that follow.

Recent Ontario Landlord-Tenant Law Updates

Ontario’s rental landscape continues to evolve. Staying current with
legislative and Board practice changes is essential to protecting your
rights as a landlord. Here are the developments that matter most:

Rent increase guideline. The provincial guideline for
2025 is set at 2.5%, which applies to most residential units first
occupied before November 15, 2018. Units first occupied after that date
are exempt from rent control entirely, meaning landlords can increase rent
by any amount with 90 days’ written notice (N1 or N2).

Digital hearings are now standard. Since the pandemic,
the majority of LTB hearings are conducted via the Tribunals Ontario
Portal (videoconference). While in-person hearings can still be requested,
landlords must be prepared to present evidence digitally — including
uploading photographs, payment records, and communication logs in advance
of the hearing date.

Increased penalties for bad faith evictions. The province
has strengthened enforcement against landlords who use N12 or N13 notices
in bad faith. If the Board determines the unit was not genuinely occupied
by the landlord or family member (or renovations were not undertaken),
fines can reach $50,000 for individuals and
$250,000 for corporations. Tenants may also be awarded
the difference in rent for up to one year.

LTB processing delays. As of late 2025, average wait
times from filing to hearing range from 6 to 10 months depending on the
region. This makes it critical to file applications as early as legally
permitted and to ensure every document is correct the first time — a
dismissed application means going to the back of the queue.

We monitor every change to the RTA, LTB Rules of Practice, and related
regulations so our clients never miss a deadline or file an outdated form.
If you are unsure how a recent change affects your property,
contact us for a free case review.