Landlord Rights and Responsibilities

The Residential Tenancies Act protects your rights as a landlord in Ontario. Key rights include:

• Choosing a tenant: Landlords have the right to choose who they rent their units to using income information, credit checks, credit references, rental history, guarantees, and similar business practices as prescribed in the Ontario Human Rights Code regulations. You cannot select or refuse tenants based on race, place of origin, ethnic origin, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, marital status, family status (e.g. children) or disability.
• Collecting rent: Landlords have the right to collect rent as outlined in the lease agreement signed with their tenant.
• Increasing Rent: Landlords can increase the rent for a housing unit once in a 12-month period. However, they must follow the rent increase guidelines if the unit is rent controlled. 
• Entering a unit: Tenants must allow their landlords to enter their unit for inspections, repairs, maintenance work and showings for prospective tenants, provided that proper notice has been given. If there is an emergency, or an agreement or alternative arrangement that has been made between the landlord and the tenant, the landlord may enter without notice. 
• Issuing notices/filing an application with the Landlord and Tenant Board: landlords can issue Landlord and Tenant Board notices for unpaid rent, damage, or serious behavioural concerns. These notices must follow the rules and timelines under the Residential Tenancies Act. In some situations, landlords can evict a tenant. If you give your tenant(s) a notice that you want them to leave, and they do not agree, you have the right to file an application and have a hearing with the Landlord and Tenant Board.

As a landlord, you must follow the Residential Tenancies Act and municipal by-laws. Key responsibilities include:

• Meeting all health, safety and property standards.
• Following fire and building codes, including having working smoke and CO alarms.
• Responding to maintenance requests within a reasonable time.
• Providing vital services, including hot and cold water, electricity, heat and fuel, such as natural gas. A landlord cannot shut off these services, even if the tenant has not paid rent. Vital services may be shut off temporarily for repairs.
• Landlords must maintain their rental property and meet property standards, including:
  
  • yard maintenance
  • keeping the property free of litter and debris
  • providing proper garbage, recycling and green bin storage
  • snow and ice removal
• Provide proper notice before entering a rental unit. Unless there is an emergency or a tenant has agreed to an alternative arrangement, landlords must:
  
  • give at least 24 hours’ notice
  • provide a reason for entering; and
  • enter between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
• Follow the proper process when serving tenants with notices of your intention to terminate a tenancy and provide tenants with the correct Landlord and Tenant Board notice forms. A notice itself does not end a tenancy or mean a renter must move out. An eviction can only happen if the Landlord and Tenant Board issues an order. Landlords cannot:
  
  • harass or interfere with tenant rights
  • lock out tenants, change locks, remove doors or shut off utilities
  • require tenants to leave without a legal eviction order
  • force tenants to sign paperwork ending a tenancy without direction from the Landlord and Tenant Board

If you believe your landlord has broken any of the rules of the RTA, contact the Rental Housing Enforcement Unit (RHEU) for help.