Ontario’s New Landlord and Tenant Rules in 2026: What Changed on July 1 and September 21

If you rent out a property in Ontario, or you rent your home, some of the rules you knew a year ago no longer apply. The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 has been amended in two stages this year, through the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025 (Bill 60) and the Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023 (Bill 97). The first set of changes came into force on July 1, 2026, and the second, larger set took effect on September 21, 2026.

Some of these changes speed things up for landlords. Others add new protections for tenants. Many of them change deadlines, and in landlord and tenant matters a missed deadline can decide the whole case. We here at Oracle Legal Services have put together this plain-language summary so you know where you stand.

Changes That Took Effect on July 1, 2026

Less time to request a review of an LTB order. For orders issued on or after July 1, 2026, you now have 15 days to request a review, down from 30. The Board can extend that time if it considers it just and appropriate, but you should never count on an extension. The circumstances in which a final order can be reviewed have also been narrowed. If you receive a decision you believe is wrong, get advice right away.

Settlement agreements must use the official form. When a landlord and tenant settle an LTB application by written agreement under section 206 of the Act, such as a repayment plan for rent arrears, the agreement must now be in the form approved by the Board.

Air conditioners. Where the landlord does not supply air conditioning, a tenant may now install a window or portable air conditioner. The tenant must notify the landlord in writing before installing it, make sure it is installed safely and securely, avoid damaging the unit, and comply with any municipal by-laws. If electricity is included in the rent, the landlord may increase the rent, but only by the actual cost of the electricity used or a reasonable estimate, and the rent must go back down when the tenant stops using the air conditioner for the season or removes it. No increase is allowed if the lease already says the tenant can install one without paying more.

Higher fines. The maximum fines for offences under the Act have doubled, to $100,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations. These fines can be imposed by the Ontario Court of Justice after a prosecution started by the Rental Housing Enforcement Unit. They are separate from any compensation or costs the LTB may order.

Changes That Took Effect on September 21, 2026

Non-Payment of Rent (N4 Notice)

For N4 notices given on or after September 21, the notice period has been cut from 14 days to 7 days for monthly and most other tenancies. Daily and weekly tenancies were already on a 7-day period. For landlords, this means the process can begin sooner. For tenants, it means there is much less time to catch up on rent or get advice before a landlord can apply to the Board.

Tenants Raising Other Issues at an Arrears Hearing

This is one of the most significant changes for tenants. Where a landlord files an application for unpaid rent on or after September 21, a tenant who wants to raise other issues at the hearing, such as repairs, maintenance or their rights as a tenant, must first pay the landlord half of the arrears claimed in the application, at least seven days before the hearing. The payment must go directly to the landlord. It cannot be paid to the Board in trust, and the tenant should keep a receipt. Tenants must also still give the landlord and the LTB a written description of the issues they want to raise, at least seven days before the hearing. Applications filed before September 21 continue under the old rules, even if the hearing takes place later.

Persistent Late Payment of Rent

The law now gives a clear example of what counts as persistently late rent: rent received more than seven days after it is due, at least three times within a six-month period. A payment does not count as late if the landlord applied it to another amount the tenant owed, such as older arrears. A tenant can still be found to pay persistently late in other circumstances, but landlords and tenants now have a clear benchmark to work from.

Evictions for the Landlord’s Own Use (N12 Notice)

For N12 notices served on or after September 21, a landlord who gives at least 120 days’ notice, with a termination date that falls on the last day of a rental period or the end of a fixed term, no longer has to pay the tenant compensation or offer another acceptable unit. If those conditions are not met, the existing compensation rules still apply. This change does not apply where the notice is given because a purchaser requires the unit.

At the same time, tenants have gained an important new protection. The landlord, or the family member or caregiver named in the notice, must normally move in within 60 days of the termination date in the N12. If they do not, it is presumed that the notice was given in bad faith, unless the landlord proves otherwise. This presumption applies to T5 applications filed on or after September 21, 2026, and it does not apply to notices given for a purchaser’s use. We wrote about bad faith N12 evictions in an earlier article, and these changes make that area of law even more important.

Renovations and the Right to Move Back In (N13 Notice)

When a tenant is asked to leave for repairs or renovations, they have the right to move back in once the work is done, at a rent no higher than what the landlord could have charged if the tenancy had not been interrupted. Where the tenant gives the landlord written notice on or after September 21 that they want to return, the landlord must:

• tell the tenant in writing, without delay, the estimated date the unit will be ready,
• let the tenant know in writing if that date changes, and
• notify the tenant in writing when the unit is ready for occupancy.

In addition, where the unit becomes ready on or after September 21, the landlord must give the tenant at least 60 days to move back in.

If the landlord does not follow these steps, the law treats it as a failure to respect the tenant’s right to return. For these claims, the tenant now has until two years after moving out, or six months after the renovations are finished, whichever is later, to file a T5 application. Tenants whose earlier right-to-return applications were dismissed only because they were filed too late may be able to file again under the new time limit.

Delaying or Cancelling an Eviction

When the Board holds a hearing on a landlord’s eviction application, it now has less room to delay the eviction. If the landlord agrees, the Board may delay it. If the landlord does not agree, the Board can only delay the eviction if it would not be unfair to the landlord or other tenants in the building and there are compelling reasons to do so. For N12 and N13 evictions, only the fairness test applies.

It has also become harder to cancel an eviction order that was issued without a hearing, based on an agreement to end the tenancy (such as an N11) or on the tenant’s own notice. The Board can only cancel it if doing so would not be unfair, and it cannot take into account changes in the tenant’s circumstances after the agreement was made or the notice was given. If you are a tenant, think very carefully and get advice before signing an agreement to move out.

New Forms

The LTB has updated the N4, N5, N6, N8, N12, N13, L1, L2, L9, L10 and T5 forms. Previous versions will no longer be accepted as of November 30, 2026. Using an outdated notice or application can lead to delays or having to start the process again.

What Has Not Changed

The 2026 rent increase guideline is 2.1% for most rent-controlled units, and landlords must still give at least 90 days’ written notice of a rent increase using the proper form. A landlord still cannot change the locks or remove a tenant on their own. An eviction requires an order from the LTB, enforced by the Court Enforcement Office (Sheriff). Landlords’ obligations around maintenance, vital services and lawful entry also remain in place.

Which Rules Apply to Your Case?

Not every change applies to every case. Some depend on the date a notice was served, others on the date an application was filed, the date an order was issued, the date the tenant gave written notice, or the date the unit became ready after renovations. If your matter started before these dates, the old rules may still apply to some or all of it. This kind of detail can change the outcome of a hearing.

The Bottom Line

The 2026 amendments make parts of the eviction process faster and more predictable for landlords, while adding real consequences for landlords who misuse personal-use or renovation notices. For tenants, the message is simple: deadlines are shorter, and getting advice early matters more than ever.

Whether you are a landlord preparing a notice or application, or a tenant who has received a notice or is facing a hearing, we can help with your Landlord and Tenant matter from the first notice through to the hearing. Call us at 647-872-3484 to book your free 20-minute consultation.

This article is for general information only and reflects the law as of September 24, 2026. It is not legal advice. Every situation is different, so please contact our office for advice about your specific circumstances.