Getting Help With Your LTB Application in Ontario: Forms and Supports

Filling out a Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) form can feel like a test you did not study for. The forms use their own vocabulary, the deadlines matter, and a mistake can slow your case down. That is true whether you are a small landlord with one unit or a tenant dealing with a problem for the first time.

This article explains where LTB applications are filed, what supports exist in Ontario, and how to prepare so the form is easier to complete. It does not pick a form for you, because that depends on your facts. A lawyer or a legal clinic can confirm which one fits.

First, check that the Residential Tenancies Act applies

Before spending time on a form, confirm that the LTB is the right place. The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 covers landlords and tenants of most rental units, including apartments, houses, and rooms in rooming or boarding houses. It also applies to care homes, retirement homes, and sites in mobile home parks and land lease communities.

There are exceptions. The Act does not apply if the tenant must share a kitchen or bathroom with the owner or with the owner's family members. Non-profit, public, university and college residences are still covered by most of the Act, such as maintenance and eviction rules, but many of its rent rules do not apply. If your situation sits near one of these lines, get advice before filing.

Where and how you can file

The Tribunals Ontario Portal lets you submit applications, check your file status, upload evidence, and see whether an order has been issued. The LTB encourages its use for L1, L2, L3, L4, L9, L10, T1, T2, T5, T6, C1 and C2 applications.

The portal is not the only route. You can also file in person at ServiceOntario locations, which accept filing only, or send your application by mail or courier to 15 Grosvenor Street, Ground Floor, Toronto, ON M7A 2G6.

Free help and who can give it

Two organizations offer free help and are funded by Legal Aid Ontario: the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario for tenants, and the Landlord Self-Help Centre for small landlords. They are a sensible first call if you are unsure how to complete a form.

You can also call the LTB. The toll-free number is 1-888-332-3234, the Toronto-area number is 416-645-8080, and the TTY line through Bell Relay is 1-800-855-0511, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Contact Centre staff give information but not legal advice. That means they can point you to process information, but they will not tell you which strategy to follow.

For file-specific questions, email LTB@ontario.ca with your file number in the subject line. The LTB does not answer file-status or general questions by email.

Evidence, timing and what to expect

Many people finish the form and then stumble on evidence. Under Rule 19 of the LTB Rules of Procedure, your evidence must be disclosed 7 days before the hearing, and responding evidence 5 days before, unless the LTB orders otherwise. A party who does not comply may be barred from relying on that evidence, and filing evidence does not make it admissible, because the Member decides.

Hearing evidence can be emailed to LTB.Evidence@ontario.ca with the file number and hearing date in the subject line, or uploaded through the Tribunals Ontario Portal.

Expect some waiting. The LTB states that hearings for L1 and L9 applications are scheduled about 3 months out, and most other types 5 to 7 months out. Most decisions issue within 30 days of the hearing. Wait at least two months after filing before checking status, and email LTB@ontario.ca if there is no order 60 days after the hearing. Those figures come from the LTB's contact information and may change.

What to do next

• Confirm that the Residential Tenancies Act applies to your rental unit.
• Gather your lease, notices, payment records, photos, messages and any receipts in date order.
• Decide whether to file through the Tribunals Ontario Portal, in person, or by mail.
• Contact the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario or the Landlord Self-Help Centre for free help.
• Write down every hearing and disclosure date as soon as you receive it.
• Speak with a lawyer if the amount at stake is large or the facts are complicated.

Keep copies of everything you file and everything you receive. If anything about the form or the deadlines is unclear, getting it confirmed early is usually easier than fixing a problem later.

Frequently asked questions