N4 vs. L1: Evicting a Tenant for Unpaid Rent Step by Step in Ontario

If your tenant has fallen behind on rent, the process you follow matters. In Ontario, a landlord must give a proper notice first and then ask the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) for an order. The two forms people hear about most are the N4 and the L1.

This article walks through the steps in order, using the rules that apply since major LTB changes took effect on September 21, 2026. Check the date on your notice, because older notices may have been governed by different timelines.

Two stages: the N4 notice, then the L1 application

The N4 is the notice to the tenant that rent is owed and that the tenancy may end. It is not an eviction order. If the tenant does not pay and does not move out, the landlord uses Form L1 to apply to the LTB for eviction and unpaid rent.

Updated LTB forms and processes took effect on September 21, 2026, and previous versions of the listed forms will not be accepted after November 30, 2026. Make sure you are using the current version of each form.

Step 1: Serve the N4 and count the days

For N4 notices given on or after September 21, 2026, the termination date must be at least 7 days after the N4 is given. Before that date the period was 7 days for daily or weekly rent and 14 days for monthly or annual rent.

The notice must list what is owed. That list matters because it sets out what the tenant can pay to cancel the notice.

Step 2: The tenant can void the N4 by paying

A tenant can void the N4 by paying the arrears listed in it, plus any rent that fell due after the notice, before the landlord files an application. If that happens, the notice no longer supports an application.

The landlord's application cannot be filed until the day after the N4 termination date, and only if the tenant still lives in the unit. Filing early is a common mistake, so count carefully and keep proof of how and when you gave the notice.

Step 3: File the L1 and prepare for the hearing

The L1 can be filed by mail, courier or online through the Tribunals Ontario Portal. The L1 and L2 fee is $201, or $186 if filed through the Portal. The LTB brochure says there is no filing deadline for an L1 based on non-payment.

At the hearing, the LTB can do several things:

• Order eviction and payment of the rent owed.
• Give the tenant a deadline to pay all arrears and costs and keep the tenancy.
• Delay the eviction.
• Approve a payment plan.
• Refuse eviction.

If the parties agree to a payment plan, it must be on the mandatory Payment Agreement Form. If the tenant breaches it, the landlord can ask for an eviction order without a hearing, using Form L4, if the agreement allows.

New rule: half the arrears to raise other issues

For L1 applications filed on or after September 21, 2026, a tenant who wants to raise other issues, such as maintenance, at an arrears hearing must pay the landlord at least half the claimed arrears at least seven days before the hearing. The payment goes directly to the landlord.

Tenants should know this rule exists before deciding what to raise. Landlords should keep an accurate ledger so the claimed arrears are clear. The tests for setting aside and delaying eviction orders were also tightened in the September 2026 changes.

What to do next

• Build a rent ledger showing every charge, payment and the exact amount owing.
• Confirm you are using the current N4 and L1 forms.
• Count the termination date from the day the N4 was given, using the 7-day rule if it was given on or after September 21, 2026.
• Keep proof of service of the N4.
• Do not file the L1 until the day after the termination date, and only if the tenant is still in the unit.
• Consider whether a payment plan on the mandatory form suits both sides.
• Tenants: get advice quickly, since paying the listed arrears plus later rent before filing can void the notice.

Tenants and landlords with unusual facts, such as disputed amounts or earlier notices, should speak with a paralegal or lawyer who handles LTB matters.

Frequently asked questions