How Much Notice Must an Ontario Landlord Give to End a Tenancy?

An N-form notice from a landlord can be alarming. It is natural to ask whether it is valid, how long you have, and whether you have to leave.

This article explains the framework that applies to most Ontario tenants and what happens if the dispute goes to the LTB. It does not set out each notice period, because those depend on the specific form and the reason, so check yours carefully.

Does the Residential Tenancies Act cover you?

Landlords and tenants of most rental units are covered by most of the rules in the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. Rental units include apartments, houses and rooms in rooming or boarding houses, and the Act also applies to care homes, retirement homes, and sites in mobile home parks and land lease communities.

• The Act does not apply if you must share a kitchen or bathroom with the owner or the owner's family members.
• Non-profit, public, university and college residences are still covered by most of the Act's rules, such as maintenance and eviction, although many of its rent rules do not apply.

Valid reasons and notice periods

Each N-form is tied to a particular reason, such as unpaid rent or the landlord's own use of the unit, and the notice period and what the notice must say depend on that reason. Because the details differ, compare the form you received with the reason the landlord gives, and confirm the rules with the LTB or a legal clinic or lawyer.

A notice is a step in the process. Whether you actually have to move out depends on what happens next, and the LTB makes the orders. If you are unsure whether a notice is valid, do not ignore it.

Other landlord rules that often come up

Tenants often confuse a termination notice with other landlord notices. These rules are separate.

A unit not occupied for residential purposes on or before November 15, 2018 may be exempt from the rent increase guideline, although notice is still required.

If the LTB makes an order against you

There are three ways to have an LTB order changed: a Request to Amend (clerical errors, within 30 days of the order, no fee), a Request to Review, or an appeal to the Divisional Court.

• Review: for orders issued on or after July 1, 2026, a Request to Review must be filed within 15 days of the order. For orders issued before that date, the deadline is 30 days. The filing fee is $58.
• Review grounds: the LTB may review a final order only if you were not reasonably able to participate, there was a serious error, or there is new evidence that could not have been obtained earlier.
• Appeal: an appeal to the Divisional Court is only on a question of law, within 30 days after the order, and it automatically stays the order until the court decides.
• Ex parte orders: an order issued without a hearing on an L3 or L4 application can be challenged with Form S2 no later than 10 days after it was issued, and filing on time stays the order.

A late review request is considered only if a Request to Extend Deadline with reasons is filed together with it, and only one review request is allowed per order.

What to do next

• Keep the notice and note the date and how you received it.
• Write down the reason given and compare it with the facts.
• Gather rent receipts, messages and photos, since evidence usually has to be disclosed 7 days before the hearing, and responding evidence 5 days before.
• Call the LTB at 1-888-332-3234 for information, though staff do not give legal advice.
• Contact the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario, which is funded by Legal Aid Ontario.
• Mark any order deadlines on a calendar the day you receive an order.

Frequently asked questions