Served With an LTB Notice of Hearing in Ontario: What to Do

Being served with an LTB notice of hearing can be stressful, especially if you are not sure what it means or how much time you have. The papers tell you who has applied, what they are asking for, and when the hearing is.

This guide covers the main steps for someone responding to an application. The exact deadlines on your papers come first, so read them the day you receive them.

Read the papers and note every date

Start by finding the hearing date, the file number and the type of application. Write the dates in a calendar. Check whether the Residential Tenancies Act applies to your rental; for example, it does not apply if the tenant must share a kitchen or bathroom with the owner or the owner's family members.

Whether you must attend is something to confirm from your notice and with a lawyer. Attending is generally how you present your side. Orders can be made when a party is absent, and the consequences for you can be serious.

Prepare and send your evidence

Under Rule 19 of the LTB Rules of Procedure, a party's evidence must be disclosed 7 days before the hearing and responding evidence 5 days before, unless the LTB orders otherwise. Under Rule 19.7, a party who does not comply may be barred from relying on that evidence. Filing evidence does not make it admissible; 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.

• Rent receipts, bank records and your lease
• Photos, emails and messages, with dates
• Notices you received and when you received them
• A short timeline of events

If an order was made without a hearing

Ex parte orders, issued without a hearing on L3 or L4 applications, can be challenged with Form S2, Motion to Set Aside an Ex Parte Order. It must be filed no later than 10 days after the order was issued. Filing on time stays the order, and the tenant should bring a copy to the Sheriff (Superior Court of Justice Enforcement Office).

After 10 days, the tenant must file a Request to Extend Deadline with the motion, explaining the delay. If the Member does not set the order aside, the stay is cancelled and the order stays in effect.

If the decision goes against you

There are three ways to have an LTB order changed: a Request to Amend for clerical errors, a Request to Review, and an appeal to the Divisional Court.

For orders issued on or after July 1, 2026, a Request to Review must be filed within 15 days of the order. The filing fee is $58. The LTB may review a final order only where the party was not reasonably able to participate, there was a serious error, or there is new evidence that could not have been obtained earlier. A late request is considered only if a Request to Extend Deadline is filed with it, and a party may make only one review request per order.

An appeal goes to the Divisional Court only on a question of law, within 30 days after the order. It automatically stays the LTB's order until the court decides.

What to do next

• Record the hearing date and the evidence deadlines today.
• Gather and organize your documents.
• Call the LTB for information at 1-888-332-3234 or 416-645-8080; staff cannot give legal advice.
• Ask for free help: the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (for tenants) or the Landlord Self-Help Centre (for small landlords).
• Speak with a lawyer early, before deadlines pass.

Frequently asked questions