What Happens at a Landlord and Tenant Board Hearing in Ontario?

If you are a landlord or tenant heading to your first Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) hearing, the process can feel unfamiliar. Knowing the order of events and the deadlines makes it much easier to be prepared.

This article walks through the usual path from the notice of hearing to the written order. Rules and forms have recently changed, so always check the LTB's current instructions for your application.

Filing and the notice of hearing

A hearing starts with an application. L1, L2, L3, L4, L9, L10, T1, T2, T5 and T6 applications can be completed and filed through the Tribunals Ontario Portal, and most other applications can be filed by email with online payment, or sent by mail or courier. Fees for L1, L2, L3, L9 and L10 are $201, or $186 through the Portal, and T1, T2, T5 and T6 cost $53, or $48 through the Portal. Fees are non-refundable, and a Fee Waiver Request form is available. Confirm the amounts before filing.

The LTB serves only the application and the notice of hearing, and any other documents the LTB orders you to serve must be served under strict rules. Several forms, including the N5, N6, N8, N12, N13, L1, L2, L9, L10 and T5, were replaced on September 21, 2026, and the previous versions will not be accepted as of November 30, 2026.

Scheduling varies. The published timelines are about 3 months for L1 and L9 applications, 5 to 7 months for most others, and about 5 to 6 weeks for urgent matters such as T2 illegal lockouts. Those figures may be out of date, so check the LTB's current timelines.

Before the hearing: mediation and evidence

While waiting, Portal users can use the Online Dispute Resolution tool to try to reach an agreement, with help from a Dispute Resolution Officer if they reach an impasse. Mediation with a neutral person is also available. A settlement can save time, but read any agreement carefully before signing.

Evidence must generally be disclosed at least 7 business days before the hearing, or 5 days for responding evidence. Tenants responding to a non-payment application must give evidence no later than 7 days before. Landlords on L1 or L9 applications must update their form by email 5 business days before the hearing.

• Gather the lease, notices, receipts, photos, messages and a rent ledger.
• Organize documents in date order and keep copies.
• Send your evidence to the other side and the LTB by the deadline.
• Write a short outline of what you want to say.

The hearing itself

Hearings are virtual (by Zoom video or by telephone), written, or in person, and in-person hearings are scheduled only on approved accommodation requests. Parties should join at least 15 minutes early. To change from a written or electronic hearing, a party must show that an in-person hearing is needed for a Human Rights Code-related need, or that an electronic hearing would likely cause significant prejudice and an unfair hearing.

At the hearing, an adjudicator hears from both sides, looks at the evidence and may ask questions. Be calm, stick to the facts and speak only when it is your turn.

Arrears cases: what to expect

For non-payment of rent, an N4 termination date must be no earlier than the 7th day after the notice is given for notices given on or after September 21, 2026, and the earlier 14-day period applies to notices given before that date. The notice becomes void if the tenant pays all arrears plus any further rent due before the landlord applies.

At an arrears hearing the tenant may raise any issue that could be the subject of a tenant application. For landlord applications filed on or after September 21, 2026, the tenant must first pay the landlord half of the claimed arrears at least seven days before the hearing, and the payment cannot be made to the LTB in trust. If the tenant pays the arrears, further rent and the application fee before the eviction order issues, the application is discontinued.

The decision and next steps

Orders are issued within 30 days of the hearing, and parties may contact the LTB if no order arrives after 60 days. Even if an eviction order is made, only the Sheriff can enforce it, and a landlord cannot remove the tenant or change the locks.

Read the order carefully when it arrives and note any dates. If you disagree with it, how you can respond depends on your situation, so it is worth confirming your options with a lawyer promptly.

Frequently asked questions