Update: both Bill 60/97 RTA waves are now in force (July 1 and September 21, 2026)
Per the LTB operational update, 15-day order reviews, 7-day AGI order service plus a 5-day certificate, the mandatory Payment Agreement Form, tenant air-conditioning rights, and doubled fines ($100,000 / $500,000) took effect July 1, 2026. The 7-day N4 and the conditional N12 compensation waiver, the N12 occupancy deadline, the N13 right-of-first-refusal duties, the half-arrears hearing condition and the official persistent-late-rent definition followed on September 21, 2026. A third proposal, ending fixed-term auto-conversion, was withdrawn from the bill and is not law. Track what's in force →
The "Coles Notes" Version
2025 was a busy year for Queen's Park. If you own rental property in Ontario, the rules of the game just shifted, mostly towards stricter compliance and bigger penalties for bad actors.
Here is the executive summary of what you need to know to stay out of trouble (and keep your business profitable).
Timeline at a Glance
1. The "Sweaty Hallway" Law (Bill 64)
The Gist: You have to keep common areas cool in the summer.
If you own a building with common areas (lobbies, hallways), you can no longer let them bake. The maximum allowed temperature is 26°C between May 15 and September 15.
- Does this apply to units? No. Just common areas.
- The Cost: If your lobby is a greenhouse, you might need a heat pump or portable AC.
2. The End of "Fake" Renovictions (Bills 51 & 97)
The Gist: N13 evictions just got much, much harder.
Previously, you could serve an N13 based on a plan. Now, you need the building permits in hand before you can even print the notice.
- Proof Required: A report from a qualified person (engineer/architect) stating the unit must be vacant.
- The Penalty: If you re-rent to someone else at a higher rate without offering it back to the original tenant, the fines have doubled.
3. Now Defined: Evicting "Chronic Late" Payers (Bill 60)
The Gist: The N8 "persistently late" ground already existed under the current RTA, and since September 21, 2026 it has a fixed, official definition.
As of September 21, 2026, the LTB defines persistently late as: rent received more than 7 days after the due date, at least 3 times within any 6-month period (unless the landlord applied that late payment to another amount owed, such as arrears). The LTB's own update adds that "a tenant may also be found to have persistently failed to pay their rent on the date it became due in other circumstances," so a pattern that doesn't meet the fixed count can still support an N8 case-by-case.
This helps: you don't need the tenant to owe you $0.00 to evict them. You're evicting them for breaking the payment schedule, not for debt.
How to use the N8 Notice →4. Portal Changes (And One Win)
Payments: since October 24, 2025, paying an LTB fee online can trigger a one-time passcode from your bank. It is your bank's check, not a new portal login. Sharing a login was never the answer anyway: the LTB says never to share your password, and a paralegal or agent is added to a file with a Request to add a Representative or Agent.
The win: since November 1, 2025 you can email an L5 (Above Guideline Increase) application to AGIpayments@ontario.ca. Before that it could only be mailed, couriered or filed at ServiceOntario.
What changed, and which forms go where →5. The 2026 Rent Guideline
The Number: 2.1%
Changes taking effect anytime in 2026 are capped at 2.1%.
Remember the 90 Day Rule
To raise rent on Jan 1, 2026, you must serve the N1 by September 30, 2025 roughly (depending on postage). Do not miss the window.
Cheat Sheet: Which Notice do I need?
| Problem | Notice Form | What changed since |
|---|---|---|
| They owe rent | N4 | 7 days, not 14, on the new N4 (2026/09) form |
| They pay late constantly | N8 | Now defined: 3+ times, 7+ days late, in 6 months |
| You need to renovate | N13 | Permits Required |
| You are moving in | N12 | Compensation waived at 120+ days notice; occupancy within 60 days of the termination date; strict bad-faith penalties |
Frequently Asked Questions
Don't Memorize the Forms
OntarioLandlord has all the 2025 rules built-in. When the law changes, our software updates automatically so you never serve an invalid notice.
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