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2025 Landlord Survival Guide: Everything That Changed

You don't need to read 500 pages of bills. We did it for you. Here is the bottom line on Cooling, Renovictions, and the new LTB rules.

10 min readPublished: February 2026

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

May 15, 2025Cooling limits (Bill 64 enforcement starts)
Oct 24, 2025New LTB Portal Security (MFA Mandatory)
Jan 1, 20262.1% Rent Increase Guideline takes effect

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.
Read the Bill 64 Deep Dive →

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.
See the new N13 Checklist →

3. Good News: Evicting "Chronic Late" Payers (Bill 60)

The Gist: Consistently late rent is now a clearer path to eviction.

The LTB has clarified the rule: 3 late payments in 12 months = "Persistently Late."

This is huge. It means you don't need the tenant to owe you $0.00 to evict them. You are evicting them for breaking the contract schedule, not for debt.

How to use the N8 Notice →

4. Portal Headaches (And One Win)

The Bad: Mandatory 2-Factor Authentication means you can't easily share your login with your spouse or property manager anymore without passing a phone back and forth.

The Good: You can finally file L5 (Above Guideline Increase) applications by email. No more portal timeouts when uploading 500 pages of invoices.

Navigate the new Portal →

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?

ProblemNotice Form2025 Update
They owe rentN4-
They pay late constantlyN8Easier to prove
You need to renovateN13Permits Required
You are moving inN12Strict Bad Faith penalties

Frequently Asked Questions

The introduction of Bill 64 cooling requirements (26°C max in common areas) and strict anti-renoviction measures in Bill 97 are the biggest operational shifts. You now need permits before serving N13s, and you must manage summer temperatures in hallways.
The Rent Increase Guideline for 2026 is 2.1%. This applies to increases effective between Jan 1 and Dec 31, 2026. Remember, you must serve the N1 notice 90 days in advance.
In one specific area, yes. Bill 60 clarifies "persistently late" rent (N8), making it slightly easier to evict chronic late payers without needing them to be in arrears at the hearing time.
No. Bill 64 applies to COMMON AREAS (hallways, lobbies) of residential complexes, not individual rental units. You do not need to retrofit apartments with AC unless it was already in the lease.
You can no longer serve an N13 notice just because you "plan" to renovate. You must now obtain all necessary building permits FIRST, and include a report from a qualified person stating the unit must be vacant for the work.
Mandatory Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is now live. If you share a login, you will face issues. Also, you can now file L5 (AGI) applications via email, which is a huge relief for complex files.

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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