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Ontario Landlord and Tenant Terms, Explained
One line for each term you meet at the Landlord and Tenant Board, with the official form names and a link to the full guide where we have one.
6 min readLast updated: November 11, 2026
The short answer
LTB is the Landlord and Tenant Board, the tribunal set up under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA) that hears landlord and tenant applications. N forms are notices, L forms are landlord applications and T forms are tenant applications.
The board and the law
- LTB
- Landlord and Tenant Board. The tribunal, set up under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, that hears landlord and tenant applications in Ontario.
- RTA
- Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. The Ontario law that sets the rules for most residential tenancies.
- O. Reg. 516/06
- The main regulation under the RTA, with rules on things such as above-guideline increases and how rent is calculated.
- Tribunals Ontario Portal
- The website where you file most LTB applications and pay the fee. Guide
- Rules of Procedure
- The LTB’s rules for filing, serving and hearings. Rule 19, for example, says evidence goes to the other side and the LTB at least 7 days before the hearing. Guide
- Interpretation Guidelines
- LTB documents that explain how it might deal with an issue in an application.
Notices a landlord gives (N forms)
- N1
- Notice of Rent Increase. Guide
- N2
- Notice of Rent Increase (Unit Partially Exempt).
- N4
- Notice to End your Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent. Guide
- N5
- Notice to End your Tenancy for Interfering with Others, Damage or Overcrowding. Guide
- N6
- Notice to End your Tenancy for Illegal Acts or Misrepresenting Income in a Rent-Geared-to-Income Rental Unit.
- N7
- Notice to End your Tenancy for Causing Serious Problems in the Rental Unit or Residential Complex.
- N8
- Notice to End your Tenancy at the End of the Term. Most often used for persistently late rent. Guide
- N12
- Notice to End your Tenancy Because the Landlord, a Purchaser or a Family Member Requires the Rental Unit. Guide
- N13
- Notice to End your Tenancy Because the Landlord Wants to Demolish the Rental Unit, Repair it or Convert it to Another Use. Guide
Tenant notices and agreements
Landlord applications (L forms)
- L1
- Application to evict a tenant for non-payment of rent and to collect rent the tenant owes. Guide
- L2
- Application to End a Tenancy and Evict a Tenant or Collect Money.
- L3
- Application to End a Tenancy: Tenant Gave Notice or Agreed to Terminate the Tenancy. Guide
- L4
- Application to End a Tenancy and Evict a Tenant: Tenant Failed to Meet Conditions of a Settlement or Order. Guide
- L5
- Application for a Rent Increase Above the Guideline. Guide
- L9
- Application to Collect Rent the Tenant Owes.
- L10
- Application to Collect Money a Former Tenant Owes.
Tenant applications (T forms)
- T1
- Tenant Application for a Rebate.
- T2
- Application about Tenant Rights.
- T3
- Tenant Application for a Rent Reduction.
- T5
- Tenant Application: Landlord Gave a Notice of Termination in Bad Faith.
- T6
- Tenant Application about Maintenance.
Other terms
- AGI
- Above-guideline increase. A rent increase above the guideline that the landlord applies for with an L5. Guide
- Arrears
- Rent that is due and unpaid.
- Certificate of Service
- The LTB form where you record how and when you served a notice or document.
- Deemed service
- When a notice counts as given. Mailing it adds 5 days; courier adds one business day.
- Ex parte order
- An order the LTB issues without a hearing, such as an L3 order. The tenant can ask to set an L3 order aside within 10 days.
- Guideline
- The most a landlord can raise most rents in a year without LTB approval: 2.1% in 2026 and 1.9% in 2027. Guide
- Rent-control exemption
- New buildings, additions and most new basement units first occupied as homes after November 15, 2018 are not covered by the guideline.
- Turnover
- When a new tenant moves in, the landlord and the new tenant agree on the rent. The guideline does not limit it.
- Last month’s rent deposit
- The only rent deposit allowed: no more than one month’s rent, applied to the last rental period, with interest paid yearly. Guide
- Key deposit
- A refundable deposit for keys, cards or fobs, no more than their expected replacement cost.
- Payment Agreement Form
- The LTB form a repayment plan filed with the Board must use. Guide
- Standard lease (2229E)
- Ontario’s Residential Tenancy Agreement (Standard Form of Lease), required for most private tenancies. Guide
- Termination date
- The date a notice or agreement says the tenancy ends.
- Sheriff
- The Court Enforcement Office. Only the sheriff can carry out an eviction order. Guide
Frequently asked questions
The Landlord and Tenant Board. It is the tribunal, set up under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, that hears landlord and tenant applications such as evictions and rent disputes.
The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. It is the Ontario law that sets the rules for most residential tenancies, and the LTB applies it.
N forms are notices, plus a few agreements, that a landlord or tenant gives to the other. L forms are applications a landlord files with the LTB. T forms are applications a tenant files.
An above-guideline increase: a rent increase above the yearly guideline. The landlord has to apply for it with an L5, and the LTB decides.
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This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. For advice on your situation, talk to a qualified professional. Read our disclaimer.