Ontario RTA Changes 2026: New Rules in Force for Landlords
Bill 60 and Bill 97 rewrote parts of the Residential Tenancies Act in two waves. The first wave came into force July 1, 2026; the second lands September 21, 2026. This is the one-page operational checklist: every change, both dates, and exactly what to adjust in your process.
The two waves at a glance
- Wave 1 — in force since July 1, 2026: 15-day LTB order review deadline (was 30), 7-day AGI document service plus a 5-day certificate of service (was 14), the mandatory LTB Payment Agreement Form for repayment plans, the tenant right to install a window/portable A/C with written notice, and doubled maximum fines ($100,000 individuals / $500,000 corporations).
- Wave 2 — effective September 21, 2026: the 7-day N4 (down from 14), the waiver of one month's N12/N13 personal-use compensation with 120+ days' notice, and the end of fixed-term leases auto-converting to month-to-month.
- No date yet: the 50% arrears counter-claim threshold, mandatory evidence disclosure, and the s. 58(1.1) persistently-late definition remain unproclaimed.
Where the Changes Come From
Two statutes drive the 2026 changes. Bill 60, the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025, shortens LTB timelines and notice periods. Bill 97, the Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023, adds the tenant air-conditioning right and doubles maximum RTA fines. On June 30, 2026, Tribunals Ontario published an operational update confirming a two-stage rollout: one set of amendments effective July 1, 2026, a second effective September 21, 2026, and a handful of items still without a date. Everything on this page traces back to that announcement and the official texts linked in the sources section below.
Before and After: The Rules Since July 1, 2026
Five rules changed on July 1. Here is the old rule next to the rule that applies today:
Deadline to request a review of an LTB order
Old rule (before July 1)
30 days from the date the order was issued.
Rule since July 1, 2026
15 days from the date the order was issued.
AGI (L5) supporting document service
Old rule (before July 1)
Documents served within 14 days; no separate certificate deadline.
Rule since July 1, 2026
Documents served within 7 days, plus a certificate of service filed within 5 days.
Repayment plans filed with the LTB
Old rule (before July 1)
Informal payment-plan letters and emails were accepted.
Rule since July 1, 2026
Must use the mandatory LTB Payment Agreement Form (RTA s. 206).
Tenant window/portable air conditioners
Old rule (before July 1)
No standalone statutory right; often governed by lease terms.
Rule since July 1, 2026
Tenants may install with written notice (RTA s. 36.1); landlord may charge a seasonal electricity amount when hydro is included.
Maximum RTA fines
Old rule (before July 1)
$50,000 for individuals / $250,000 for corporations.
Rule since July 1, 2026
$100,000 for individuals / $500,000 for corporations (Bill 97).
1. LTB Order Reviews: You Now Have 15 Days, Not 30
Since July 1, 2026, a request to review an LTB order must be filed within 15 days of the order being issued — half the previous 30-day window. If a hearing goes against you and you believe the Board made a serious error, the clock for challenging it is now two weeks, and it starts the day the order issues, not the day you get around to reading it.
What to change in your process
The day any LTB order arrives, calendar the 15-day review deadline before you do anything else — even if you have no immediate plans to challenge it. A missed deadline means the order stands. If you use property management software, set the reminder at day 10 so you have time to prepare the request.
2. AGI Document Service: 7 Days Plus a 5-Day Certificate
If you file above-guideline increase (L5) applications, two deadlines changed at once. Supporting documents must now be served within 7 days, down from 14 — and a certificate of service must be filed with the LTB within 5 days after that. The certificate is a new procedural step, not just a shorter version of the old one.
What to change in your process
Rebuild your AGI filing checklist with both dates: day 0 file, day 7 documents served, day 12 certificate filed. Have your capital-expenditure documentation assembled before you file, because a 7-day service window leaves no room to be pulling invoices together after the fact. Our L5 AGI guide walks through the full application.
3. Repayment Plans Must Use the LTB Payment Agreement Form
Since July 1, 2026, any repayment plan filed with the LTB must use the Board's official Payment Agreement Form under section 206 of the RTA. The informal route — a signed letter or an email chain setting out a payment schedule — no longer satisfies the requirement.
What to change in your process
Download the official Payment Agreement Form (PDF) and keep it in your templates folder. Any arrears deal you intend to file with the Board goes on this form from now on. Use exact arrears figures — our arrears calculator gives you a number you can defend at a hearing.
4. Tenant A/C Installations: Written Notice Is Enough
Under new section 36.1 of the RTA (added by Bill 97 and in force since July 1, 2026), a tenant may install a window or portable air conditioner after giving the landlord written notice. Where electricity is included in the rent, the landlord may charge a seasonal amount for the additional electricity. The LTB has published a brochure, Rules for Air Conditioners in Rental Units, explaining how the rule operates.
What to change in your process
Set up a simple intake for A/C notices: acknowledge the tenant's written notice in writing, and if hydro is included in the rent, state the seasonal electricity amount at the same time rather than raising it mid-summer. Do not refuse a compliant installation — the right now sits in the statute, not in your lease.
5. Doubled Fines: Redo Your Risk Math
Since July 1, 2026, the maximum fine for an RTA offence is $100,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations — double the previous maximums, courtesy of Bill 97. Offences such as bad-faith evictions and illegal lockouts now carry twice the downside they did in June.
What to change in your process
Rerun the numbers on any shortcut you were tempted to take. Skipping one month's N12 compensation to save, say, $2,200 now risks a fine of up to $100,000 — a 45-to-1 downside before you count legal costs and a bad-faith finding on the record. Compliance was already the cheaper path; it is now twice as clearly so.
Coming September 21, 2026: The Second Wave
Three more changes are official and scheduled — but they are not law yet. They take effect September 21, 2026. Applying them early can void your notices or create bad-faith exposure.
N4 termination period: 14 → 7 days
Status: Effective September 21, 2026 — not yet in force
Until September 21, every N4 must still use the 14-day termination date. See our step-by-step N4 guide for the current process.
N12/N13 compensation waived with 120+ days’ notice
Status: Effective September 21, 2026 — not yet in force
Until September 21, one month’s compensation is required on every N12 personal-use eviction regardless of notice length. From that date, giving 120 days’ notice or more waives it.
Fixed-term leases stop auto-converting to month-to-month
Status: Effective September 21, 2026 — not yet in force
Until September 21, a fixed-term lease still automatically becomes month-to-month at the end of the term. Review your renewal strategy before the change lands.
To prepare: read how to issue an N4 (the 14-day rules that apply today), the N12 personal-use guide (to model whether waiting for the 120-day waiver beats serving now), and the fixed-term lease changes guide (what the end of auto-conversion means for renewals).
Don't apply September rules in July
A 7-day N4 served before September 21, 2026 is void — you lose weeks and start over. Skipping N12 compensation before that date is bad-faith exposure with fines now up to $100,000 for individuals. Run today's rules today.
Still Undated: Three Items With No Effective Date
As of July 10, 2026, three Bill 60 items remain unproclaimed with no confirmed date: the 50% arrears threshold for tenant counter-claims at non-payment hearings, the mandatory evidence disclosure rules, and the regulatory definition of persistently late rent under s. 58(1.1). Existing LTB procedures continue to apply to all three — tenants can still raise maintenance issues at arrears hearings, the current evidence practice direction stands, and N8 persistently-late cases remain case-by-case. We track these on our Bill 60 implementation status page and will update when dates are announced.
Official Sources
Every change on this page traces to an official publication:
- LTB: Operational Update — Legislative Changes at the LTB (Tribunals Ontario, June 30, 2026) — confirms the July 1, 2026 changes and the September 21, 2026 effective date.
- LTB Payment Agreement Form (PDF) (Tribunals Ontario) — the mandatory form for repayment plans under RTA s. 206.
- LTB Brochure: Rules for Air Conditioners in Rental Units (Tribunals Ontario) — the new s. 36.1 tenant A/C right in plain language.
- Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (ontario.ca) — current consolidated text.
- Bill 60, Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025 and Bill 97, Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023 (Legislative Assembly of Ontario).
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Resources
Bill 60 Implementation Status
Live tracker: what's in force, scheduled, and still undated
Bill 60 Complete Guide
Full breakdown of every Bill 60 change for landlords
L5 AGI Guide
The new 7-day service and 5-day certificate rules in practice
Arrears Calculator
Exact arrears figures for hearings and Payment Agreement Forms
Stay Compliant Through Both Waves
OntarioLandlord tracks your rent, organizes your evidence, and generates notices on the rules that actually apply — the 14-day N4 today, the 7-day N4 from September 21. The law changed; your workload doesn't have to.
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