Ontario Rental Rules 2026: What Changed in September?

Real Estate

Ontario’s New Rental Rules: What Landlords and Tenants Need to Know

Approximately 3-minute read | October 2026

 

Ontario’s rental rules changed on September 21, 2026, with amendments affecting overdue rent, personal-use notices and tenants returning after renovations. Introduced through Bill 60 and Bill 97, the changes update parts of the Residential Tenancies Act and the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) process.

For landlords and tenants in Markham, Unionville, Stouffville and across the GTA, understanding the timelines can help avoid costly mistakes. Here are the key changes.

Less Time to Respond to Unpaid Rent

For N4 notices given on or after September 21, the minimum notice period is now seven days. Previously, tenants paying monthly or annually received at least 14 days.

An N4 gives a tenant notice to pay overdue rent or move out. It does not authorize an immediate eviction. If the tenant remains and the rent is unpaid, the landlord must apply to the LTB for an eviction order.

Paying all outstanding rent before the landlord files the application voids the notice, including any additional rent that has become due.

New Requirements at Rent Arrears Hearings

For rent arrears applications filed on or after September 21, tenants wishing to raise other issues, such as maintenance problems or harassment, must pay half of the arrears claimed directly to the landlord at least seven days before the hearing.

They must also give the landlord and the LTB a written description of those issues at least seven days in advance. The payment requirement applies even if the tenant disputes the amount claimed.

Tenants can still dispute the rent calculation. They can also bring a separate application about maintenance or tenant rights.

A Clearer Test for Repeated Late Payments

The new rules identify persistent late payment where rent is received more than seven days after its due date at least three times within six months. Other circumstances can also establish persistent late payment.

This does not create a seven-day grace period. Rent remains due on the date set out in the tenancy agreement.

Changes to Personal-Use Notices

For landlord’s own-use N12 notices served on or after September 21, giving at least 120 days’ notice removes the requirement to pay one month’s rent in compensation or offer another acceptable unit. With shorter notice, the existing compensation requirement remains.

The termination date must still comply with the rental period or fixed lease term. The intended occupant must genuinely require the home for at least one year.

There is also a new 60-day move-in standard. If the intended occupant does not move in within 60 days of the notice’s termination date, or the tenant’s departure if later, a bad-faith presumption can arise. The landlord can rebut it at a hearing.

For anyone selling a tenanted property, an important distinction applies: these new compensation and move-in provisions do not apply to purchaser’s own-use notices.

Stronger Protections After Renovations

Tenants who give written notice that they intend to return after qualifying repairs or renovations have additional protections.

Under the new requirements, landlords must provide written updates about the expected completion date, changes to that date and when the unit is ready. Tenants must receive at least 60 days to exercise their right to return once it is ready.

The deadline to challenge a failure to honour that right is now the later of two years after moving out or six months after the work is completed.

What This Means for Your Next Move

The LTB has also introduced new conditions for delaying evictions and setting aside certain orders issued without a hearing, along with updated forms.

The date a notice is served or an application is filed can determine which rules apply. Keep clear records, use current forms and review the requirements before taking action.

If you are preparing to lease, buy or sell a tenanted property, the Tar Team can help you plan your next steps and coordinate with your lawyer or licensed paralegal where needed.

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