Ontario's new rental rules from September 21, 2026: what landlords need to know

01

What changed for Ontario landlords on September 21, 2026?

The Landlord and Tenant Board's operational update of September 21, 2026 lists the legislative changes that took effect that day. In short:

• N4 notice period for unpaid rent: 7 days instead of 14, for notices given on or after September 21, 2026.
• Tenants must pay the landlord half of the claimed arrears at least 7 days before a non-payment hearing to raise other issues, for applications filed on or after September 21, 2026.
• Persistent late payment now has a definition: rent received more than 7 days late at least three times in six months.
• N12 for personal use: no compensation or alternative unit when you give at least 120 days' notice; the person named must normally move in within 60 days, or bad faith is presumed.
• N13 renovations: new duties to keep the tenant informed and to give 60 days' notice to move back in.
• Eviction orders: new tests for cancelling an order issued without a hearing and for delaying an eviction.
• New versions of the N5, N6, N8, N12, N13, L1, L2, L9, L10 and T5; old versions are not accepted after November 30, 2026.

02

Is the N4 notice period now 7 days?

Yes. For an N4 given on or after September 21, 2026, the termination date must be at least 7 days after the notice is given, not counting the day you give it. If you mail it, it counts as given 5 days later; by courier, the next business day. An updated N4 form is available from the LTB.

What did not change: if the tenant pays everything owed before you file the L1, the N4 is void. See our N4 guide for the full rules, or our L1 guide for what comes next.

03

What is the new half-the-arrears rule at L1 hearings?

For non-payment applications filed on or after September 21, 2026, a tenant who wants to raise other issues at the hearing, such as maintenance problems, must pay the landlord half of the arrears claimed in the application at least 7 days before the hearing.

• The payment goes directly to the landlord, not to the LTB in trust. The LTB tells tenants to keep a receipt.
• The existing rule still applies: the tenant must also describe the issues to the landlord and the LTB at least 7 days before the hearing.

04

How is persistent late payment defined now?

Rent received more than 7 days after the due date, at least three times in a six-month period, counts as persistent late payment. A payment is not late if you applied it to another debt, such as arrears. The LTB notes a tenant may also be found to have persistently failed to pay on time in other circumstances. The LTB also issued an updated N8 form on September 21, 2026.

05

What changed for N12 notices (landlord's own use)?

• For an N12 for personal use served on or after September 21, 2026, no compensation or alternative unit is required if you give at least 120 days' notice. With shorter notice, the existing compensation rules still apply.
• The landlord or other person named must normally move in within 60 days of the termination date in the N12.
• If they do not and the tenant files a T5, the N12 is presumed to have been given in bad faith. The landlord can rebut this at the hearing.
• None of these three changes apply to an N12 given for a purchaser.

Our N12 guide explains the notice periods, the declaration you file with the L2, and the penalties for bad faith.

06

What changed for N13 renovations and the right of first refusal?

• If a tenant gives written notice on or after September 21, 2026 that they want to move back after the work, the landlord must give the estimated completion date without delay, update it if it changes, and tell the tenant in writing when the unit is ready.
• If the work is finished on or after September 21, 2026, the landlord must give the tenant 60 days' notice to move back in.
• A tenant's T5 about the right of first refusal can now be filed up to two years after moving out, or six months after the renovations are finished, whichever is later.
• If the landlord did not give the readiness information or the 60 days, it is presumed the right of first refusal was not given. The landlord can rebut this.

07

What changed for eviction orders?

• The LTB may cancel an eviction order issued without a hearing, based on an agreement or a tenant's notice, only if cancelling it would not be unfair, and it cannot consider changes in the tenant's circumstances after the agreement or notice.
• If the landlord does not agree to a delay, the LTB may delay an eviction only if it is satisfied that a delay would not be unfair to the landlord or other tenants and that there are compelling reasons. For N12 and N13 evictions, only the not-unfair test applies.

Our eviction process guide walks through the full sequence from notice to enforcement.

08

Which LTB forms changed, and when do old versions stop working?

The LTB replaced the N5, N6, N8, N12, N13, L1, L2, L9, L10 and T5 on the Tribunals Ontario Portal and its website on September 21, 2026. Previous versions of these forms will not be accepted as of November 30, 2026. An updated N4 is also available.

09

What changed earlier, on July 1, 2026?

• The deadline to request a review of an LTB order dropped from 30 days to 15 days.
• After an above-guideline increase order, the landlord must serve tenants within 7 days of the order (was 14) and file the certificate of service within 5 days of serving.
• The LTB Payment Agreement Form is now mandatory for repayment plans under section 206 of the Residential Tenancies Act.
• Tenants may install a window or portable air conditioner if the conditions are met, and landlords may charge a seasonal rent increase for it where electricity is included in the rent.
• Maximum fines for offences under section 236 rose to $100,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations.