Plain-English guides, provincial law updates, and practical advice for Canadian renters — covering rent increases, eviction rules, deposits, and more.
An N4 is not an eviction — and it doesn't mean you have to leave. How the 14-day window works, how to void the notice, your 'pay and stay' right, and how to ask for a payment plan at the LTB.
Read the guideHeat is a vital service your landlord must provide and can never shut off. Air conditioning is treated very differently. The minimum-temperature rules, your right to install a unit, and what to do if the heat fails.
Read moreIf your unit was first occupied after November 15, 2018, it's exempt from Ontario's rent increase guideline — the landlord can raise rent by any amount. How the exemption and vacancy decontrol work, and what still protects you.
Read moreWithholding rent over repairs can get you evicted in Ontario. Here's the route that actually works — the T6 application and rent abatement — which can even get you money back, without risking your tenancy.
Read moreEvicted for a landlord's 'own use' but they re-rented instead? The T5 application can win you rent-difference, moving costs, and more. How the one-year rule and the bad-faith presumption work in your favour.
Read moreOntario's Landlord and Tenant Board backlog shapes how long every dispute takes — including tenant T2 and T6 applications. Here's what wait times look like in 2026 and how to keep your case moving.
Read moreThe answer is 60 days — but when those days end matters just as much, and fixed-term leases carry a trap that catches renters every year. How to give notice on Form N9 that actually holds up.
Read moreNeed to leave early or fill your unit while away? Ontario gives tenants a real right to sublet or assign — and limits what a landlord can do to block it. The key differences and how to do each properly.
Read moreIn Ontario, a "no pets" clause in your lease is void — legally meaningless — even if you signed it. But that's not a blank cheque. Here's exactly where the line sits, including the condo exception.
Read moreYour Ontario landlord can only collect a last month's rent deposit — never a damage or cleaning deposit. What it can be used for, the interest you're owed every year, and how to recover what you're owed.
Read moreLandlords cannot refuse you housing based on race, citizenship, family status, disability, or receiving public assistance. Here is what is illegal in tenant screening — and what to do if you are turned away.
Read moreNo Canadian credit file? Landlords cannot treat that as bad credit. How newcomers and students can prove reliability — and which landlord demands (12 months upfront, your SIN, immigration papers) are illegal.
Read more"Right to rent" means opposite things in the UK and Canada. In England, landlords must verify immigration status by law. In Canada, demanding immigration documents is illegal discrimination.
Read moreCanadian landlords must maintain the rental unit — but tenants are legally responsible for damage they cause. Here is a province-by-province breakdown of what falls on you versus your landlord.
Read moreLandlords cannot charge tenants for normal wear and tear — ever. Learn exactly which marks, scuffs, and deterioration count as wear and tear vs. chargeable damage, with a room-by-room guide.
Read moreOntario's RTA s.33 and s.34 require tenants to keep the unit ordinarily clean and pay for damage they — or their guests — cause. Failing either obligation can result in an N5 notice and eviction proceedings.
Read moreYour landlord is legally required to maintain your rental unit. Here's exactly how to escalate a repair request in Ontario, BC, Alberta, and Quebec — and what to do if they won't act.
Read moreYour fixed-term lease expiring does NOT mean you have to move out. Here's how Ontario's RTA s.38 auto-conversion works, what notice tenants need to give, and which lease type is better for you.
Read moreOntario's mandatory standard lease has 17 sections. Here's a plain-English breakdown of each one — including what landlords can add in Section 15 and what happens if they don't use the form.
Read moreIn Ontario, BC, Alberta, and Quebec, landlords must give 24 hours written notice before entering your unit — except in genuine emergencies. Here's what counts and what to do if they don't comply.
Read moreMoving into your first apartment in Canada? This complete checklist covers what to verify before signing, what to document at move-in, and your key rights as a new tenant.
Read moreOntario landlords can apply to the LTB to raise rent above the annual guideline — but only for specific reasons. Here's how AGIs work and how tenants can dispute them.
Read moreYour lease survives a property sale in almost every Canadian province. Here's exactly what your rights are in Ontario, BC, and Alberta when your landlord sells.
Read moreReceived an N12 notice? You are entitled to one month's compensation, 60 days notice, and the right to dispute at the LTB. Here's everything you need to know.
Read moreN13 notices (Ontario) and Four Month Notices (BC) can be challenged. Learn your right of first refusal, what makes a renoviction valid, and how to spot bad-faith evictions.
Read moreOntario's rent increase guideline for 2026 is 2.1%. Here's what that means for your rent, who is exempt from rent control, and what to do if your landlord exceeds the limit.
Read moreBC's 2026 allowable rent increase is 2.3%. Learn the rules, the required 3-month notice period using RTB-7, and how the Residential Tenancy Branch enforces limits.
Read moreNot every eviction notice in Ontario is valid. Learn what makes a notice invalid, what your rights are at the LTB, and how to file a T2 application for bad-faith eviction.
Read moreDeposit rules vary dramatically across Canada — from no deposits at all in Quebec to one month's rent in Alberta. Here's a province-by-province breakdown of what landlords can and cannot charge.
Read moreSome lease clauses look official but are actually unenforceable — or even illegal. Here are seven red flags to spot before you put pen to paper.
Read moreMoving out in Ontario involves more steps than most tenants realize. Follow this checklist to serve proper notice, document the unit, and protect your last month's rent deposit.
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