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Tenant Rights

Stay informed.

With ongoing changes to legislation, it’s important to stay informed about how these can affect your rights as a tenant. This section provides the latest information on tenant rights to help you navigate these changes effectively.

Advice for First-time Renters

General information and laws to be aware of when moving into a rental unit for…

Renting with roommates in Ontario? Here are the rights and regulations you should know.

Are you one of the many people in Ontario living with roommates? The amount of…

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Pets and property: understanding the rules around pets for Ontario renters

Many renters in Ontario have beloved furry friends as part of their family. Yet, rental…

Renter in Ontario

Renters have rights in Ontario. Here are some you should know.

As a renter in Ontario, you have rights and protections under the law. Sometimes landlords,…

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6 common questions Ontario renters ask about having guests over

Do you have to tell your landlord if you’re inviting a friend over? We will go over the common questions renters in Ontario have about their rights and responsibilities when it comes to having guests over.

Your landlord wants you to sign a Form N11 “Agreement to end a tenancy.” Should you?

What is a Form N11 and should a renter sign one? The most important thing for a renter to know is they do not have to sign a Form N11 if they do not want to end their tenancy and leave their home, no matter what their landlord says. Signing an N11 is supposed to be a voluntary decision.

What students need to know before signing a rental housing lease

It’s that time of the year again – the start of a new school year.…

Above Guideline Increases

Above Guideline Increases (AGIs) are a growing practice by landlords to raise rents outside of…

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5 Bill 184 Changes to the Law that Tenants Must Know

Ontario’s Bill 184, dubbed the “Eviction Bill” by tenants, received Royal Assent. The Bill is…

Rent Increase Infographic

A quick infographic for tenants to help them determine whether or not their rent increase…

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Vacancy decontrol – what is it, and why does it matter?

Decades of leaving renters behind in policy considerations, paired with rising housing costs and stagnant…

Tribunals of Ontario Appointments Concerning

Tribunal Watch Ontario Calls for Review of Government’s Tribunal Appointments and Reappointments Processes

Tribunals must operate independently from political or other influence, and be treated differently from advisory or operational boards or agencies. Appointments and reappointments of judicial decision makers need to be de-politicized.

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The Landlord and Tenant Board is broken. Going digital hasn’t fixed it, and it’s time to end the experiment.

Delays and an ongoing backlog of cases continue at Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB).…

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City of Mississauga pilots new rental licensing program

After the City of Mississauga passed their 2022 budget on December 8th, the City officially…

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Housing affordability for whom? How supply-side solutions fall short in addressing Ontario’s housing crisis

This past November, Ontario’s provincial government announced the creation of a Housing Affordability Task Force.…

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Bill 23 “More Homes Built Faster Act” is bad for renters

Action on the housing crisis is decades overdue. Bill 23 – More Homes Built Faster…

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Access to justice is under attack for Ontario renters

In Ontario, rising evictions are driven by landlord greed, facilitated by legal loopholes like vacancy decontrol. Despite legal principles theoretically safeguarding tenant rights, the reality is grim, with landlords wielding disproportionate power.

The Cutting Red Tape, Building Ontario Act Causes More Problems Than Fixes at the Landlord and Tenant Board

Bill 227, Cutting Red Tape, Building Ontario Act, 2024 was introduced on November 20, 2024.…

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The real reason Ontario’s rental market is broken? Lack of effective rent control.

Ontario’s rental market is broken. Vacancy rates have reached historic lows in 2022 for many…

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Building credit or undermining tenants? Online Tenant Registries cause concern over credit scores and privacy

new online tenant registries have appeared that claim to help tenants. What are the risks?

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What’s the deal with cash for keys?

Learn about the practice of “Cash-for-Keys,” a common strategy employed by landlords to convince tenants to voluntarily vacate rental units.

Fairness Should Not Be Sacrificed for Speed at the Landlord and Tenant Board

The Landlord and Tenant Board is broken. Tenants and landlords languish for months, sometimes years,…

Why words matter: The provincial government can no longer afford to ignore that intimate partner violence is an epidemic

On November 25th, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Ontario…

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Inclusionary Zoning in Toronto: An Affordable Housing Solution?

The City of Toronto will be considering a new inclusionary zoning by-law on October 28th,…

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For tenants

Explore our resources to better understand your rights as tenants and learn about affordable housing issues in Ontario.