Tenants' Rights

Our Know-Your-Rights materials are available in multiple languages!

Download our translated leaflets to learn more about pest control and maintenance, illegal fees, rent increases, evictions, and community resources.

Our leaflet is avaiable for download in:

Spanish (Español), Portugese (Português), Tigrinya (ትግሪኛ) Amharic (አማርኛ), Filipino/Tagalog, Hindi (हिन्दी भाषा), and Tamil (தமிழ்).

Are you covered by the Residential Tenancies Act?

You may be excluded from all or parts of the Residential Tenancies Act if you live in social housing, non-profit housing, co-operative housing, a student dormitory, a shelter, a jail/prison, or a care home.

If you share a kitchen or bathroom with your landlord or a landlord's close family member, you are likely exempt from the RTA (unless the landlord or their family moved in after you moved in).

Please note that the information in this section is for tenants covered under the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA), specifically those who live in for-profit rental housing.

Facing an Eviction

Don’t panic. An eviction is not a quick process! For an eviction to be legal your landlord must provide proper forms from the Landlord Tenant Board (LTB) and the eviction must be authorized by the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Rent Increases

To raise rent, landlords need to wait one year since last raising your rent. A notice of rent increase must be submitted to tenants using the proper Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) form (N1 or N2 form) at least 90 days before the increase takes effect.

Illegal Charges

If your landlord asks you to pay for an illegal charge, you can simply refuse.

Repairs and Pest Control

Your landlord is required to follow maintenance standards in accordance with City bylaws and the Residential Tenancies Act. Units must be kept in a “good state of repair,” and comply with health and safety standards.

Air Conditioners

Now that summer is in full swing, tenants across the city are facing pressure from landlords to remove their air conditioners, or pay to use them. What are your rights in these situations?