CHAPTER 7: YOUR RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS AS A LANDLORD

Just like a tenant, you, as a landlord, have numerous responsibilities and obligations to your tenant. We have listed a few key rights, responsibilities, and obligations below, but please do note the list here is not exhaustive. For more information on your rights, responsibilities, and obligations, visit the Landlord and Tenant Board website at http://www.sjto.gov.on.ca/ltb/

As a landlord, you have certain rights:

• Collect a rent deposit

It cannot be more than one month’s rent, or if rent is paid weekly, one week’s rent. This deposit must be used as the rent payment for the last month or week of tenancy. It cannot be used for any other reason, such as to pay for damages. A landlord must pay interest on the deposit every year.

• Increase the rent

There are special rules that limit how often a landlord can increase the rent and by how much. In most cases, a landlord can increase the rent only once a year by the guideline that is set by the Ontario Government. A landlord must give a tenant at least 90 days notice in writing of any rent increase and this notice must be on the proper form. Exceptions: Non-profit and public housing units, residences at schools, colleges and universities, and certain other accommodation are not covered by all the rent rules.

You also have numerous responsibilities and obligations to your tenant. As a landlord, you are responsible for:

• Keeping the rental property in a good state of repair and obeying health, safety and maintenance standards.
• Providing your tenant with a copy of the written tenancy agreement within 21 days after the day it was signed and received.

As a landlord, you are not allowed to:

• Shut off or deliberately interfere with the supply of a vital service (heat, electricity, fuel, gas, or hot or cold water), care service or food that you must provide under your tenancy agreement. However, you are allowed to shut-off services temporarily if this is necessary to make repairs
• Take your tenant’s personal property if they don’t pay their rent and are still living in the rental unit.
• Lock your tenant out of their rental unit unless you have an eviction order from the LTB and the Sheriff comes to the rental unit to enforce it.
• Insist that your tenant pay their rent by post-dated cheque or automatic debit. These ways of paying rent can be suggested, but you cannot refuse a rental unit or evict a tenant for refusing to give them.

For more information on your rights, responsibilities, and obligations, visit the Landlord and Tenant Board website at http://www.sjto.gov.on.ca/ltb/