Ontario’s New Landlord and Tenant Rules: What Changed on September 21, 2026?

If you own a rental property or rent a home in Ontario, a few important rules changed this week. The updates affect unpaid rent notices, repeated late payments, landlord use notices and what tenants must do before raising other issues at a non-payment hearing.

Here’s what you need to know in plain language.

1. The N4 Notice Period Is Now Seven Days

When rent is unpaid, a landlord can give the tenant an N4 notice. For notices given on or after September 21, 2026, the notice period has dropped from 14 days to seven days.

That gives a tenant less time to deal with the unpaid rent before the landlord can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board. An N4 is still a notice, though. Receiving one does not mean the tenant has been evicted.

2. There’s a Clearer Threshold for Repeated Late Payments

A tenant is now considered to have persistently paid rent late if the landlord receives it more than seven days after the due date at least three times within six months. This can support an N8 notice.

The distinction matters: the new stated threshold is more than seven days late, not a payment made within seven days of the due date. The Board may also find persistent late payment in other circumstances. For landlords, keeping an accurate record of due dates and payments is especially important.

3. Giving More N12 Notice Can Change the Compensation Requirement

If a landlord serves an N12 because they or a qualifying person intend to move into the property, giving the tenant at least 120 days’ notice can remove the requirement to pay compensation or offer another acceptable unit.

This applies to landlord’s own use notices served on or after September 21. If less than 120 days’ notice is given, the existing compensation rules apply. The change does not apply to an N12 for a purchaser’s own use.

There is also a new timing rule: the person named in a landlord’s own use N12 must normally move in within 60 days of the termination date. If they do not, a tenant’s bad-faith application starts with a presumption of bad faith that the landlord can try to rebut at the hearing.

4. Tenants Must Pay Part of the Arrears to Raise Other Issues at a Non-Payment Hearing

A tenant who wants to raise another issue, such as a maintenance concern, at a non-payment hearing must now pay the landlord half of the rent arrears claimed in the application at least seven days before the hearing.

This rule applies when the landlord filed the rent arrears application on or after September 21, 2026. The tenant must still give both the landlord and the Board a description of the issues they plan to raise at least seven days before the hearing.

What This Means for Landlords and Tenants

These changes make dates, payment records and the correct notice forms even more important. If you are a landlord, check the rules that apply to your specific notice before serving it. If you are a tenant and receive a notice, read it carefully and pay attention to the deadlines.

I work with landlords and tenants across the GTA, and I know rental questions can get complicated quickly. If you’re planning to lease a property or want to talk through how these changes may affect your next move, I’m happy to help.

Michael Kelly
Sales Representative
Sutton Group Realty Systems Inc., Brokerage
647-408-5226
info@michaelkellyhomes.com
michaelkellyhomes.com