About the Board and the Residential Tenancies Act

What does the Landlord and Tenant Board do?

The Landlord and Tenant Board (the Board administers the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (the Act). This law sets out the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenant who rent residential properties.

One of the Board’s responsibilities is to provide information about the Act to landlords and tenants. In many cases, once landlords and tenants are aware of their rights and obligations they can resolve their own problems.   However, if a landlord and tenant cannot resolve their problems, then another responsibility of the Board is to resolve these problems for them.

Landlords and tenants can file an application with the Board. Once an application is filed, the parties have an opportunity to have their problems addressed at a hearing. At the hearing, a Member of the Board will make a decision on the application based on the evidence presented by the landlord and tenant. Or, if both the landlord and tenant agree, a Mediator from the Board can work with them and try to help them reach their own agreement.

Who is covered by the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (the Act)?

The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 covers most residential rental units in Ontario including mobile homes, care homes and rooming and boarding houses. However, there are some situations where a rental unit may not be covered by the Act or certain parts of the Act.

For example, the Act does not apply if:

the tenant must share a kitchen or bathroom with the owner, or certain family members of the owner;
the unit is used on a seasonal or temporary basis.

Many of the rules about rent do not apply to:

new rental buildings;
non-profit and public housing;
university and college residences.

But these units are still covered by most of the other rules in the Act, such as maintenance and the reasons for eviction.

The Act does not cover commercial tenancies.

If you are not sure if your unit is covered, you should contact the Landlord and Tenant Board.

How can I talk to someone about the Act?

You can call the Landlord and Tenant Board at 1-888-332-3234 from outside Toronto or 416-645-8080 from within the GTA calling area. Recorded information is available 24 hours a day. Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) are available to provide information from Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (except holidays). You can also visit any Landlord and Tenant Board office in Ontario to talk to a CSR in person.

Where can I get a copy of the Residential Tenancies Act (the Act)?

Links to the Act and Regulations are provided in The Law section of our site.

You can view or print all or parts of the Act from Publications Ontario’s legislation on-line link. You can also order a copy of the Act for a fee from Publications Ontario How to Order link.

Where can I get copies of the Landlord and Tenant Board’s forms and brochures?

You can get copies of the forms and brochures by clicking on any of the following links:

You can also get copies of the forms and brochures free of charge at any Landlord and Tenant Board office or at a ServiceOntario Centre.