One wrong date on your N4 and you start over. Here's what changed at the LTB on September 21, 2026
On September 21, 2026, the rules for N4s, N12s, N13s and rent-arrears hearings changed in Ontario. Some of the changes help landlords, but only landlords who get the paperwork exactly right. The LTB's own guideline says an incorrect termination date "cannot be amended or corrected after the Notice is given to the tenant and likely makes a Notice invalid."
I'm a small Ontario landlord. Below is what changed, what it means if you rent out a room, a basement or a single unit, and the mistakes that now cost real money and time. Every point links to the official source.
Example (made up to illustrate the rules; not a real case)
Sam rents out a basement. October rent doesn't come. Sam has heard "it's 7 days now," fills in an N4, mails it on October 5 and writes October 12 as the termination date. Then Sam files an L1 and pays the non-refundable filing fee.
The problem: when you mail an N4, you have to add 5 days before you start counting. The earliest valid date was October 17, not October 12. According to the LTB, a wrong termination date can't be fixed after the notice is given, and if the notice is defective and not found to be substantially compliant, the eviction part of the application is dismissed. Sam is back to a new N4, a new waiting period and a new filing fee, while the rent keeps coming due.
One date. Five days. That's the whole mistake.
- N4: 7 days' notice instead of 14, for N4s given on or after Sept 21, 2026.
- Half-arrears rule: at an L1 hearing (L1 filed on or after Sept 21), a tenant who wants to raise other issues must first pay you half the arrears claimed, at least 7 days before the hearing.
- Persistent late payment now has a definition: rent received more than 7 days late, at least 3 times in 6 months.
- N12 (own use): no compensation if you give at least 120 days' notice and the date is the last day of a rental period or term. You (or the family member) must normally move in within 60 days of the N12 date, or bad faith is presumed at a T5.
- N13 (renovations): new written-notice duties to a tenant who wants to move back in.
- Ten LTB forms replaced. Old versions of the N5, N6, N8, N12, N13, L1, L2, L9, L10 and T5 are not accepted as of November 30, 2026.
What changed on September 21, 2026
These changes come from the Residential Tenancies Act amendments in Bill 60 (Schedule 12) and the related regulation changes. The LTB summarized them in its September 21 operational update.
| What | The rule now | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| N4 notice period | Termination date at least 7 days after the notice is given (was 14). Don't count the day you give it; add 5 days if mailed, 1 business day if couriered. Still can't be posted on the door. | N4s given on or after Sept 21, 2026 |
| Half-arrears rule | To raise other issues at the hearing, the tenant pays you directly (not the LTB) half the arrears claimed, at least 7 days before the hearing. They still have to give written notice of the issues 7 days before. | L1s filed on or after Sept 21, 2026 |
| Persistent late payment | Rent received more than 7 days after the due date, at least 3 times in 6 months. A payment you applied to another amount owing (like arrears) doesn't count as late. The LTB can still find persistent lateness in other circumstances. | N8 / L2 for persistent late payment |
| N12 compensation | None owed if the N12 gives at least 120 days' notice and the termination date is the last day of a rental period or fixed term. Otherwise, one month's rent (or another acceptable unit), paid by the termination date. Not available for a purchaser's own use. | N12s given on or after Sept 21, 2026 |
| N12 move-in | The person named must move in within 60 days of the date in the N12, or bad faith is presumed if the tenant files a T5. The landlord can try to rebut it. | N12s given on or after Sept 21, 2026 |
| N13 right of first refusal | If the tenant says in writing they want to move back in: give the estimated completion date and any change in writing, tell them in writing when the unit is ready, and allow 60 days to move back in. Failing to do so creates a presumption at a T5. The T5 deadline is the later of 2 years after move-out or 6 months after the work is done. | Tenant's written notice given on or after Sept 21, 2026 |
| Delaying an eviction | If the landlord doesn't agree, the LTB must find a delay not unfair and that there are compelling reasons (for N12/N13, only "not unfair"). | LTB hearings |
| Setting aside an eviction | Narrower: the LTB can't consider changes in the tenant's circumstances. | Motions to set aside |
| Forms | N5, N6, N8, N12, N13, L1, L2, L9, L10 and T5 replaced. Old versions not accepted as of Nov 30, 2026. The N4 instructions were also updated Sept 21, 2026. | All filings |
| LTB rules and guidelines | Rules of Procedure, Practice Direction on Evidence and Interpretation Guidelines 7, 10, 11 and 12 updated. | All LTB matters |
What it means for you (worked dates)
Scenario 1: November rent isn't paid
Rent is due November 1. The earliest you can give an N4 is November 2 (Monday). The earliest termination date depends on how you deliver it:
| How you give the N4 on Nov 2 | Earliest termination date | Earliest L1 filing |
|---|---|---|
| In person | Monday, November 9 | November 10 |
| Courier (+1 business day) | Tuesday, November 10 | November 11 |
| Mail (+5 days) | Saturday, November 14 | November 15 |
This matches the LTB's own example: an N4 handed over March 3 can end March 10; mailed March 3, it can end March 15. If the tenant pays everything owing by the termination date, the N4 is void. Full walk-through: the N4 7-day rule guide.
Scenario 2: the tenant wants to raise repairs at your L1 hearing
Say your L1 claims $2,400 in arrears. To raise maintenance or other issues at the hearing, the tenant has to pay you $1,200 directly, at least 7 days before the hearing, and give written notice of the issues. Give a receipt (you have to give one on request anyway) and write the date and amount in your ledger the same day. If the payment and the notice don't both happen in time, the rule is there for you, but only your records show it. Free rent receipt template and rules.
Scenario 3: rent keeps arriving late
Rent is due on the 1st. It arrives January 9, March 12 and May 10. Each payment came more than 7 days late, three times within six months, which meets the new definition. If you applied one of those payments to older arrears, that one doesn't count. Your proof is a ledger with the due date and the date each payment actually arrived.
Scenario 4: your daughter needs the unit (N12)
Monthly tenancy, rent due on the 1st, and you hand over an N12 on Friday, October 23, 2026:
- Earliest date with the 60-day minimum: December 31, 2026. You must pay one month's rent (or offer another acceptable unit) by that date.
- With the 120-day option: 120 days runs to February 20, 2027, and the date has to be the last day of a rental period, so the earliest date is February 28, 2027. No compensation owed.
- Then: your daughter should move in within 60 days of February 28, 2027 (by April 29, 2027). If she doesn't, bad faith is presumed if the tenant files a T5.
Mail adds 5 days before you start counting. More detail: the N12 own-use guide.
Scenario 5: renovating with an N13
If your tenant tells you in writing that they want to come back, every step now has to be in writing: the estimated completion date, any change to it, and the "it's ready" notice, with 60 days for them to move back in. Keep copies and proof of delivery. The tenant can file a T5 up to 2 years after moving out or 6 months after the work is done, whichever is later.
Mistakes that now cost you
- Miscounting the N4 date. Forgetting the 5 mail days, or counting the day you gave it, means a wrong termination date. That can't be corrected after it's given and likely makes the notice invalid, and the eviction part of the application is dismissed if the notice isn't found substantially compliant. Starting over means a new N4 and a new L1 fee ($201, or $186 online; fees are non-refundable). LTB Guideline 10
- Taping the N4 to the door. The N4 instructions say you can't give it by posting it on the door. If a notice wasn't properly given to each tenant, LTB Guideline 10 says the application must be dismissed, unless you can show the tenant actually got it in time. N4 instructions
- Adding non-rent amounts to the N4. The N4 is for rent only: no NSF fees, utility bills or last month's rent deposit. The totals on page 1 and page 3 must match. The LTB warns that a notice not filled in properly may not be valid and you may have to start over.
- Using a saved old form. Old versions of the 10 replaced forms aren't accepted as of November 30, 2026. Download fresh from the LTB forms page every time.
- An N12 that misses the 120-day test by a day or a date. Under 120 days, or a date that isn't the last day of a rental period, and you owe one month's rent by the termination date.
- Not moving in within 60 days after an N12. Bad faith is presumed at a T5. If the LTB finds bad faith, it can order things like rent differences for up to a year, moving and storage costs, general compensation of up to 12 months' rent, and a fine. The LTB's limit is $50,000. T5 instructions
- Going quiet during an N13 renovation. Skipping the written updates or the 60 days creates a presumption that you didn't give the tenant their right of first refusal.
- Missing the review deadline. Since July 1, 2026 you have 15 days (not 30) to request a review of an LTB order.
- No receipt, no ledger. The half-arrears rule and the persistent-late definition both turn on dates and amounts. Without records, it's your word against the tenant's.
Also changed earlier in 2026 (July 1)
| Change | Detail |
|---|---|
| Review requests | Deadline to request a review of an LTB order cut to 15 days (was 30). |
| Payment agreements | The LTB's Payment Agreement Form is mandatory for repayment plans. |
| Fines | Maximum RTA fines raised to $100,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations. |
| Air conditioners | Tenants may install a window or portable AC if conditions are met; landlords may charge a seasonal rent increase for AC use where electricity is included in the rent. |
Since July 24, 2026, final LTB orders are published on the Ontario Data Catalogue, updated monthly.
Official sources
- Tribunals Ontario: Legislative changes at the LTB effective September 21, 2026
- Bill 60 (2025, c. 14), Schedule 12: Residential Tenancies Act amendments (ontario.ca/laws)
- Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (ontario.ca/laws)
- LTB: Instructions for the N4 notice (updated Sept 21, 2026)
- LTB Interpretation Guideline 10: Procedural issues regarding eviction applications (updated Sept 21, 2026)
- LTB: Instructions for the N12 notice (updated Sept 21, 2026)
- LTB Interpretation Guideline 12: Eviction for personal use
- LTB: Instructions for the T5 application (landlord gave a notice in bad faith)
- ontario.ca: Renting in Ontario: Your rights
- LTB forms
- LTB: Forms, filing and fees
- Tribunals Ontario: Legislative changes at the LTB (June 30, 2026; changes in effect July 1)
- Ontario Data Catalogue: LTB order catalogue
Not legal advice. This site is general information written by a small Ontario landlord, based on official Ontario and Tribunals Ontario sources as of October 23, 2026. Laws and LTB forms change; check the linked official source before you act, and talk to a lawyer or licensed paralegal (or call the LTB at 1-888-332-3234) about your situation. Not affiliated with the Government of Ontario, Tribunals Ontario or the Landlord and Tenant Board. Full disclaimer.