tenant rights Archives - Canadian Centre for Housing Rights

5 Questions for Change is a monthly feature that brings you insights from the people at CCHR working on the frontlines every day to advance the right to housing.

This month, we are talking to Victoria Wan, a Lawyer from our Client Services team.

1. What are two issues you see renters struggling with most right now?

The two most common issues I see right now are Above Guideline Increase (AGI) applications and maintenance issues. I talk to tenants in Toronto due to our legal services program, but I know these two issues are common throughout Ontario.

AGI applications are based on circumstances where a landlord can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) to raise the rent above the guideline amount. Each year, the Ontario government sets a “rent increase guideline”, which is the percentage that a landlord is allowed to increase the rent for rent-controlled units. Rent-controlled units are defined by the Residential Tenancies Act.

Maintenance issues within the rental unit or in the building are very common as well, especially for older buildings in Toronto and in Ontario. Always document and write to your landlord when you have a complaint about a maintenance issue. If the landlord is not responding, contact the Property Standards for your municipality, which is usually the phone number 311.

2. Is there a recent case or experience that stayed with you and what did it reveal about renters’ realities?

In our current economic reality, an extreme rent increase is very difficult for renters. As I mentioned above regarding rent-controlled units, there are more and more rental units that do not have rent control. Rental units that are not rent controlled include new buildings, additions to existing buildings, and most new basement apartments that are occupied for the first time for residential purposes after November 15, 2018.

I worked on a case that involved an extremely high rent increase of $600 in one year, on top of a current monthly rent of $3,000. Because the rental home was newly constructed and rented for the first time around 2021, the landlord is legally permitted to increase the rent to any amount. Despite attempts to negotiate with the landlord, the landlord was not willing to permit a lower increase amount.

The problem is with the rent decontrol laws set by the Ontario government in 2018. If you disagree with these rent decontrol laws, talk to your Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament.

3. When you represent tenants at the LTB, what’s the most common misconception you encounter- either from renters or landlords?

When I represent tenants at the Landlord and Tenant Board, a common misconception that I see from landlords or their representatives are that tenants are trying to be “annoying” to landlords and their representatives. Standing up for your legal rights as a tenant is not “annoying.” Being able to know and enforce your tenant rights is part of advancing the human right to housing in Canada. We live in a real world, where there are real human beings and families struggle to pay rent and afford food for themselves and their family. Learn more about CCHR’s work on the right to housing in Canada here.

4. If you could offer one piece of advice to renters across the country, what would it be?

Learn your rights as a tenant in your province. Seek free legal advice on tenant rights where you can get it. Read the municipal and provincial websites with the summaries on your rights as a tenant. CCHR has a resource for renters facing eviction for each province and territory in Canada here: Resources for renters facing eviction – Canadian Centre for Housing Rights.

If you are lucky to have secure and safe housing, try to support other tenants who are facing difficult challenges.

5. What drives you to do the work you do at CCHR?

I really do admire and appreciate my coworkers at CCHR, and I am inspired by the work they do to advance good housing policies and recommendations at every level of government. I am also driven by supporting affordable housing, and learning and working to find better solutions for renters in Ontario, and across the country. I hope to help in advancing the work for every Canadian to know that housing is a human right recognized by the United Nations.

Note: The information provided in this message is legal information only. It is not legal advice and is not a substitute for legal advice. If you require legal advice, please contact CCHR’s Legal Services team, a lawyer, or your local community Legal Aid clinic.

5 Questions for Change is a monthly feature that brings you insights from the people at CCHR working on the frontlines every day to advance the right to housing.

This month, we are talking to Rose Vandermeer, Senior Engagement and Education Advisor.

What are two issues you see renters struggling with most right now?

Beyond affordability, many renters are living in poorly maintained buildings with repair issues that go unresolved. At the same time, the legal system does not work well for tenants experiencing maintenance issues, with limited access to legal help, weak by-law enforcement, and long delays at the Landlord & Tenant Board for tenant applications.

2. What are the most common questions or myths you hear from renters and service providers?

A common misunderstanding is that tenants think they have to sign an agreement to end their tenancy (an N11) because the landlord tells them to. These forms are voluntary and should only be signed if the tenant actually wants to move out. Many tenants assume landlords or their agents are legal experts, but it’s important for tenants to understand their own rights and get legal advice before signing anything.

3. What is one resource, either from CCHR or other sources, you find yourself referring people to most often – and why?

Local legal clinics.
Many people don’t realize that there is free legal help available for tenants throughout Ontario. Most of their services are for low-income people but usually any tenant can get legal information and that can really help in understanding and enforcing their rights!

4. If you could offer one piece of advice to renters across the country, what would it be?

If you can afford your current place, try your best not to move. Truly affordable rentals are disappearing fast, and finding another one can be extremely difficult. If your landlord tells you that you have to leave, get free legal advice before you do anything.

5. What drives you to do the work you do at CCHR?

I do this work because the stakes are incredibly high for renters. Most tenants have far fewer resources than landlords to enforce their rights, yet everyone needs a safe, stable home they can rely on. This is a human right. For landlords, housing is often an investment; for tenants, it is their lives. When things go wrong, tenants don’t just risk money, they can lose their homes, neighbourhoods, schools, support networks, and community. If we are going to let private capital supply housing, then we must also have people who stand up to capital in defence of human rights.

On November 24, 2025, Bill 60 was passed in Ontario, changing 16 laws, including the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA). The changes made to the RTA apply only to applications made after Bill 60 comes into force. As of December 18, 2025, the changes to the RTA were not yet in effect.

Expected changes

The following highlights some, but not all, of the expected changes under Bill 60.

Non-payment of rent

When your landlord claims you owe rent, there is a “grace period” of 14 days during which a landlord cannot file to evict you. Under Bill 60, it is shortened to 7 days. This means that if your landlord gives you an N4 form for non-payment of rent, you have only 7 days to pay before an eviction application can be filed with the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB).

Unpaid rent hearings

During your eviction hearing for unpaid rent, you can raise issues that you could have included in your own application to the LTB, such as if your landlord has failed to do maintenance. However, under Bill 60, you must pay 50% of the money your landlord claims you owe before the hearing to be allowed to raise these issues.

Requests to review LTB decisions

When you or your landlord disagree with an LTB order, you have 30 days to request that the LTB review their decision. Under Bill 60, requests to review must be submitted within 15 days of the decision or order. However, if the LTB considers it “just and appropriate in the circumstances to extend the time to request the review,” the LTB still has the power to give more time.

Landlord own-use eviction compensation

If your landlord gave you an N12 notice because they or their family need the unit to live in, they had to pay you one month’s rent as compensation, regardless of how much notice they gave. Under Bill 60, if the termination date on the N12 notice is at least 120 days after the notice is given, your landlord does not have to pay this compensation.

Rules that remain unchanged

While other changes may come in the future, importantly, the following two protections still apply:

Rent regulation

Your rent can only be increased once every 12 months with 90 days’ notice. For properties first occupied before November 15, 2018, your landlord is not allowed to increase the rent more than the province’s annual guideline amount unless they apply for an Above the Guideline Increase.

Security of tenure/tenancy

Tenancies still automatically continue month to month once the initial lease period ends. This means once the lease period ends, you are not required to move out or renew the lease, and your original lease terms continue.

Contact us

For more information about your rights under Bill 60, please contact our tenant services team.

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