The Landlord and Tenant Board decides disputes between residential landlords and tenants in Ontario under the Residential Tenancies Act. JAVED Legal and Immigration Services acts for landlords and for tenants at the Board, from the Scarborough office.
Most cases are not decided on who is in the right in a general sense. They are decided on whether the correct notice was given, whether it was served properly, whether the application matches the notice, and what the evidence actually shows. That is the level at which these matters are won and lost.
If you are a landlord
Ending a tenancy or recovering money begins with a notice, and the Board publishes a separate form for each ground. The ones that come up most often are the N4 for non-payment of rent, the N5 for interfering with others, damage or overcrowding, the N12 where the landlord, a purchaser or a family member requires the unit, and the N13 for demolition, conversion or major repair. Each has its own notice period and its own requirements, and some carry an obligation to compensate the tenant.
A notice on its own does not end a tenancy. If the tenant does not move out or resolve the issue, the landlord applies to the Board: an L1 for non-payment of rent and rent owing, an L2 to end a tenancy and evict or collect money, an L9 for rent owed by a current tenant, or an L10 for money owed by a former tenant. The current forms are on the Landlord and Tenant Board’s forms page.
Applications fail for predictable reasons. A termination date calculated wrongly, a notice served in a way the Act does not allow, an application filed too early or after the notice has expired, a claim for arrears that does not match the ledger, or an N12 where the required compensation was not paid. Where an application is dismissed on a technical point, the process usually has to start again from the notice.
If you are a tenant
Receiving a notice is not the same as being evicted. Only the Board can order a tenant to move out, and only after a hearing, except in limited circumstances set out in the Act. If you have received an N4, N5, N12 or N13, the first things to check are the dates on it, how it was delivered, and whether what it alleges is accurate.
Tenants can also bring their own applications. A T2 deals with tenant rights, including interference with reasonable enjoyment, harassment, illegal entry and illegal lock changes. A T6 deals with maintenance and repairs. A T1 is used to recover money a landlord was not entitled to collect, and a T5 where a notice of termination was given in bad faith. These are separate proceedings, and a tenant facing an eviction application may have grounds to bring one.
Whether an eviction can be resisted, delayed or made conditional depends heavily on the facts, the tenant’s circumstances and what the evidence supports. It is not something that can be predicted from a form number alone.
How a Board proceeding runs
Most of the common applications are filed through the Tribunals Ontario Portal, and the party filing is responsible for the form being complete and correct. A notice of hearing follows, setting out the type of application, the purpose of the hearing, the format, and the date and time. Where an email address has been given, most documents arrive by email.
Before a hearing, parties may use the Board’s online dispute resolution tool to try to negotiate a settlement, with a dispute resolution officer assisting where the parties reach agreement or reach an impasse. The Board describes this as neither mediation nor adjudication but as a first step towards whichever is appropriate.
Hearings are normally held by video using Zoom or by telephone. Some applications are decided in writing, where the parties file written submissions and documents. In-person hearings are held where the Board has approved a request based on a need under the Human Rights Code or where a party would otherwise be significantly prejudiced.
At the hearing each party can question witnesses, put relevant documents in as evidence and make argument on the facts and the law. The adjudicator may give a decision at the end or reserve it. Once the Board issues an order it is final, subject to the limited routes the Act provides for review or appeal.
Source: Tribunals Ontario, the LTB application and hearing process.
For more information about the hearing process, see What Happens at a Landlord and Tenant Board Hearing.
Where representation makes a difference
- Getting the notice right the first time. Reviewing a notice before it is served costs far less than restarting after an application is dismissed.
- Evidence. Ledgers, photographs, messages, repair records and witness statements have to be organized and disclosed in a form the Board can use.
- Settlement. Many files resolve on terms. An agreement recorded as a consent order is enforceable; an informal arrangement often is not.
- The hearing itself. Questioning witnesses and making argument on the Act is work most people would rather not do while their housing or their income is at stake.
Practical matters
JAVED Legal and Immigration Services is based in Scarborough and assists landlords and tenants across Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, including Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa and Markham. Landlord and Tenant Board hearings are generally conducted electronically or in writing, allowing many clients to participate without travelling to a hearing location. In-person hearings may be arranged in exceptional circumstances under the Board’s applicable practice direction.
A party who needs an accommodation, for example because of a disability, can ask the Board using its accommodation request form. Where an application has been submitted in French, a bilingual hearing is held, and sign language interpretation or real-time captioning is arranged on request. For other languages, the Board does not usually provide an interpreter and the party arranges their own.
The Board charges a filing fee for most applications, and the current amounts are published on its filing and fees page. That fee is separate from any professional fee.
Common questions
What happens at an LTB hearing?
The adjudicator confirms who is present, deals with any preliminary issues, and then hears the applicant’s case and the response. Both sides can question witnesses and make argument. A decision may be given at the hearing or reserved and released later as a written order.
Is the hearing in person?
Usually not. The Board holds most hearings by video or telephone, and some in writing. In-person hearings happen where the Board has approved a request on accommodation grounds or because of significant prejudice.
Can I be represented at the Board?
Yes. A licensed paralegal or a lawyer may represent a landlord or a tenant at the Board, and the Board has a practice direction dealing with representatives.
How long will it take?
Scheduling is controlled by the Board and varies with the type of application and the Board’s caseload. Nobody acting for you can move a matter up the list, and you should be wary of anyone who says otherwise.
The landlord says I have to leave by the date on the notice. Is that right?
A notice sets a date, but it does not end the tenancy by itself. Unless you agree to leave, the landlord has to apply to the Board and obtain an order, and only the Sheriff can enforce an eviction.
Discuss your matter
Bring the notice or application you have received, the tenancy agreement, and a record of rent paid or owing. If a hearing date has already been set, say so when you make contact, because that affects what can be done.
Related pages: paralegal services · fees and retainers · about the practice · contact our office
Last reviewed: 19 September 2026 against Tribunals Ontario and Government of Ontario material. Forms, fees and procedures change; check the Board’s own pages for the current position. This page is general information about the Board’s process, not legal advice about any particular tenancy.