Most landlord horror stories in Ontario aren’t caused by bad tenants — they’re caused by process mistakes. The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA) sets out exactly how residential tenancies must run, and the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) enforces the process as strictly as the substance.

Here are the basics that catch small landlords in Bruce County most often.

This is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, consult a licensed paralegal or lawyer — or work with a manager who handles this daily.

1. Use the Ontario standard lease

Most new residential tenancies in Ontario must use the government’s standard lease form. Side agreements that contradict the RTA aren’t enforceable — the Act wins. Get the lease right at the start and everything downstream gets easier.

2. Deposits: last month’s rent only

Ontario does not allow damage deposits. You may collect:

  • A rent deposit of up to one month’s rent, which must be applied to the last month of the tenancy (and earns interest annually), and
  • A refundable key deposit for the actual cost of the keys.

Charging a “damage deposit” or “pet deposit” is one of the most common — and most avoidable — mistakes we see.

3. Rent increases follow a strict rhythm

For most units, rent can go up once every 12 months, with at least 90 days’ written notice on the proper form (N1), and by no more than the provincial guideline set each year — unless the unit is exempt (many units first occupied after November 15, 2018 are) or the LTB approves an above-guideline increase. Miss the form or the timing and the increase can be void.

4. Entering the unit takes notice

Outside genuine emergencies, entry generally requires 24 hours’ written notice, stating the reason and a time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Routine inspections are legitimate — done properly. (Our own rhythm: move-in and move-out inspections with photo reports, plus periodic visits, always with proper notice.)

5. Screening must respect the Human Rights Code

You can assess credit, employment and income, rental history, and references. You cannot screen on protected grounds — family status, receipt of public assistance, ethnicity, and the rest. Apply the same criteria, the same way, to every applicant. It’s both the law and simply good practice.

6. Non-payment has a legal path — follow it exactly

When rent goes unpaid, the path is: an N4 notice (with a 14-day remedy period for monthly tenancies), then an L1 application to the LTB if it isn’t resolved, then a hearing and order. What you cannot do: change the locks, remove belongings, shut off utilities, or pressure the tenant out. Self-help remedies are illegal and convert a collections problem into a liability problem. We walk the full sequence in What to do when a tenant stops paying rent in Ontario.

7. Ending a tenancy needs the right notice

Every way a tenancy ends has a specific form and rules — N12 for personal use (with compensation requirements), N5 for interference or damage, N4 for arrears, and so on. The LTB routinely dismisses applications over defective notices, which can cost months. This is not a place to improvise.

8. Maintenance is not optional

Landlords must keep units in good repair and fit for habitation — regardless of what the lease says, and even if the tenant knew about an issue when they moved in. Prompt, documented maintenance also happens to be the cheapest way to keep good tenants long-term.

The honest takeaway

None of this is unmanageable — it’s just unforgiving. The RTA rewards landlords who run a clean process and punishes improvisation, even well-intentioned improvisation.

Full RTA compliance is built into how Ben Brewer Homes manages every property: every notice, every filing, every inspection, done correctly the first time. If you’d rather never think about form numbers again, get a no-obligation quote — or read what management actually costs in Bruce County.