Landlord Notice to End a Tenancy in Ontario

An Ontario landlord cannot end a tenancy just because the term is up or because they would like the unit back. A tenancy can be ended only in line with the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. You need a reason the Act allows, the form that matches the reason, and a termination date that meets the minimum notice for that reason.

Every notice must tell the tenant that, if they do not leave, the landlord may apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) for an eviction order, and that the tenant is entitled to dispute the application. A notice by itself does not end the tenancy if the tenant stays. The LTB decides, and only the Sheriff enforces. For the whole process read how to evict a tenant in Ontario, and for the tenant's view read the Ontario notice to end tenancy guide.

Reason	Form	Minimum notice	Key point
Unpaid rent	N4	7 days	For notices given on or after September 21, 2026. Void if the tenant pays all arrears and rent due before you file an L1.
Interference with others, undue damage, overcrowding	N5	20 days (first notice)	Void if the tenant corrects it within 7 days. A second notice for a repeat, more than 7 days but less than 6 months later, needs at least 14 days.
Illegal act, or misrepresented income in a rent-geared-to-income unit	N6	10 or 20 days	10 days for producing or trafficking illegal drugs, 20 days otherwise or for misrepresented income in a rent-geared-to-income unit.
Wilful damage, serious safety impairment, or substantial interference where you live in a building of 3 or fewer units	N7	10 days	The tenant cannot void it.
Persistent late payment of rent	N8	60 days (28 for daily or weekly)	From September 21, 2026, includes paying more than seven days late on at least three occasions in any six-month period.
Landlord's own use, or use by family or a caregiver	N12	60 days	Date must be the last day of a rental period or fixed term.
Buyer's own use (building of 3 or fewer units)	N12	60 days	The 120-day compensation waiver does not apply.
Demolition, conversion, repairs or renovations	N13	120 days	Compensation and return rights apply. See below.

An end-of-term agreement is different. An N11 ends the tenancy by agreement, and a landlord cannot require a tenant to sign one. Download the current form from the LTB forms page. Several notices (N5, N6, N8, N12, N13) were updated, and older versions are not accepted after November 30, 2026.

The reason decides how much room you have.

• No-fault reasons (own use, a buyer's own use, demolition or renovation) must end on the last day of a rental period or, in a fixed term, the last day of the term. You cannot use them to end a fixed term early.
• Cause-based reasons (N4, N5, N6, N7) can be used during a fixed term, through the notice and LTB process.
• At the end of a fixed term the tenancy rolls into month-to-month, or week-to-week if rent is paid weekly. It continues on the same terms. The tenant does not have to sign a new lease, and refusing to sign one is not a ground to end the tenancy.

A notice of termination other than one for non-payment becomes void 30 days after its termination date unless the tenant has moved out or you have applied to the LTB before that time. Most applications must be filed within 30 days after the termination date. For a short answer on days, see how much notice a landlord has to give.

An N12 is used when you, a family member or a caregiver will move in, or when you have sold and the buyer will move in. The minimum is 60 days and the date must be the last day of a rental period or the end of a fixed term.

Compensation. For a landlord's own use, you must pay one month's rent by the termination date or offer the tenant another acceptable unit. For notices served on or after September 21, 2026, you do not have to pay compensation or offer another unit if you give at least 120 days' notice and the termination date is the last day of a period or the end of the fixed term. If you give less than 120 days, the existing compensation rules apply. That waiver does not apply to a buyer's own use notice.

Move in on time. You must normally take occupancy within 60 days of the date in the N12. If not, bad faith is presumed when the former tenant applies on a T5. The ontario.ca renting rights page lists bad faith remedies of up to 12 months' rent, plus the rent difference for one year and moving costs.

A sale on its own does not end a tenancy. The new owner steps into the landlord's place, and the tenancy ends only through a valid notice, such as a buyer's own-use N12. For the landlord's perspective on moving back in, see when a landlord wants to move back into a property.

The N13 requires at least 120 days' notice, ending on the last day of a rental period or fixed term. A notice alone does not evict anyone. If the tenant stays, you must apply to the LTB, and the LTB will not order an eviction unless you intend in good faith to do the work and have all necessary permits, or have taken all reasonable steps to get them where permits cannot be issued until the unit is empty. The required compensation must also have been paid before the order issues.

Compensation. For demolition or conversion in a building of 5 or more units, you pay three months' rent or offer another acceptable unit. In a smaller building you pay one month's rent. For renovations in a building of 5 or more units, the figure is three months' rent or another acceptable unit if the tenant does not elect to return, and the lesser of three months and the renovation period if they do. Fewer than 5 units: one month's rent, or the lesser of one month and the renovation period. The compensation is due by the termination date.

Right to return for renovations. A tenant who tells you in writing that they want to return gets a right of first refusal at no more than the lawful rent they would have paid without the interruption. From September 21, 2026, you must tell them in writing the estimated ready date, any change to it, and when the unit is ready. You must give them at least 60 days after the unit is ready to move back. Failing either counts as denying the right of first refusal. A former tenant can apply on a T5 by the later of two years after moving out or six months after the work is finished.

Check the current N13 form instructions on the LTB site for any document that must be attached. Related reading: can I be evicted for renovations.

1. Choose the reason and the matching form.
2. Count the minimum days and set a termination date that fits the rule for that reason, including the last day of the period or term for no-fault notices.
3. Give the notice to the tenant, and keep a dated copy and proof of how you gave it. The sources for this guide do not cover the rules for serving a notice, so check the LTB's guidance on how a notice must be given.
4. If the tenant moves out, the tenancy ends on the date. If not, apply to the LTB, usually within 30 days after that date.
5. Accepting rent or money for use of the unit after a notice does not by itself cancel it unless you and the tenant agree otherwise.

If the tenant does not leave, see what to do when a tenant won't leave after notice. If the issue is unpaid rent, see the guide on a tenant not paying rent. A broader list is in what reasons a landlord can evict you. The LTB brochure on how a landlord can end a tenancy sets out the forms and periods.

This guide explains the rules in general terms; for a specific case, ask the tribunal or a licensed legal professional.