Landlord Entry Rules in Ontario

Under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, a landlord must give a tenant at least 24 hours' notice before entering the rental unit, and that notice must be in writing. A verbal heads-up -- a phone call, a text the same day, or a note left the night before with only a few hours to spare -- does not satisfy this requirement.

The written notice must state the reason for entry, the date, and a time window during which the landlord (or their representative) will enter. A tenant does not need to be home for the entry to be lawful, as long as proper written notice was given and the entry is for a permitted reason.

Even with proper notice, the actual entry must take place between 8 AM and 8 PM. A landlord cannot schedule or conduct entry outside this window, regardless of the reason for entry.

A landlord may enter the rental unit for the following reasons, provided proper notice is given:

• To carry out repairs or replacements that the landlord is responsible for
• To carry out an inspection to determine what repairs are needed
• To show the rental unit to a prospective tenant
• To show the rental unit to a prospective purchaser

Entry for reasons outside this list -- for example, simply wanting to check on the unit without a repair, inspection, or showing purpose -- is not permitted, even with 24 hours' notice.

There are limited situations where a landlord can enter without giving 24 hours' written notice:

• Genuine emergency: Situations such as a fire, flood, or gas leak, where immediate entry is necessary to protect health, safety, or property.
• Regularly scheduled cleaning or maintenance: If the tenancy agreement itself specifies regular cleaning or maintenance services and the schedule was set out in the agreement.
• Tenant's express consent at the time: If the tenant agrees to the entry at that specific time, notice is not required for that instance.

Outside of these exceptions, the 24-hour written notice rule applies every time.

If your landlord is entering without proper written notice, entering outside the 8 AM to 8 PM window, or entering for a reason not on the permitted list, document each incident: the date, time, what happened, and any communication you had. Raise the issue with your landlord in writing first.

If the behaviour continues, you can bring an application to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) about your rights being violated (Form T2). The LTB can order remedies, which may include compensation.