Ontario Tenant Maintenance & Repairs: Laws and Rights Explained

If you’re renting a home or apartment in Ontario, understanding who handles maintenance and repairs is essential for a safe and comfortable living experience. Ontario law protects tenants like you, setting clear rules and steps for addressing repairs, emergencies, and property upkeep. This guide explains your rights, your landlord’s responsibilities, and what you can do if problems aren’t fixed quickly and properly.

What Maintenance and Repair Laws Mean for Ontario Tenants

The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 is the main law setting out tenant and landlord rules in Ontario. It requires landlords to keep rental units in good repair and meet health, safety, housing, and maintenance standards—regardless of the rent you pay or what your lease says. This means landlords must:

• Fix appliances, plumbing, heating, and electrical issues
• Deal with pests or infestation
• Address problems like mold, leaks, or unsafe stairs
• Maintain common areas such as hallways or laundry rooms
• Meet local property standards and bylaws

Tenants should keep their unit reasonably clean and report needed repairs—but you are not responsible for fixing issues caused by normal wear and tear.

Understanding Landlord and Tenant Responsibilities

Responsibilities can be confusing, so knowing what’s yours and what belongs to your landlord helps prevent conflicts. For full details on both parties’ obligations, see Obligations of Landlords and Tenants: Rights and Responsibilities Explained.

• Routine repairs (e.g. leaking faucet): Landlord's duty
• Cleaning your own space: Tenant’s duty
• Damage from your own actions: Tenant pays, but the landlord arranges repairs

Health and Safety Standards

Landlords must comply with all local health and safety regulations. If your rental has mold, pests, broken locks, or no heat, these are often considered health or safety risks. Learn more about such issues in Health and Safety Issues Every Tenant Should Know When Renting.

How to Report Repairs and What to Expect

When you notice a needed repair:

1. Contact your landlord in writing—email, letter, or text message. State the problem clearly and ask for a repair by a reasonable deadline.
2. If the landlord does not act, send a second written request, keeping all communications as proof.
3. If repairs remain unaddressed, you may take further steps (see below).

Emergency vs. Routine Repairs

Ontario law treats urgent repairs differently. Emergencies include no heat in winter, flooding, electrical hazards, or anything threatening safety. For more on what qualifies, see Emergency Situations and Repairs: Tenant Rights and Responsibilities.

• If your landlord fails to fix an emergency quickly, you may be allowed to pay for repairs yourself and request reimbursement—keep all receipts and document your attempts to contact the landlord first.

Tip: Always document when and how you reported repairs. Photos, emails, and dates help protect your rights.

How to Make a Formal Repair Complaint or Application

If your landlord refuses to make repairs or hazardous conditions continue, you can:

• Contact your municipal bylaw or property standards office. An inspector may order repairs.
• Apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). Tenants must usually show they asked for repairs first.

LTB Forms:

• T6: Tenant Application about Maintenance – Used when your landlord fails to keep your unit in good repair. Download from the LTB's official forms page.
  Example: If your landlord ignores repeated requests to fix a broken heater, fill out Form T6, attach evidence, and file with the LTB.
• L1: Application to Evict a Tenant and Collect Rent the Tenant Owes – Generally filed by landlords, but helpful for tenants to know if repair disputes evolve.

What Happens After Submitting a T6 Application?

• The LTB may schedule a hearing where you and your landlord can present evidence.
• Possible outcomes: Order for repairs, compensation (a rent abatement), or the right to make repairs yourself.

Please note: Never withhold rent without an LTB order—this can risk eviction.

Common Issues and Special Situations

• Pest problems: See Dealing with Pests in Your Rental: Tenant Rights and Effective Solutions
• Major repairs before move-in: Document the condition (see Guide to the Initial Rental Property Inspection for Tenants)

The laws and processes above protect your right to a safe, well-maintained home. For a broader overview, see Tenant Rights in Ontario.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Ontario Tenant Repairs and Maintenance

1. What repairs is my landlord responsible for?
   Your landlord must fix anything affecting health, safety, or normal use of your home, including plumbing, heating, structural elements, and pest problems—even if it’s not written in your lease.
2. Can my landlord charge me for repairs?
   Only if you or your guests caused damage beyond normal wear and tear. Standard maintenance, aging appliances, or accidental breakdowns are the landlord’s responsibility.
3. What if my landlord ignores multiple repair requests?
   Try one more time in writing, then contact your local bylaw office or file a T6 application with the LTB. Document everything.
4. Am I allowed to fix emergencies myself and deduct from rent?
   Ontario law does not let you automatically deduct costs from the rent. Instead, pay for emergency repairs only after making best efforts to contact your landlord, and then apply to the LTB for reimbursement.
5. Does my landlord have to fix problems if the lease says otherwise?
   Yes. The Residential Tenancies Act overrides any lease clause that tries to shift landlord repair obligations onto the tenant.

How To: Filing a Tenant Maintenance Application in Ontario

1. How do I start a repair application with the Landlord and Tenant Board?
   First, ask for repairs in writing. If not fixed, download and fill out Form T6: Tenant Application about Maintenance from the LTB. Attach your evidence (copies of emails, letters, photos of the problem).
2. How do I get an emergency repair done if my landlord is unavailable?
   Try to contact your landlord by every means. If unable and it is a real emergency (such as no heat in freezing weather), you can arrange repairs yourself, keep receipts, and apply to the LTB for reimbursement using Form T6.
3. How do I get a property standards officer involved?
   Contact your local municipal office. Many cities have online complaint forms, or you can phone your city’s property standards/bylaw department to request an inspection.

Key Takeaways

• Landlords in Ontario must repair and maintain your home under the Residential Tenancies Act.
• Always document repair requests and act promptly if emergencies are ignored.
• Many tenant rights resources and formal complaint processes exist if your landlord does not act.

Need Help? Resources for Tenants

• Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board: Forms, guides, and how to file applications
• Contact your city’s municipal bylaw/property standards office for local inspections
• Ontario Government: Renting in Ontario
• Local tenant advocacy organizations (search in your city or region)

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1. Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (Ontario)
2. Landlord and Tenant Board: T6 Application
3. Landlord and Tenant Board (official)

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