Ontario LTB Changes September 21, 2026: What Landlords and Tenants Need to Know (Bill 60)

If you read an Ontario tenancy article from the summer of 2026, there is a good chance part of it is already out of date. The Landlord and Tenant Board announced a second wave of changes in its operational update of September 21, 2026, and several of them reshape how landlords and tenants plan an eviction. This guide covers each change, who it affects, and what to do about it. We have linked each topic to our detailed guides so you can go deeper.

The changes at a glance

The LTB’s own summary is in its operational update.

1. N4: seven days instead of fourteen

For an N4 given on or after September 21, 2026, the termination date must be at least seven days after the notice is served. The LTB has also released an updated N4. Mail still adds days under the deemed-service rule, so a mailed notice takes longer than a hand-delivered one. A seven-day N4 does not mean a seven-day eviction: the landlord still has to file an L1, attend a hearing and enforce an order. See our full walk-through in N4 Notice Ontario: Seven Days to Pay.

For landlords: serve the right form, keep exact rent records, and be ready to file the L1 the day after the termination date. For tenants: the window to pay and cancel the notice is shorter, so open your mail the day it arrives and call the landlord right away.

2. The 50% arrears rule

At an arrears hearing, a tenant often wants to raise problems such as repairs not done or harassment. For L1 applications filed on or after September 21, 2026, a tenant who wants those issues considered must give the landlord and the LTB a written description at least seven days before the hearing and pay the landlord half of the arrears claimed by the same deadline.

Example: if the landlord claims $5,550 in arrears, the tenant needs to pay $2,775 at least seven days before the hearing to raise the other issues. Tenants who cannot meet the deadline can still dispute the arrears and present payment evidence, but the other issues may not be heard. If you have a repair complaint, send written notice and keep copies early; our guide on maintenance responsibility explains what to document.

3. N12: 120 days removes the compensation requirement

An N12 lets a landlord end a tenancy so the landlord, a family member or a caregiver can live in the unit. Before September 21, a landlord had to pay one month’s rent or offer another acceptable unit. For N12 notices served on or after September 21, 2026, a landlord who gives at least 120 days’ notice no longer has to do either. If the landlord gives less than 120 days, the existing compensation rules still apply. The change does not apply to N12 notices for a purchaser’s own use.

• Landlords: if you are not in a hurry, 120 days may save a month’s rent. If you need the unit sooner, compensation remains the route.
• Tenants: you are no longer entitled to compensation just because you got an N12. Check the date on the notice and count the days.
• Everyone: an N12 does not end the tenancy by itself. The landlord needs an L3 application and an LTB order if the tenant does not leave.

See our guide to the N12 eviction notice for the full process, and note that the compensation section of older posts may predate these changes.

4. The 60-day move-in expectation

From September 21, the landlord or the intended occupant (such as an immediate family member or caregiver) must normally take occupancy within 60 days of the date in the N12. If they do not, the LTB presumes the notice was given in bad faith if the tenant files a T5 application. The landlord can try to rebut that presumption at the hearing. This also does not apply to N12 notices for a purchaser’s use.

In practice, a landlord who serves an N12 should have the move-in plan, utilities and timelines ready. Keep evidence of the date of occupancy. A tenant who sees the unit relisted or occupied by someone else should keep screenshots and dates.

5. N13 renovations: stronger move-back rights

When a landlord ends a tenancy through an N13 for renovations or repairs, the tenant has the right to move back once the work is done, at a rent no higher than the landlord could have charged if the tenancy had continued uninterrupted. For a tenant’s written notice given on or after September 21, 2026 that they want to move back, the landlord must:

• tell the tenant in writing, without delay, the estimated date the work will be finished;
• tell the tenant without delay if that estimated date changes;
• tell the tenant in writing when the work is complete and the unit is ready; and
• give the tenant 60 days’ notice to reoccupy where the work is completed on or after September 21, 2026.

If the landlord does not provide the required information or the 60 days, the LTB presumes the landlord failed to honour the tenant’s right of first refusal. The landlord may rebut the presumption at a T5 hearing. Read our guide on the N13 notice in Ontario for the full process.

6. A longer window to file a T5

Tenants who believe a landlord acted in bad faith can file a T5 application. The deadline now depends on the situation: two years after the tenant moved out, or six months after the renovations are finished, whichever is later. This gives tenants displaced for renovations more room to check whether they were really given the chance to return.

What to do now: checklists

If you are a landlord

1. Replace any old N4, N12 or N13 templates with the current LTB versions.
2. Recalculate your arrears timeline using the 7-day N4 and keep a clean rent ledger.
3. Decide before serving an N12 whether 120 days’ notice or shorter notice with compensation fits your plan.
4. Document your move-in plan and date for an own-use N12, and move in within 60 days.
5. Create a written communication plan for N13 tenants: estimated completion, any changes, completion notice, 60 days to reoccupy.
6. Use a paralegal to check forms before service. Small errors can cost weeks.

If you are a tenant

7. Check the form version, the dates and the delivery method of any notice you receive.
8. If you receive an N4, you have a short window to pay in full and cancel it. Pay by a traceable method.
9. If you have repair issues, document them in writing and plan for the 50% payment deadline before an L1 hearing.
10. After an N12 or N13, keep all messages, listings and photos. They matter for a T5.
11. If you want to move back after renovations, give written notice and keep proof it was delivered.
12. Get advice early. Deadlines in this area are strict.

What did not change

• A notice is not an eviction. Only an LTB order, enforced by the Court Enforcement Office, can end a tenancy by force. Read about evictions without notice and what happens if a tenant does not move out.
• Landlords cannot lock tenants out, remove belongings or cut off vital services.
• Rent increases still follow the annual guideline and the N1 process. See the 2026 rent increase guideline.
• Hearings are still decided on evidence, so records matter on both sides.

Other changes have been reported, such as shorter review periods, limits on delaying enforcement and the end of automatic conversion of fixed-term leases. Check the LTB’s current guidance and the RTA text for the exact rules before relying on them.

Frequently asked questions

When did the new Ontario LTB rules take effect?

The latest changes took effect on September 21, 2026. Some earlier Bill 60 and Bill 97 changes took effect on July 1, 2026, according to the LTB.

Is the N4 notice now 7 days in Ontario?

Yes, for N4 notices given on or after September 21, 2026, the minimum notice is 7 days.

Does a landlord still have to pay compensation for an N12?

Not if the notice is for the landlord’s own use and gives at least 120 days. With less than 120 days, the existing compensation rules apply.

Do the changes apply to notices already served?

Many changes depend on the date the notice was given or the application was filed. Check the date on your notice and application.

How long does a tenant have to file a T5 after renovations?

Two years after the tenant moves out or six months after the renovations are finished, whichever is later.

Should I talk to a paralegal?

If you are serving or responding to an N4, N12 or N13, yes. The deadlines are short and the paperwork is strict.

Get help from Legal Edge Paralegal

The rules are new, and the cost of an error is delay. Our landlord paralegals and tenant paralegals prepare notices, file applications and represent clients at the LTB across the GTA. Call 416-371-5365, email info@legaledgeinc.com or contact us. More answers are on our FAQ page.