New Ontario landlord — top 5 things to know before your first tenant

Five things every new Ontario landlord needs to know on day one:

**1. Use the Standard Lease (Form 2229E).** The Ontario Residential Tenancy Agreement is mandatory for most tenancies. If you don't use it, the tenant has 21 days from request to receive it; if you still don't provide it, the tenant can withhold one month's rent. Stuff this into a digital signing flow on day one.

**2. The LMR deposit is the ONLY deposit.** You can collect one month's rent as a "last month's rent" deposit. You CANNOT collect a damage deposit, pet deposit, key deposit beyond actual key replacement cost, or any other deposit. Charging an illegal deposit is grounds for the tenant to recover it plus interest.

**3. Rent increases require 90 days notice on Form N1.** You can't increase rent verbally. You can't increase rent without 12 months between increases. You can't increase rent in the first 12 months. The annual guideline (set by the province) caps most increases unless the unit is post-Nov-2018 first occupancy.

**4. You can't enter the unit on your own.** Except in emergencies, you need to give 24 hours written notice between 8am-8pm. Tenant doesn't have to be home, but you can't enter for any reason without proper notice. Repeat unauthorized entry = T2 application against you + damages.

**5. Every dispute eventually goes through the LTB.** You can't withhold property, change locks, or evict without an LTB order. "Self-help" eviction is illegal in Ontario and the LTB will award the tenant compensation if you try.

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