Tenant Resources
The provincial Residential Tenancies Act sets out the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants who rent residential properties in Ontario.
Below are resources that tenants may find helpful. Please contact our Intake Line at 416-441-1764 ext. 1 if you need legal advice or information.
Landlord and Tenant Board
The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) resolves:
- disputes between residential landlords and tenants
- eviction applications filed by non-profit housing co-operatives
The LTB also provides information about its practices and procedures and the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants under the Residential Tenancies Act.
Federation of Metro Tenants Associations (FMTA)
The Federation of Metro Tenants’ Associations (FMTA) is a non-profit organization which advocates for better rights for tenants. The FMTA runs a free tenant hotline, hosts tenant workshops and a tenant school, and offer tenant association organizing.
Free tenant hotline: 416-921-9494
www.torontotenants.org
Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO) – Eviction
Information on evictions and the process for tenants
www.cleo.on.ca/en/publications/tenantsaccess/eviction
Steps to Justice – Housing Law
The Steps to Justice website is run by CLEO and has step-by-step information.
https://stepstojustice.ca/questions/housing-law/
City of Toronto Resources for Tenants
This website provides guidance for tenants and landlords on rental housing in the City of Toronto. It aims to address questions that may arise during tenancy, give resources around the rights and responsibilities that tenants and landlords are to expect, and help with navigating the rental process.
The City has also developed an Eviction Prevention Handbook. It is an overview intended to help tenants navigate the general eviction process including what to look out for, templates to use and what your rights are. The handbook is also available in Tamil, Tagalog, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese.
Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (ACTO)
A specialty community legal clinic with a provincial mandate to advance and protect the interests of low-income tenants. We specialize in housing issues related to tenants in Ontario.
www.acto.ca
Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR)
The CCHR is Canada’s leading non-profit organization working to advance the right to housing. They advance the right to housing by serving renters to help them stay housed, providing education and training about housing rights, and advancing rights-based housing policy through research, policy development, advocacy and litigation.
housingrightscanada.com
Rental Housing Enforcement Unit (RHEU)
The RHEU is part of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Its job is to try to make sure landlords and tenants follow the law. You can call the RHEO at 416-585-7214 or toll-free at 1-888-772-9277.
www.ontario.ca/page/solve-disagreement-your-landlord-or-tenant
311 and RentSafeTO
For issues such as pests, low or no heat, plumbing problems, leaky ceilings or problems in the common areas of the building, tenants need to contact their landlord first and submit service requests. Landlords need to respond to urgent service requests, such as no heat or water, within 24 hours. Non-urgent service requests need to be responded to within seven (7) days. If you get no action from your landlord and problems persist, you can contact 311 to have the City investigate.
RentSafeTO: Apartment Building Standards is a bylaw enforcement program that ensures apartment building owners and operators comply with building maintenance standards. The program applies to apartment buildings with three or more storeys and 10 or more units.
Condo buildings, townhomes, or units in a private home (basement or main floor apartment) are not part of the RentSafeTO program. If you are renting an apartment that is not part of the RentSafeTO program and experience a problem, please talk to your landlord first and submit a service request. If you get no action from your landlord and problems persist, please contact 311.
Toronto Rent Bank
Toronto Rent Bank grants provide support to Toronto residents who are behind on their rent or need help with a rental deposit. A partnership between the City of Toronto, Neighbourhood Information Post, and Local Access Centres, Toronto Rent Bank grants ensure that low-income individuals and families are able to stay in their homes and avoid homelessness.
Eligible residents can call the Toronto Rent Bank at 416-397-RENT (7368), Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. for more information and to access rent relief.
Housing Stabilization Fund
The Housing Stabilization Fund (HSF) is intended to prevent homelessness by meeting the emergency housing needs of Toronto residents who receive financial assistance from Ontario Works (OW) and income support from Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) so that they are able to stabilize their housing situation. HSF has been extended to include migrants residing in Toronto under an emergency authorization for humanitarian reasons who are in receipt of Emergency Assistance (EA).
ACORN
ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) Canada is an independent national organization of low- and moderate-income families.