General information, not legal advice. This guide explains how Ontario residential-tenancy law generally works. It is not legal advice and may not fit your exact situation — the rules and timelines change. For a binding answer, confirm on the LTB website or talk to our licensed paralegals.
The safe path
- Identify the correct notice for your situation (see the overview).
- Serve it correctly and keep proof of service.
- Give the tenant the chance to comply where the notice allows it.
- If they don't, apply to the LTB with the matching application and attend the hearing.
- If the LTB orders eviction and the tenant still doesn't leave, only the Sheriff enforces it.
Never do this
Don't change the locks, remove belongings, or shut off utilities to force a tenant out — these are illegal in Ontario and can result in serious penalties. The LTB is the only legal route.
Want this handled for you?
OLH Property Management’s licensed paralegals and Realtors® can manage the whole tenancy — notices, LTB filings, screening and rent collection. Or run it yourself with LandlordEzy, which includes an LTB order database and AI tools.
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