- Landlords must keep the unit in a good state of repair and comply with health, safety, and maintenance standards — this duty applies even if you accepted the unit “as is.”
- Do not withhold rent to force repairs — that can get you evicted for non-payment. Pay rent and pursue the repair through the proper channels.
- Report problems in writing and keep copies — a paper trail is the single most important thing in a repair dispute.
- A T6 application to the Landlord and Tenant Board can order repairs, a rent abatement, and reimbursement for out-of-pocket costs.
- For urgent health-and-safety issues, your municipal property standards / bylaw enforcement office can inspect and order the landlord to comply.
The Short Answer
Ontario landlords have a legal duty to keep rental units in a good state of repair and to meet health, safety, and maintenance standards. If your landlord ignores repairs, the correct response is not to withhold rent — that can get you evicted. Instead, report the problem in writing, keep records, and if it is not fixed, file a T6 application with the Landlord and Tenant Board, which can order the repair plus a rent abatement. For urgent health-and-safety issues, municipal bylaw enforcement can also step in. If a landlord is stonewalling you, our landlord and tenant lawyers can help you enforce the obligation the right way.
The Landlord's Repair Obligation
Under the Residential Tenancies Act, the landlord is responsible for maintaining the unit and the building in a good state of repair, fit for habitation, and in compliance with health, safety, housing, and maintenance standards. Crucially, this duty applies even if the tenant knew about the problem before moving in — a tenant does not sign away repair rights by accepting a unit in poor condition.
The obligation is not limited to floods and no-heat situations. Persistent pests, broken appliances the landlord supplied, mould, failing plumbing, and unsafe common areas can all be maintenance issues the landlord must address.
Why You Should Never Withhold Rent
This is the single most common — and most damaging — mistake tenants make. Ontario does not give tenants a general right to stop paying rent because repairs are outstanding. If you withhold, the landlord can serve an N4 and apply to evict you for non-payment, and the repair dispute will not automatically save your tenancy. Always keep paying rent and pursue the repair separately.
Even a serious, well-documented repair failure does not entitle you to stop paying. Pay the rent, then claim a rent abatement through a T6 — that way you get compensation without handing the landlord an eviction ground.
Steps to Take, In Order
- Report in writing — email or text describing the problem and asking for a repair, with the date
- Follow up — a second written request if there is no response, keeping copies of everything
- Document — dated photos, videos, and a short log of the impact on you
- Call bylaw enforcement for urgent health-and-safety issues; request an inspection report
- File a T6 if the problem persists, attaching your evidence
The T6 Application to the LTB
A T6 (Tenant Application About Maintenance) asks the Board to find that the landlord breached their maintenance obligations. You describe the problems, how long they lasted, and what you are asking for. The Board weighs the seriousness of the issue and whether the landlord acted reasonably once notified — which is exactly why your written reports and dates matter so much.
What the Board Can Order
- An order requiring the landlord to complete specified repairs by a deadline
- A rent abatement — a past and/or ongoing reduction reflecting the lost use of the unit
- Reimbursement of the tenant's reasonable out-of-pocket expenses
- An order that the tenant may arrange the work and deduct the cost, in appropriate cases
- An administrative fine in serious cases
Municipal Property Standards
Every municipality enforces property standards. For issues that affect health and safety — no heat, pest infestations, unsafe wiring, mould — a complaint to your city's property standards / bylaw enforcement office can result in an inspection and a work order requiring the landlord to fix the problem, often faster than a hearing. A bylaw order is also strong evidence in a later T6.
What Landlords Should Get Right
- Respond to repair requests promptly and in writing
- Keep records of what was reported and when it was fixed
- Do not treat a tenant's complaint as a reason to end the tenancy
- Address health-and-safety issues immediately — delay drives up abatement awards
Common Mistakes
The fastest way to turn a repair problem into an eviction. Pay rent and claim an abatement instead.
Phone calls leave no proof. Put every repair request in writing and keep copies.
Deducting repair costs from rent on your own can be treated as non-payment. Get advice first.
The longer you tolerate a problem in silence, the harder it is to show it was serious. Report early.
If repairs are being ignored, call our Toronto landlord and tenant team at 416-274-2222 before you withhold rent or pay for the work yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, a landlord's obligation to keep the unit in a good state of repair applies even if the tenant was aware of the state of non-repair before entering the tenancy. You do not lose your repair rights by accepting the unit as it was.
No — this is a serious mistake. Withholding rent can lead to an N4 notice and an eviction application for non-payment, even if the landlord is in the wrong on repairs. Keep paying rent and pursue the repair through a T6 application or bylaw enforcement instead.
“Repair and deduct” is risky in Ontario and is not a clearly protected right the way it is in some other places. Deducting from rent without a Board order can be treated as non-payment. The safer path is to pursue reimbursement through a T6 application. Get advice before taking money off the rent.
A T6 is the Landlord and Tenant Board application a tenant files when the landlord has not met their maintenance or repair obligations, or has not complied with health, safety, housing, or maintenance standards. The Board can order repairs, reduce the rent, order the landlord to pay for the tenant's costs, and more.
It depends on how serious the problem is and how long it lasted. Remedies commonly include a rent abatement (a percentage reduction reflecting the loss of use), reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses, and an order requiring the repair. There is no fixed amount — it is tied to the impact on you.
They serve different purposes and you can use both. Municipal property standards / bylaw enforcement can inspect and order urgent health-and-safety repairs relatively quickly. The LTB (through a T6) can order compensation such as a rent abatement. For serious problems, a bylaw complaint plus a T6 is a common combination.
Written requests to the landlord and their responses, dated photos and videos, any bylaw inspection reports, receipts for anything you paid, and a log of how the problem affected your use of the unit. The strength of a T6 usually turns on documentation.
No. Retaliating against a tenant for asserting their rights — including reporting maintenance problems — is not a lawful ground for eviction, and can itself be raised at the Board. If you face pressure after making a complaint, get advice.