Tenant Lawyer Toronto
Know Your Rights. Protect Your Home.
Legal Solutions Law Firm represents tenants throughout Toronto in disputes before the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) under Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act — illegal entry, repair and maintenance disputes, unlawful rent increases, harassment, and eviction notices. Free consultation, available 24/7.
Toronto Tenant Rights & Representation
A Lawyer on Your Side of the LTB
Ontario tenants have real, enforceable rights under the Residential Tenancies Act — to a safe and habitable home, to privacy, to fair treatment, and to due process before any eviction. Legal Solutions Law Firm represents tenants throughout Toronto in asserting those rights before the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB).
Whether your landlord has refused to make repairs, entered your unit without proper notice, raised your rent beyond what the law allows, or served you a notice you believe is unfair, the LTB has a specific application and process for your situation. Navigating it on your own — against a landlord who may already have a paralegal or lawyer — puts you at a real disadvantage.
A free consultation costs nothing, and if you decide to retain us, flexible payment plans mean cost is never a barrier to protecting your home.
We prepare and file T1, T2, T5, and T6 tenant applications, and represent you at hearings before the Landlord and Tenant Board.
Received an N4, N5, or N12? We review it for defects and advise on your strongest response — see our dedicated eviction defence page.
Many disputes resolve without a hearing once a landlord hears from a lawyer. We negotiate assertively on your behalf.
No hourly billing. You know your total cost upfront, and flexible payment plans mean representation is never out of reach.
How We Help
Related Landlord & Tenant Services in Toronto
Already facing a filed eviction application, or looking for the firm's full landlord and tenant services? Start here:
Tenant Eviction Defence
Already served with an N4, N5, N12, or N13? Our dedicated eviction defence page covers challenging notices, raising s.83 relief, and LTB hearing defence in depth.
Learn more →Landlord & Tenant Law (Both Sides)
Our main landlord and tenant hub, covering LTB representation for both landlords and tenants across Toronto and the GTA.
Learn more →What We Handle
Tenant Matters We Resolve
We represent tenants across the full spectrum of LTB matters. If you do not see your issue listed, call us — we can help.
Our Approach
How We Handle Your Matter
Call us anytime — 24/7. We listen to what is happening, explain your rights under the Residential Tenancies Act, and outline the best path forward.
We review your lease, notices, and any correspondence with your landlord to build a complete picture of your legal position.
We assess whether the right move is a formal LTB application, a firm letter to your landlord, or a defence to a notice you have received.
We prepare and file your T-application or your response to a landlord's application, with supporting evidence organized and ready.
We represent you before the Landlord and Tenant Board — presenting your case, cross-examining the landlord's evidence, and advancing every argument available to you.
A Board order is only the beginning. We advise on what happens next — whether that is enforcement, compliance, or your options if the other side does not follow the order.
Plain Language Legal Guide
Tenant Rights in Ontario — What You Need to Know
Your Right to a Safe, Habitable Home
Landlords in Ontario are legally required to maintain rental units in a good state of repair and fit for habitation, regardless of what the lease says. This covers issues like mould, pest infestations, broken heating, and plumbing problems.
If your landlord refuses to make necessary repairs, you can file a T6 application with the LTB, which can order repairs, a rent reduction, or compensation.
Rent Increases — What's Legal
For most residential rental units, your landlord can only raise rent once every 12 months, must give at least 90 days' written notice, and cannot exceed the annual Rent Increase Guideline except through an approved above-guideline application.
Units first occupied for residential purposes after November 15, 2018 are exempt from rent control — but a landlord still needs proper notice to raise the rent.
Privacy & Entry Rights
Your landlord generally cannot enter your unit without giving you at least 24 hours' written notice stating the reason, and can only enter between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. There are limited exceptions, such as genuine emergencies.
Repeated entry without proper notice can be addressed through a T2 application for substantial interference with your reasonable enjoyment of the unit.
Harassment & Interference
Landlords are prohibited from harassing, threatening, or otherwise interfering with your reasonable enjoyment of your home. This can include repeated unwanted entries, threats, or pressure tactics meant to force you out.
If this is happening to you, document every incident with dates and details. A T2 application can seek an order to stop the conduct and compensation for what you have experienced.
If You've Been Served an Eviction Notice
A notice is not an eviction. Your landlord must follow a strict legal process — serving the correct notice, filing an LTB application, and obtaining an order — before you can lawfully be required to leave, and only the Sheriff can enforce that order.
For a full breakdown of eviction notices and how to defend against one, see our dedicated tenant eviction defence page.
Lease, Sublet & Deposit Rights
A verbal lease is still legally binding in Ontario, though a written agreement offers more protection for both sides. Any lease clause that attempts to waive a right you have under the Residential Tenancies Act is void and unenforceable.
Tenants generally have the right to sublet or assign their tenancy with the landlord's consent, which cannot be unreasonably withheld — and any last month's rent deposit collected must be applied only to your last month, with annual interest.
Free Legal Tools
Tenant Calculators & Wizards
Working out a notice deadline or checking whether a rent increase is legal? These free tools and tenant guides can help:
From Our Tenant Insights
Facing a Landlord Dispute? Call Us Today.
Whether you need advice, a formal LTB application, or representation at a hearing — Legal Solutions Law Firm is here to protect your rights as a tenant. Call or text anytime.
Why Legal Solutions
Experience on Both Sides of the Board
Legal Solutions Law Firm represents both landlords and tenants at the LTB — which means we know exactly how landlords build their cases, because we have built them ourselves. That insight is a real advantage when asserting your rights as a tenant.
With over 15 years at the Ontario Bar, Ryan Manilla brings serious legal experience to every tenant matter. We treat every client's situation with the individual attention it deserves.
Client Testimonials
What Our Clients Say
I had such a stressful time trying to find legal help. I felt lost and hopeless when I got a notice to appear at the LTB. When I found Ryan, he stepped up and defended me. He’s knowledgeable about both the LTB and criminal law, and most importantly he’s tough! Exactly what I was looking for. I’m so glad I found him.
Ryan is a tough lawyer who defended us during a very difficult time. He helped me with a Landlord and Tenant Board issue. People told me to get a paralegal, but the ones I contacted either wouldn’t help or couldn’t communicate well in English. When I found Ryan, he explained the situation clearly and told me what to do. He showed up to the hearing tough and ready to go. I’m so glad I found him!
I wish I could add five more stars to show how happy we are with the legal services of Ryan J. Manilla and his team. They took charge of our legal matters, worked tirelessly on short notice, and delivered outstanding legal documents on time. Their teamwork, professionalism, patience, and understanding of our situation gave us tremendous peace of mind. Most importantly, we sleep better at night knowing that we are in good hands, with a legal team that has the expertise and compassion to handle sensitive matters with care.
I had a great experience working with Ryan at Legal Solutions. He is professional, responsive, and very knowledgeable. Any time I had questions, he got back to me quickly and provided practical advice. I wouldn’t hesitate to use him again.
I was going through anxiety not knowing what to expect with my case. Ryan explained everything simply and stood up for me at my hearing. I’m really thankful for his help!
One of the best. Well poised, smart articulate. Know his stuff and one of the best lawyer out there to work with.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Representing Tenants Across the Greater Toronto Area
From My Experience: The Tenant Cases That Are Won Before the Hearing
Written by Ryan J. Manilla, BA, JD — Principal, Legal Solutions Law Firm. 15+ years at the Ontario Bar | Last reviewed: September 16, 2026.
Most tenants who call me are already stressed by the time we speak — a notice has arrived, a landlord has stopped responding, or something has been going on for months and they finally decide to act. What I tell almost every one of them is the same thing: the strongest tenant cases are usually built long before a hearing date exists, and they are built with paper. A dated log of every time your landlord entered without notice. A copy of every text where a repair was promised and never done. A photo taken the day you noticed the mould, not three months later. The LTB is a documents-driven process, and tenants who arrive with a clear, dated record are simply in a stronger position than tenants who arrive with only a story, however true it is.
The issue I see most often is tenants waiting too long to act, usually because they assume a single incident is not "enough" to justify calling a lawyer. A landlord entering once without notice, on its own, may not go anywhere. A landlord entering four times over two months, each one logged with a date and time, is a real T2 application with a real chance of a rent abatement. The pattern is the case — which is exactly why I tell tenants to start writing things down from the first incident, not the fifth.
The other pattern worth mentioning: tenants who assume that because their landlord is bigger, more experienced, or already has a paralegal, the outcome is decided in advance. It is not. The Residential Tenancies Act applies the same way regardless of who is on the other side of the hearing room, and a poorly documented, badly served application from an experienced landlord can still fail on the same technical grounds as one from a first-time landlord. I offer a free consultation to every tenant who contacts me, and flat-fee representation once we take a case, so that cost is never the reason someone goes into a hearing unrepresented. Call 416-274-2222.
Speak With a Tenant Lawyer Today
Whether you need advice, a formal application, or hearing representation, Legal Solutions Law Firm is ready to help. Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation — available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.