Plain-language overview
Under Ontario law, landlords are generally responsible for keeping rental units and buildings in a good state of repair, fit for habitation, and compliant with health, safety, housing, and maintenance standards. This duty generally applies even if the tenant knew about a problem before moving in, and even if the lease tries to shift repairs onto the tenant.
Tenants have responsibilities too: generally, keeping the unit ordinarily clean and repairing or paying for damage caused deliberately or negligently by the tenant, their guests, or other occupants. Normal wear and tear is generally not tenant damage.
The most common mistake tenants make is withholding rent to force repairs. Withholding rent is risky and can lead to an eviction application for non-payment, even when the repair complaint is legitimate. There are safer, recognized routes: written requests, municipal property standards complaints, and tenant applications to the Landlord and Tenant Board.
Documentation usually decides these cases. A dated record of the problem, your requests, and the landlord's responses (or silence) is far more persuasive than memory. Photos, videos, and written requests — kept in original form — matter more than how upset anyone was.
If a condition is dangerous — no heat in winter, gas smells, exposed wiring, sewage, or serious water damage — the situation may be urgent. Municipal inspectors, utility emergency lines, and in some cases emergency services may be the right first call. See the urgent exceptions below.
Common warning signs
None of these prove anything on their own — but they are worth noticing and writing down when they happen.
- Repeated repair requests that get verbal promises but no action.
- The landlord only responds when rent is due, or ties repairs to demands (for example, agreeing to repairs only if you accept a rent increase).
- Problems affecting health or safety: mould, pests, no heat, unsafe wiring, broken locks, or water leaks.
- The landlord blames you for pre-existing conditions or normal wear and tear.
- You are told to do or pay for repairs the landlord is generally responsible for.
- Workers enter without proper notice, or repairs are started and abandoned for long periods.
- The landlord discourages you from calling the city or an inspector.
Facts that matter
These are the details a legal clinic, representative, or the Landlord and Tenant Board will usually want to know. Pinning them down early makes every later step easier.
- When each problem started, when you first reported it, and how you reported it.
- Whether requests were in writing — written requests are much easier to prove.
- How the problem affects daily life: rooms you cannot use, belongings damaged, health effects.
- What the landlord said or did in response, and how long each response took.
- Whether a municipal inspector has visited and whether any order or notice was issued.
- Any costs you have paid because of the problem — repairs, cleaning, replacement items, higher utility bills.
- Whether the condition existed at move-in, and what the unit looked like then.
Evidence to preserve
Preserve originals — never edit photos, messages, or documents. The Evidence Vault and Timeline tools are built for exactly this.
- Dated photos and videos of each problem, taken over time to show duration.
- Every written repair request — texts, emails, letters, and portal tickets — with dates.
- The landlord's replies, including promises, refusals, and silence (keep the whole thread).
- Receipts for anything you paid for because of the problem.
- Municipal inspection reports, work orders, or bylaw notices, if any.
- Medical notes if the condition affected anyone's health (for example, asthma and mould).
- Names and contact information of witnesses, contractors, or neighbours who saw the conditions.
- A dated log of events — the Repair Tracker is designed for exactly this.
Possible official processes
Depending on your facts, one or more of these processes may apply. Whether and how to use them is a decision worth making with a qualified legal professional — deadlines and exceptions may apply.
A written repair request to the landlord is generally the recognized first step and creates the paper trail later processes rely on.
Most municipalities have property standards or bylaw enforcement offices that can inspect rental housing and may issue orders requiring repairs.
A tenant can generally apply to the LTB about maintenance problems (commonly using a tenant maintenance application). The Board may order repairs, rent abatements, or compensation in appropriate cases. Time limits generally apply.
For issues involving vital services like heat or water, additional processes may apply — see the Utilities and Services topic.
Urgent exceptions
Act quickly if this applies
Act quickly if this applies
Important exceptions
Almost every rule above has exceptions. These are the ones most likely to change the picture — a qualified legal professional should confirm how they apply to your situation.
- Tenants are generally responsible for damage they or their guests cause deliberately or through negligence — that is not the landlord's repair duty.
- In some situations tenants agree in writing to specific obligations (like lawn care) — whether such agreements are enforceable can depend on the details.
- Withholding rent is not a recognized self-help remedy in Ontario and can put your tenancy at risk even when the complaint is valid.
Official sources
Related tools
Tools that help you document, track, and organize this kind of issue.
This is legal information, not legal advice. RTO Pro is not a law firm. Deadlines and exceptions may apply to your situation — a qualified legal professional should confirm anything important before you rely on it.