Thursday, December 04, 2008

Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) in Ontario Summary and Explanation

I posted this page on my website last week, but thought it would be a good idea to blog about it.

This is an important issue when it comes to lanlord and tenant issues and The Residential Tenancies Act is now the law in Ontario.

Statutory law for residential tenancies in Ontario now comes under The Residential Tenancies Act (2006), replacing the Tenant Protection Act.

This new statute became effective on January 21, 2007

The major changes under the residential tenancies act (2006) effective January 31, 2007 are

  • The Landlord and Tenant Board is responsible for all matters regulated under the residential tenancies act, there is a local office here in Mississauga and Toronto
  • The landlord must give new tenants a pamphlet with information on the responsibilities of landlords and tenants, the role of the Landlord and the Tenant Board and contact details for the board. The pamphlet is available through the Landlord and Tenant Board or at this link: http://www.ltb.gov.on.ca/graphics/249749.pdf
  • The landlord can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for any justifiable increase in rent by more than the rent control guideline, if taxes, charges, or utilities have increased. If utility costs or taxes go down, the rent must also go down.
  • IF the rent increase application is for capital expenditures or security services, there is a limit or three percent above the guideline for a maximum of three years. Once the capital expenditure is fully paid for, the rent must go down for any tenants who were living there at the time of the increase.
  • At a hearing for a rental increase above the guideline, the board can decide to deny or delay the rent increase if there are serious outstanding maintenance issues for work orders on the property
  • The annual rent increase guideline is based on the Ontario Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is the rate of inflations.
  • The rate of interest that a landlord must pay to a tenant on a last month's rent deposit every year is the same as the annual rent increase guideline and landlords can use the interest to top up the last month's rent to keep it current.
  • There is a shorter eviction process for tenants who cause wilful or excessive damage to a rental unit or building. This shorter process also applies to tenants who cause a disturbance in a small rental building where the landlord also resides. The notice period to the tenant is shortened to 10 days from the previous 20 days. Landlords can apply to the board for an eviction notice immediately after serving the notice.
  • Except for a notice for non-payment of rent, when a notice of termination has been served on the tenant, the landlord must apply to the board for an order terminating the tenancy not later than 30 days after the date specified in the notice of termination.
Even thought het Residential Tenancies Act has replaced the Tenant Protection Act, the bulk of the legislation regarding notice periods for termination remains unchanged.

You may find additional information regarding the Landlord and Tenant Board, all of their forms and information is available online at:

http://www.ltb.gov.on.ca/en/index.html

You can read more about this at my website too:
http://www.mississauga4sale.com/Landlord-Tenant-Board-FAQ-2007.htm

This article above is shown at this page of my site:
http://www.mississauga4sale.com/Landlord-Tenant-Residental-Tenancy-Act.htm

Please email me if you have any further questions or require information.

Thank you,
Mark

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