You keep asking. They keep ignoring you.
In Ontario, your landlord must keep your home in good repair and fit to live in — even if your rent is low. Here's what's actually true, and the safe way to make it happen.
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In 30 seconds, here's what's true
- Your landlord must keep your unit in a good state of repair and fit to live in. This is the law, and it cannot be signed away — even if you knew about the problem before you moved in.
- Heat, water, electricity, and gas are "vital services." Your landlord cannot cut them off or let them fail — even if you owe rent. In most of Ontario, heat must be at least 20°C from September 1 to June 15.
- Toronto sets a higher standard: at least 21°C from October 1 to May 15. Other cities have their own rules, so check your municipality's bylaw.
- You can file a form called a T6 with the Landlord and Tenant Board. The Board can order repairs, refund part of your rent, and order your landlord to pay you back — up to $50,000.
- One warning before anything else: do not stop paying rent. Withholding rent will not fix the problem and can get you evicted. There is a safe, legal route instead, and it's below.
The steps your landlord must follow
Put it in writing
Email or text your landlord. List each problem and the date it started. Keep a copy of everything you send. A written record is what the Board will want to see later — a phone call leaves no proof.
Take proof now
Photos and short videos of every issue, with dates. Save any reply from your landlord — or note the silence. If a repair person comes and doesn't fix it, write down when. Keep receipts for anything you had to buy.
Call your city's bylaw office
Most cities have a property standards or bylaw enforcement office (in Toronto, call 311). An inspector can come out and order your landlord to fix the problem. This is free, and the order is strong evidence if you go to the Board.
File a T6 with the Landlord and Tenant Board
The T6 is the "Tenant Application about Maintenance." You can file it online through the Tribunals Ontario Portal for $48, or by mail or in person for $53. If money is tight, ask for a fee waiver. You generally have up to one year from when the problem happened.
Keep paying rent — and go to your hearing
Paying rent keeps you safe from a separate eviction for non-payment. Bring your written requests, photos, and receipts. The Board decides what your landlord owes you — repairs, money back, or both.
What to do next
- Send one clear written repair request (email or text) listing every problem, and save it.
- Start a simple log: the date, the problem, and what happened (or didn't).
- Take dated photos or video of each issue today.
- Look up your city's heat and property standards bylaw online.
- Call 311 or your local bylaw office and ask for an inspection.
- Keep every receipt for anything you had to buy or pay to fix yourself.
- Keep paying your rent, so you can't be evicted for non-payment while you fight this.
- Start your free PLAIN session to organize the details for your T6.
Common myths
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| I can withhold rent until they fix it. | No. Ontario does not allow this, and stopping rent can get you evicted for non-payment. The legal route is a T6 application — and the Board can order a rent refund instead. |
| I signed the lease knowing it was broken, so I can't complain. | The repair duty cannot be waived. The law applies even if you knew about the problem before you moved in, and even if your rent is below market. |
| I just have to live with no heat. | Heat is a protected vital service. Your landlord cannot let it fail. Report it to your city's bylaw office and you can file a T6 — even if you owe rent. |
| If I complain, they'll just evict me for it. | A revenge eviction is not allowed. If the real reason for an eviction is that you complained or enforced your rights, the Board must refuse it. A genuine N12 or N13 is different. |
| The landlord only has to fix big structural things. | "Good state of repair" covers far more — appliances they provided, plumbing, pests, mould, broken windows and locks, and more. |
| I can fix it myself and take it off my rent. | Ontario has no general "repair and deduct" rule. You can only be reimbursed if the Board authorizes it through a T6. Deducting on your own risks an eviction. |
| Low rent means fewer rights. | Wrong. The legal minimum standards apply at every rent level. A cheap unit must still be safe and in good repair. |
| It's too late — this started months ago. | You usually have up to one year to file a T6 about a maintenance problem. Even an ongoing issue from months back can often still be raised. |
Last reviewed June 2026
Written and reviewed by the founder of PLAIN, checked against primary government and legal sources. How we research these guides
Sources
PLAIN gives legal information, not legal advice. It is not a substitute for a lawyer or paralegal — and we'll point you to free ones. Laws change; we review these pages regularly, but always confirm current rules with the Landlord and Tenant Board.
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