Renting in the Winter: Your Rights As a Tenant in Ontario
Dec 6, 2024
Written by
Written by
Brianna Harrison (Credit Card & Travel Writer)
Brianna Harrison (Credit Card & Travel Writer)
Table of contents
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Title
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The colder weather is here, so it's important to understand your rights as a tenant in Ontario during the winter. You should know the minimum temperature your rental unit must be kept at, the eviction rules, and the steps to take if your landlord doesn’t meet their obligations.
In this article, we’ll cover the common questions you might have about renting in the winter and guide you on who to contact if issues arise. Everything we’ll discuss applies to tenancies covered under the Ontario Residential Tenancies Act, where you don’t share a kitchen or bathroom with your landlord.
If you do live with your landlord and share a kitchen or bathroom, these rules do not apply.
Tenant Rights in the Winter in Ontario
In Ontario, there are minimum requirements for heating, which you can find in your city’s municipal bylaws. Here’s what you need to know about heating and evictions in the winter:
Landlord Heating Requirements in Ontario
By law, landlords must ensure rental properties are fit for living and keep the rental unit at an adequate temperature in winter.
While there is no legal temperature requirement for tenants in Ontario across the board, all cities have a minimum indoor temperature requirement, which you can find in the municipality’s bylaws.
In Toronto, the landlord must provide heat between September 15th and May 31st, and the minimum temperature should be at least 21 degrees Celsius. Toronto’s bylaws also say that there must be an adequate hot water supply between 45 and 60 degrees Celsius.
If your landlord has not turned on the heating and it’s cold, contact them. They must respond to your urgent request for heat within 24 hours. If you’re in Toronto and they don’t turn the heat on, you can call 311 to submit a complaint to the city’s licensing and standards office.
Can You Be Evicted in the Winter in Ontario?
Even though it can be freezing cold outside, there is no special rule about evictions in the winter. Landlords can legally evict a tenant if they believe you have not complied with certain rental terms, such as non-payment of rent or disturbing other residents.
However, the Landlord Tenant Board may extend the lease termination date due to the issues that eviction in the winter may cause. For example, if there is a major snowstorm or it’s really cold outside, they may not expect you to move out right away–but this is on a case-by-case basis.
Read this article for more information about evictions in Ontario.
Common Q&A’s About Renting in the Winter
Here are a few common questions you might have about renting in the winter in Ontario:
If the landlord doesn’t fix my heating, can I withhold rent?
No. You can never withhold rent, even if your landlord does not fix a major issue, make repairs, or heat your apartment to a comfortable temperature. If you don’t pay rent, you’re at risk of being evicted.
If you have tried to contact your landlord multiple times and they have not fixed your heating, you can file a T2 application with the LTB.
If you need to leave your rental unit because it is too cold and you decide to stay at a hotel, keep all your receipts and send them to the LTB along with your application. They may be able to reimburse you, but again, this is on a case-by-case basis.
If you need help with other less urgent maintenance issues, you can file a T6 application with the LTB.
Who is responsible for snow removal?
Your landlord is responsible for clearing the snow from the property in a reasonable amount of time. For example, in Toronto, they must remove the snow within 24 hours of the snowfall. However, this depends on the city and municipal bylaws.
What can I do if I find mould in my home?
Mould can be caused by moisture problems, including snow melting indoors, plumbing issues, and window condensation. If you find mould in your home, it is a health hazard, and you should contact your landlord.
If they do not respond, you can contact 311 (in Toronto) or submit an application to the LTB.
Can my landlord turn off the heat?
Generally, your landlord should not turn off or block access to any vital service, including heat. However, they may need to shut it off for a few hours to make necessary repairs–but they must give you advance notice.
Again, if your landlord shuts off the heat for an extended period without telling you, contact the LTB.
We hope you never have to deal with a landlord who does not provide heating or tries to evict you in the winter. All in all, our advice is to try to talk to them, and if that doesn’t work, contact the LTB.
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The colder weather is here, so it's important to understand your rights as a tenant in Ontario during the winter. You should know the minimum temperature your rental unit must be kept at, the eviction rules, and the steps to take if your landlord doesn’t meet their obligations.
In this article, we’ll cover the common questions you might have about renting in the winter and guide you on who to contact if issues arise. Everything we’ll discuss applies to tenancies covered under the Ontario Residential Tenancies Act, where you don’t share a kitchen or bathroom with your landlord.
If you do live with your landlord and share a kitchen or bathroom, these rules do not apply.
Tenant Rights in the Winter in Ontario
In Ontario, there are minimum requirements for heating, which you can find in your city’s municipal bylaws. Here’s what you need to know about heating and evictions in the winter:
Landlord Heating Requirements in Ontario
By law, landlords must ensure rental properties are fit for living and keep the rental unit at an adequate temperature in winter.
While there is no legal temperature requirement for tenants in Ontario across the board, all cities have a minimum indoor temperature requirement, which you can find in the municipality’s bylaws.
In Toronto, the landlord must provide heat between September 15th and May 31st, and the minimum temperature should be at least 21 degrees Celsius. Toronto’s bylaws also say that there must be an adequate hot water supply between 45 and 60 degrees Celsius.
If your landlord has not turned on the heating and it’s cold, contact them. They must respond to your urgent request for heat within 24 hours. If you’re in Toronto and they don’t turn the heat on, you can call 311 to submit a complaint to the city’s licensing and standards office.
Can You Be Evicted in the Winter in Ontario?
Even though it can be freezing cold outside, there is no special rule about evictions in the winter. Landlords can legally evict a tenant if they believe you have not complied with certain rental terms, such as non-payment of rent or disturbing other residents.
However, the Landlord Tenant Board may extend the lease termination date due to the issues that eviction in the winter may cause. For example, if there is a major snowstorm or it’s really cold outside, they may not expect you to move out right away–but this is on a case-by-case basis.
Read this article for more information about evictions in Ontario.
Common Q&A’s About Renting in the Winter
Here are a few common questions you might have about renting in the winter in Ontario:
If the landlord doesn’t fix my heating, can I withhold rent?
No. You can never withhold rent, even if your landlord does not fix a major issue, make repairs, or heat your apartment to a comfortable temperature. If you don’t pay rent, you’re at risk of being evicted.
If you have tried to contact your landlord multiple times and they have not fixed your heating, you can file a T2 application with the LTB.
If you need to leave your rental unit because it is too cold and you decide to stay at a hotel, keep all your receipts and send them to the LTB along with your application. They may be able to reimburse you, but again, this is on a case-by-case basis.
If you need help with other less urgent maintenance issues, you can file a T6 application with the LTB.
Who is responsible for snow removal?
Your landlord is responsible for clearing the snow from the property in a reasonable amount of time. For example, in Toronto, they must remove the snow within 24 hours of the snowfall. However, this depends on the city and municipal bylaws.
What can I do if I find mould in my home?
Mould can be caused by moisture problems, including snow melting indoors, plumbing issues, and window condensation. If you find mould in your home, it is a health hazard, and you should contact your landlord.
If they do not respond, you can contact 311 (in Toronto) or submit an application to the LTB.
Can my landlord turn off the heat?
Generally, your landlord should not turn off or block access to any vital service, including heat. However, they may need to shut it off for a few hours to make necessary repairs–but they must give you advance notice.
Again, if your landlord shuts off the heat for an extended period without telling you, contact the LTB.
We hope you never have to deal with a landlord who does not provide heating or tries to evict you in the winter. All in all, our advice is to try to talk to them, and if that doesn’t work, contact the LTB.
If you’re renting in Canada, use Chexy to pay your rent with your credit card and earn rewards on your biggest monthly expense. You could earn points, cashback, or miles that you can turn into free flights, hotel stays, and more.
Subscribe to our newsletter below for up-to-date credit card, travel, and rental content.