Rent Arrears at the LTB: What Changed on September 21, 2026

You have an N4 notice in hand, or an L1 application is already on its way to a hearing. Then you learn that the rules for unpaid rent changed on September 21, 2026. The first question is simple: do the new rules apply to your file?

This guide explains two changes to rent arrears matters at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). Both apply to landlords and tenants alike. For each one, we set out what it says, the date that triggers it and the records worth keeping. It is general information about the process, written for both sides.

What rent arrears means

Rent arrears is rent that was due and has not been paid. If rent is due on the first of the month and it is not paid that day, the unpaid amount is in arrears.

Two LTB forms come up most often in an arrears matter:

• The N4, the Notice to End your Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent. A landlord gives it to a tenant. It names the amount owed and a date by which the tenant must pay it. That date is called the termination date.
• The L1, the Application to Evict a Tenant for Non-payment of Rent and to Collect Rent the Tenant Owes. A landlord files it with the LTB.

The N4 comes first and the L1 comes after it. That order matters here, because each change is tied to a different one of those two documents.

What changed on September 21, 2026

Legislative changes took effect on September 21, 2026, and the LTB announced them in its operational update of September 21, 2026. For background on how these reforms developed, see our earlier overview of the changes. The LTB's bulletin is the current source for what is now in effect.

The LTB's update covers several topics. This article deals with the two that affect rent arrears most directly:

1. The N4 notice period for non-payment of rent is now 7 days, down from 14.
2. A tenant who wants to raise other issues at a non-payment hearing must first pay the landlord half of the arrears claimed.

Change one: the N4 notice period is now 7 days

According to the LTB's bulletin, the notice period for an N4 is shortened from 14 to 7 days for notices given on or after September 21, 2026. In practice, the termination date on a new N4 must be at least 7 days after the notice is given to the tenant.

The trigger is the date the notice was given. It is not the date the rent was missed, and it is not the date an application is filed.

For an N4 given before September 21, 2026, the earlier rules still apply. The LTB's brochure If a Tenant Does Not Pay Rent sets them out: at least 14 days where rent is paid monthly or yearly, and at least 7 days where rent is paid daily or weekly. So the change affects monthly and yearly tenancies. For rent paid by the day or the week, the period was already 7 days.

The LTB has also issued an updated N4 form. You can find it on the LTB's forms, filing and fees page.

What each side may want to check

A landlord preparing an N4 now will want the current form, the correct amount owing and a termination date that counts at least 7 days from the day the notice is given. A landlord who gave an N4 before September 21 will want to look at the date it was given and how rent is paid under the tenancy, since both decide which notice period applied.

A tenant who has received an N4 will want to note the date they received it, how it was delivered and the termination date written on it. Those three details show which rule applies to that notice.

Change two: the half-arrears condition for raising other issues

At a hearing about unpaid rent, a tenant may want to raise other concerns, such as maintenance problems. The LTB's bulletin gives maintenance and tenant's rights concerns as examples. A new condition now applies before a tenant can raise those issues.

According to the bulletin, for applications filed on or after September 21, 2026:

• The tenant must pay the landlord half of the rent arrears claimed in the landlord's application.
• The payment must be made at least seven days before the hearing.
• It must go directly to the landlord. It cannot be paid to the LTB in trust.
• The tenant should keep a receipt as proof of payment.

Two points are easy to misread. First, this is a condition for raising other issues at a non-payment hearing. It is not a fee for having a hearing. Second, the trigger is the date the landlord filed the application, not the date of the N4 or the date of the hearing.

The bulletin also notes that an existing requirement continues. A tenant must still give the landlord and the LTB a description of the issues they want to raise at least seven days before the hearing. The LTB's brochure Issues a Tenant can Raise at a Hearing about a Landlord's Application for Non-Payment of Rent explains both steps together.

Two dates decide which rules apply

Because each change has its own trigger, one file can fall under the old rule for one step and the new rule for the other. Two dates are worth confirming on every arrears file:

• The date the N4 was given. On or after September 21, 2026, the 7-day notice period applies. Before that date, the earlier rules apply.
• The date the application was filed. On or after September 21, 2026, the half-arrears condition applies to a tenant who wants to raise other issues. The LTB describes this date in terms of the landlord's rent arrears application.

For example, an N4 given on September 10 for a monthly tenancy was given under the 14-day period. If the landlord's application was then filed on September 30, the filing date falls after September 21, so the half-arrears condition applies if the tenant wants to raise other issues. Checking both dates separately avoids assuming that one date governs the whole file.

The records that matter

Much of an arrears matter turns on dates and amounts. Clear records help both sides explain their position and help the LTB follow the history of the tenancy.

For landlords

• A copy of the N4 as given, with the date it was given and how it was delivered.
• A rent-owing table showing each period, the rent charged, each payment received and the running balance.
• Records of any payments received after the N4 was given, and after the application was filed.
• A record of any payment received from the tenant before the hearing, including the date it arrived.

For tenants

• The N4 you received, with a note of the date and method of delivery.
• Receipts for every rent payment, and bank or e-transfer records that show the date each one was sent.
• If you are raising other issues, a receipt for the half-arrears payment. It should show the amount and the date you paid the landlord.
• A copy of the description of issues you gave to the landlord and the LTB, and the date you gave it.

For the half-arrears payment, the LTB's bulletin says the tenant must pay the landlord at least seven days before the hearing, and that tenants should keep a receipt as proof of payment.

Before and at the hearing

The steps in the week before a hearing are where both changes meet. Seven days before the hearing is the deadline for the half-arrears payment and for the description of issues. Our general guide to what happens at an Ontario LTB hearing explains the hearing process for landlords and tenants.

On the day, have your documents organized and within reach. According to the LTB's brochure Important Information about Your Hearing, your Notice of Hearing gives the date and time of your hearing and includes instructions for joining a virtual hearing. Our list of LTB virtual hearing rooms can also help you find the Zoom link for your hearing.

Some landlords and tenants choose to be represented at the LTB. A licensed paralegal can prepare documents, review dates and appear at the hearing. You can read about the services AI Paralegal Services offers, including LTB representation for landlords and tenants.

Common questions

Does the 7-day notice period apply to an N4 I received in August?

No. According to the LTB, the 7-day period applies to N4 notices given on or after September 21, 2026. An N4 given in August falls under the earlier rules. For rent paid monthly or yearly, that meant at least 14 days. For rent paid daily or weekly, it was already 7 days.

Is the half-arrears payment a fee for getting a hearing?

No. It is a condition a tenant must meet to raise other issues, such as maintenance concerns, at a hearing about unpaid rent. The LTB bulletin says it applies to applications filed on or after September 21, 2026.

Can the half-arrears payment be made to the LTB?

No. The LTB's bulletin says the payment must go directly to the landlord and cannot be paid to the LTB in trust. It must be made at least seven days before the hearing, and the tenant should keep a receipt.

Where can I read the official rules?

Start with the LTB's September 21, 2026 operational update. The LTB has also updated Interpretation Guideline 11: Rent Arrears, and the current forms are on its forms, filing and fees page.

If you are unsure how the changes apply to your dates

The dates on your documents decide which rules apply, and each file is different. If you have an N4 or an L1 application and are unsure how the September 21 changes apply to your dates, AI Paralegal Services can review your documents with you. Contact us to arrange a consultation.

This article is general information about Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board procedure as of September 2026. It is not legal advice about your situation, and reading it does not create a paralegal-client relationship. Rules and forms change, so check the LTB's current sources, and speak with a licensed legal professional about your own matter.