The N7 Notice in Ontario: Serious Problems, 10 Days, and What Each Side Should Know

In Ontario, the N7 is a landlord's notice ending a tenancy because of a serious problem traced to a tenant, a person who lives with the tenant, or a visitor the tenant allowed in. For the landlord, it is the quickest termination notice there is: 10 days, no chance for the tenant to fix things, and an L2 application can follow at once. For the tenant, it means the dispute moves straight to the Landlord and Tenant Board (the LTB), where the landlord has to prove the exact reason ticked on the form.

Quick facts

The four reasons on an N7

The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (the RTA, Ontario's main rental law) supplies the four reasons. Section 63 provides two, and sections 65 and 66 provide one each. All four allow a termination date only 10 days out.

1. Safety (s. 66), Reason 1. Inside the residential complex, an act or omission by the tenant, a fellow occupant or a person the tenant let into the complex seriously impairs, or has seriously impaired, someone's safety.
2. Deliberate damage (s. 63(1)(a)), Reason 2. Any of those same people wilfully (on purpose) did undue damage to the rental unit or to the complex.
3. Non-residential use (s. 63(1)(b)), Reason 3. A use of the unit or complex that does not fit residential premises is doing, or can reasonably be expected to do, damage significantly greater than the level that would support a regular damage notice.
4. Landlord's own building (s. 65), Reason 4. Where the landlord lives in a building that holds no more than three residential units, a tenant, occupant or person let in by them substantially interferes with the landlord's reasonable enjoyment of the building or another lawful right, privilege or interest.

No second chance. A first N5 gives the tenant 7 days to put things right. Those remedy rules are expressly switched off for these notices (ss. 63(3), 65(3)), so an N7 cannot be cancelled by fixing the problem.

Is the N7 the right notice?

It is meant for serious, provable events. The LTB's instructions warn that a landlord relying on Reason 2 must prove at the hearing that the damage was intentional, or the application is dismissed.

Pick a different route if any of these apply:

• ☐ Intent is doubtful. Damage done wilfully or negligently (carelessly) fits an N5, and the N7 instructions themselves point landlords there when in doubt.
• ☐ The landlord lives elsewhere, or the building holds four or more residential units. Reason 4 cannot be used, and interference belongs on an N5 instead.
• ☐ The core problem is illegal activity (trafficking drugs, for instance). That belongs on an N6. One event can fit more than one notice (an assault in the building may be both illegal and a safety issue), but read the warning about mixing notices further down.
• ☐ The landlord also wants repair costs. Use the N7 for the eviction and add the money claim to the L2 (Guideline 10).

Counting the days

Step 1: find the day the notice is "given".

• Handed over, left in the mailbox, or slid under the door: that day.
• Mailed: add 5 days (RTA s. 191(3)).
• Couriered: one day after the courier received it. Where that falls on a weekend or holiday, move to the next business day (Rule 3.9; Rule 1.1 counts weekends as holidays). The instructions describe this as adding one business day.
• Faxed: the date printed on the fax.

Step 2: count at least 10 days. Under Rule 1.13, skip the day of giving but count the termination date itself. The same minimum applies whichever reason is ticked (ss. 63(1), 65(1), 66(2)).

Worked example. Suppose a landlord deals with the notice on Monday, March 9, 2026:

• Handed to the tenant on March 9: earliest termination date is Thursday, March 19.
• Put in the mail on March 9: deemed given March 14, so the earliest date is Tuesday, March 24.
• Handed to a courier on Friday, March 6: the next day is a Saturday, so it counts as given Monday, March 9, and the earliest date is again March 19.

Step 3: watch the filing window. Section 71 lets the landlord file the L2 as soon as the notice has been given; section 69(2) sets the outer limit at 30 days past the termination date. If nothing is filed by then, the notice becomes void, meaning it no longer has any effect (s. 46(1)).

The Board has no power to stretch or shrink these periods (Guideline 10).

Filling in the N7, box by box

At October 31, 2026, the LTB forms page still offers the older-layout N7 with its 2015 instructions; the September 21, 2026 form update did not include it. Download a current copy from the LTB forms page to your computer first, then complete it.

Who it is to, who it is from, and where

• To (Tenant's name): list every tenant living there, and any subtenant or assignee too. Children and visitors are not named.
• From (Landlord's name): the landlord, or every landlord if there is more than one.
• Address of the Rental Unit: there is just one box. Fill in the full address: street, unit or suite or apartment number (or "Basement"), city or town, and postal code.

Termination date

Write a real calendar date (dd/mm/yyyy) that gives the full 10 days plus whatever mail or courier time applies. Printed wording on the form warns the tenant that an application to the Board can be made immediately.

My Reason(s) for Ending your Tenancy

Fully shade the box beside each of Reasons 1 to 4 that fits. Only shade a reason you are ready to prove.

Details About the Reasons for this Notice

This part is a table with a column for date and time and a column for what happened. For each event, cover this checklist from the instructions:

• ☐ whose conduct it was (tenant, another occupant, or a guest);
• ☐ when it happened, to the hour if possible;
• ☐ what took place;
• ☐ who it affected.

Then add what your chosen reason needs:

• Reason 2: what was damaged and the facts that show it was deliberate.
• Reason 3: the use itself, and the serious damage it has done or is likely to do.
• Reason 4: confirm that this is your home too and that the building has no more than three residential units.

Extra pages are fine; serve them together with the notice.

Signature

Mark whether a Landlord or a Representative is signing, print the name and a phone number, and sign with the date.

Representative Information (if applicable)

This block wants the representative's contact details and a box labelled "LSUC #." That label is out of date: the old Law Society of Upper Canada is now called the Law Society of Ontario, and the licence number it issued is what belongs there.

Delivering the notice

Methods the instructions accept:

1. Giving it in person to the tenant or an adult who is in the unit.
2. Leaving it in the mailbox or wherever mail normally arrives.
3. Pushing it under the unit door or through a slot in it.
4. Fax, courier or mail.
5. Email, but only where the tenant has agreed in writing (Rule 3.1).

Not allowed: posting it on the door.

After serving: give a copy to every tenant, keep one, and fill out a Certificate of Service. Upload both when filing the L2, or no more than 5 calendar days afterward (Rules 4.4 and 4.5).

Errors that sink an N7

A flawed N7 cannot be amended after service (Guideline 10), although RTA s. 212 may save minor slips that do not significantly prejudice the tenant. Check for these:

1. Deliberate damage that cannot be shown to be deliberate. The instructions say this leads to dismissal; the N5 was the safer choice.
2. Reason 4 without qualifying. Section 65 is limited to a landlord who shares the building, and to buildings of at most three residential units.
3. Everyday damage listed as Reason 3. Section 63(1)(b) needs damage significantly beyond ordinary undue damage, flowing from a use that does not fit a home.
4. A safety incident that happened elsewhere, or was minor. For s. 66, safety must be seriously impaired, and the act or omission must have taken place within the residential complex.
5. Too short a notice period. Fewer than 10 days, or no allowance for mailing (5 days) or courier (one business day).
6. Vague details. Reading only the notice, a tenant should understand what they are accused of (RTA s. 43(2); Guideline 10). Give the date, time, people and events for each incident.
7. Two notices, one set of facts. Serving a voidable N5 alongside an N7 for identical conduct tells the tenant both "you can fix this" and "the landlord can apply regardless." The Board has found that confusing and thrown out applications on all the notices (Guideline 10). If both are used, they should deal with different conduct, or be clear enough that a reasonable tenant would not be misled.
8. Filing the L2 late. Once 30 days have passed since the termination date, s. 69(2) requires dismissal.
9. Basic slips. A tenant left off, a partial address, a banned service method, or no signature.

If you are a tenant who received an N7

• ☐ The notice is the first step, not the last. The landlord's next move is an L2, and it is the LTB, after a hearing, that decides whether to order eviction.
• ☐ Repairing or paying will not cancel it. There is no correction period, so your answer is at the hearing.
• ☐ Read the reason that was ticked. The landlord must prove that specific ground. Reason 2 needs proof the damage was deliberate; Reason 4 needs the landlord to live in a building of three residential units or fewer.
• ☐ Check the dates and details. Count the 10 days (plus mail or courier days), and see whether the notice says what you are said to have done, when, and to whom.
• ☐ Check how it reached you. A notice only taped to your door was not served by an approved method.
• ☐ Watch the calendar. No L2 by day 30 after the termination date means the notice is void.

After the notice is served

1. File the L2 online through the Tribunals Ontario Portal, attaching the N7 and Certificate of Service. It costs $186 online, or $201 by other means.
2. Add any money claim. Repair costs can go on the same L2, with an explanation of how the figure was worked out (Guideline 10).
3. Disclose evidence ahead of time under the Rules, such as pictures, repair bills, police or fire reports and statements from witnesses.
4. At the hearing, s. 83 requires the LTB to consider refusing or postponing the eviction. Without the landlord's consent, a postponement now needs two things: no unfairness to the landlord or the other tenants, and compelling grounds (O. Reg. 516/06, s. 8.4).
5. If eviction is ordered on an N7, RTA s. 84 says the order has to direct the Sheriff to expedite it.
6. Asking for a review is a 15-day job for any order dated July 1, 2026 or later.

What has changed lately

• Because the September 21, 2026 update did not revise the N7, the November 30, 2026 deadline for retiring older form versions has no effect on it. Check the forms page before serving anyway.
• From September 21, 2026: a tougher test applies before an eviction can be delayed without the landlord's consent.
• From July 1, 2026: an order dated on or after that day can be reviewed only if the request arrives within 15 days, down from 30.

Common questions

Can a tenant make an N7 go away by fixing the problem?

No. The N7 has no correction period. The landlord may file the L2 as soon as it is served, and the tenant responds by contesting it at the hearing.

Damage cases: why N5 rather than N7, or the reverse?

The N5 deals with damage done on purpose or through carelessness, needs 20 days' notice, and is voided if the tenant repairs or pays within 7 days. By contrast, the N7 reaches only deliberate damage (or serious damage from misuse), needs only 10 days and cannot be voided, but the landlord has to prove the damage was deliberate.

My tenant lives in the unit below me. Which notice fits interference?

Reason 4 of the N7 is available when it is your own enjoyment being disturbed and your building has three residential units at most. With a larger building, or where another tenant is the one affected, use an N5.

When can the L2 be filed after an N7?

Any time from the moment of service until 30 days past the termination date.

Is there a newer N7 coming?

Not for now. On October 31, 2026, the version on the LTB site was still the older layout with 2015 instructions, and the September 21, 2026 update passed it by.

Official sources

• N7 form (PDF)
• N7 Instructions (PDF)
• Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, ss. 43, 46, 63, 65, 66, 69, 71, 83, 84, 191, 212
• O. Reg. 516/06, s. 8.4
• Interpretation Guideline 10: Procedural Issues Regarding Eviction Applications
• LTB Rules of Procedure, Rules 1.1, 1.13, 3.1, 3.9, 4.4, 4.5
• LTB Operational Update, September 21, 2026
• LTB Operational Update, July 1, 2026
• Certificate of Service (PDF)
• LTB Forms, filing and fees

Last reviewed October 31, 2026. General information, not legal advice for your situation. Always use the current version of the form from the LTB.