Many times tenants are improperly served notice to increase the rent or to move out. While landlords may not be trying to take advantage of them, it may be that landlords are not informed.

Rent increases

Rent increases may happen every 12 months, and tenants should receive written notice (can use Form N1), 90 days before the new rent is to be in effect.

Buildings completed before November 15, 2018 can only be increased by the annual percentage set out by the Government of Ontario. Guideline for 2023 rent increases is up to 2.5%.

Buildings completed after November 15, 2018 doesn’t need to follow the guideline percentage and can be increased higher than that.

In some cases, your landlord may not be looking for more money, and may never bother to increase the rent.

Evicting a tenant

The landlord selling the home is not a proper reason for a tenant to move out. The landlord can still sell the home with you living there, and the new buyers would be able to assume you as a tenant.

If the landlords prefer to sell the home vacant, you may mutually agree to end the tenancy.

The most common grounds for a landlord to evict a tenant is if they want to occupy the home personally or the new buyer wants to occupy the home personally. They may also want to occupy it for their children or their parents, but this does not apply to anyone outside of their immediate family.

The landlord must serve tenants with written notice (can use Form N12), with at least 60 days notice, and should compensate the tenant with one month rent.

While you’re under contract

During your lease contract, no changes should be made by either you or the landlord. Only once you have entered into a month-to-month lease, eviction with a valid reason would be allowed.

60 days before your lease contract ends, you may give your notice to move out, sign a new contract with your landlord, or carry on month-to-month without signing a new contract.