What Every Ontario Landlord Needs to Know About Repair Responsibilities
Owning a rental property in Ontario comes with a long list of rewards, but it also comes with legal obligations that you simply cannot ignore. One of the most common sources of conflict between landlords and tenants involves repairs and maintenance. Who is responsible for what? What happens if something breaks? How quickly do you need to respond? These are questions that come up constantly, and getting the answers wrong can lead to Landlord and Tenant Board hearings, rent abatements, or worse.
Whether you own a single basement apartment or a portfolio of rental homes across Ontario, understanding your repair obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) is not optional. It is the foundation of being a good landlord and running a legally sound rental business. This guide breaks it all down in plain language so you know exactly where you stand.
The Legal Foundation: What the RTA Says
The Residential Tenancies Act is the governing legislation for most residential rental properties in Ontario. Under Section 20 of the RTA, landlords are required to maintain a rental unit and the property it sits on in a good state of repair and fit for habitation. This obligation exists regardless of what the lease says and regardless of what the tenant knew about the condition of the unit when they moved in.
That last point catches a lot of landlords off guard. Even if a tenant signed a lease acknowledging that the furnace was old or that the roof had some wear, you are still legally responsible for making necessary repairs. The RTA sets a minimum standard that cannot be contracted away, which means any lease clause that tries to shift repair responsibilities entirely onto the tenant is not enforceable.
Beyond the RTA, landlords must also comply with local property standards bylaws and the Ontario Building Code. These rules set specific requirements for things like heating, plumbing, electrical systems, and structural integrity. Falling short of these standards can result in orders from municipal bylaw officers in addition to complaints at the Landlord and Tenant Board.
What Repairs Are Landlords Responsible For?
The short answer is: most of them. As a landlord, you are responsible for maintaining the structure of the building, all systems within it, and the common areas. This includes the roof, foundation, exterior walls, windows, and doors. It also includes heating systems, plumbing, electrical wiring, and any appliances that were provided as part of the rental unit.
Heating is one of the most serious obligations Ontario landlords carry. From September 1st to June 15th, you are required to ensure that the rental unit can be heated to at least 20 degrees Celsius. If your furnace breaks down in February and you do not arrange repairs promptly, you are in violation of both the RTA and likely your local property standards bylaw. Tenants can report this to the city, file with the LTB, or in some cases arrange their own heating and deduct costs from rent.
Plumbing is another area where landlords carry full responsibility. Leaking pipes, broken toilets, hot water failures, and drainage problems all fall on your shoulders. A tenant should never have to go without hot water for an extended period because of a landlord's slow response. The same goes for electrical issues. If outlets are not working, if there are exposed wires, or if the electrical panel is outdated and posing a safety risk, those are your repairs to handle.
Pest infestations are also a landlord responsibility in most cases. If a unit develops a cockroach, mouse, or bed bug problem, you are generally expected to arrange professional extermination. The exception is if the tenant's own behavior directly caused the infestation, but even then, proving that can be difficult. It is far better to act quickly and deal with pest issues before they spread to neighboring units.
What Tenants Are Responsible For
Tenants are not entirely off the hook when it comes to the condition of the rental unit. Under Section 33 of the RTA, tenants are required to keep the unit clean and to repair or pay for repairs caused by their own wilful or negligent conduct, or that of their guests.
So if a tenant puts a hole in the wall, breaks a window during a party, or damages the flooring through misuse, that is on them. The challenge for landlords is documenting this properly so that when a dispute arises, you have evidence to support your position. This is why move-in inspection reports and regular property inspections are so important. Without documentation, it becomes your word against the tenant's, and the LTB often gives tenants the benefit of the doubt.
Normal wear and tear, however, is always the landlord's responsibility. Carpets that wear down over years of normal use, paint that fades, or fixtures that age out of functionality are not things you can charge a tenant for. Understanding the difference between damage and wear and tear is something every Ontario landlord needs to get comfortable with.
How Quickly Do You Need to Respond?
The RTA does not set a specific number of hours or days for most repairs, but it does require that repairs happen within a reasonable time. What counts as reasonable depends on the severity of the issue. Emergency repairs like a burst pipe, a broken furnace in winter, or a gas leak require immediate attention. Non-emergency repairs like a dripping faucet or a broken interior door handle can wait a bit longer, but you should still be responding within days, not weeks.
A practical approach is to have a tiered system for how you handle repair requests. Emergency issues should have a same-day or next-day response with a licensed contractor. Urgent but non-emergency issues should be addressed within three to five business days. Routine maintenance requests can be scheduled within a reasonable window, but you should always communicate timelines to your tenant so they know what to expect.
Silence is one of the worst things you can do as a landlord when a repair request comes in. Even if you cannot fix something right away, acknowledging the request and providing a timeline goes a long way toward maintaining a good relationship and demonstrating good faith if the matter ever ends up at the LTB.
Keeping Records Is Everything
If there is one piece of advice that experienced Ontario landlords will give you, it is to document everything. Keep written records of every repair request a tenant makes, every contractor you hire, every invoice you pay, and every inspection you conduct. If a tenant files a T6 application (Tenant Application about Maintenance) at the Landlord and Tenant Board, your documentation is your defense.
Use email or a property management platform to communicate with tenants about repairs whenever possible. Text messages work too, but email creates a cleaner paper trail. When a tenant calls you about a repair, follow up with a quick email summarizing the conversation and what you plan to do. This protects both of you and keeps expectations clear.
Annual property inspections are also a smart habit. Catching small issues before they become big problems saves money and keeps your tenants happy. A proactive landlord who fixes things before they break down is far less likely to face LTB complaints than one who waits for things to fall apart.
Working with Contractors and Managing Costs
One of the practical realities of being a landlord in Ontario is that repairs cost money, and sometimes they cost a lot of money. Building a reliable network of licensed contractors for plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and general repairs is one of the best investments you can make. Having a plumber you trust who will take your call on a Saturday morning is worth far more than saving a few dollars by hiring someone without the right credentials.
Always hire licensed contractors for work that requires permits or specialized skills. Unlicensed electrical or plumbing work can void your insurance, create liability issues, and put your tenants at risk. It can also become a serious problem if you ever try to sell the property and a home inspector finds unpermitted work.
For landlords managing multiple properties, working with a property management company can take the pressure off. A good property manager handles repair coordination, contractor relationships, and tenant communication on your behalf, so you are not fielding calls at midnight about a broken water heater.
Staying on the Right Side of the Law
Ontario's rental market is heavily regulated, and the rules around repairs are there to protect tenants from unsafe or substandard living conditions. As a landlord, the best way to protect yourself is to take your obligations seriously, respond to repair requests promptly, keep thorough records, and treat your tenants with respect.
When landlords and tenants have a clear understanding of their respective responsibilities and communicate openly, most repair situations resolve without drama. The landlords who end up in trouble at the LTB are usually those who ignored requests, delayed repairs unreasonably, or tried to pass their obligations onto tenants through lease clauses that do not hold up legally.
At Blue Anchor Property Management, we help Ontario landlords stay compliant, maintain their properties well, and build positive relationships with their tenants. If you have questions about your repair obligations or want support managing your rental property, reach out to our team. We are here to help you do this right.
