GTA Rental Guide
Rent increases, deposits, and landlord entry are the three areas GTA renters ask about most - and the three areas where most confusion happens. This guide covers the 2026 Ontario tenant rights renters actually need: the current rent increase guideline, which units are rent-controlled, what deposits are legal, entry notice rules, and when it's time to bring in the Landlord and Tenant Board.
General information only, not legal advice. Rules can change and individual situations vary - if you're in an active dispute with your landlord, contact the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) directly.
2026 tenant rights snapshot
Know the rules before there's a problem.
Direct Answer
For 2026, the Ontario rent increase guideline is 2.1% - the maximum a rent-controlled landlord can raise rent without LTB approval. Whether that cap applies to you depends on when your unit was first occupied: on or before November 15, 2018, and you're rent-controlled; after that date, and your unit is exempt from the cap, though the landlord still needs to follow the same notice rules. Deposits are simple: only last month's rent and a refundable key deposit are legal - security, damage, and pet deposits are not. Entry requires 24 hours' written notice and has to happen between 8am and 8pm, except in a genuine emergency. Any rent increase needs at least 90 days' written notice on the correct LTB form. If a landlord breaks any of these rules, the Landlord and Tenant Board is where you go to fix it.
Rent Increases
2.1% is the maximum a landlord can raise rent on a rent-controlled unit in 2026 without applying to the LTB for an above-guideline increase. It's a ceiling, not an entitlement - a landlord can increase rent by less than the guideline, or not raise it at all. The guideline is set annually by the Ontario government and changes most years, so it's worth checking the current figure before assuming last year's number still applies.
The guideline amount doesn't change how notice works - your landlord still needs to give at least 90 days' written notice on the correct LTB form before any increase takes effect, covered in full below.
Rent Control
Most renters don't know this distinction exists - it comes down to a single date. When your unit was first occupied for residential purposes determines whether the 2.1% guideline caps your rent increases at all.
Rent-controlled
Your unit falls under Ontario's standard rent control rules. Any rent increase is capped at the annual guideline - 2.1% for 2026 - unless the landlord gets LTB approval for an above-guideline increase.
Exempt from the cap
Your unit is exempt from the guideline cap. The landlord can raise rent by any amount, but still needs to follow the same 90-day written notice rule and can only increase rent once every 12 months.
"Exempt" doesn't mean notice-free - an exempt landlord still needs 90 days' written notice and can only raise rent once every 12 months, using Form N2 instead of the standard Form N1. If you're not sure which applies to you, check your lease start date or the building's completion date, or ask your landlord directly which form they'd use.
Deposits
The only deposit a landlord can collect is last month's rent, equal to one month's rent, applied strictly to the final month of the tenancy. A refundable key deposit is also allowed, capped at the actual cost of replacing the key or fob.
Security deposits, damage deposits, and pet deposits are all illegal in Ontario. A landlord cannot use the last month's rent deposit for cleaning, repairs, or damage - only for the last month's rent itself.
Landlords must pay interest on the last month's rent deposit every 12 months, on the tenancy's anniversary. The rate equals the rent increase guideline for that specific year - recalculated annually, not fixed at move-in. For a tenancy anniversary falling in 2026, that rate is 2.1%.
Deduct the unpaid interest directly from an upcoming rent payment - this is a legal deduction under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, not a missed payment. Include a note with the payment explaining the deduction and the amount.
File a Form T1 - Tenant Application for a Rebate of Money the Landlord Owes with the LTB, citing money the landlord owes under the Residential Tenancies Act.
Contact the Rental Housing Enforcement Unit (RHEU) at 1-888-772-9277 - filing a complaint is free, and the RHEU investigates breaches of the Residential Tenancies Act, including unpaid deposit interest.
The one-month cap above is what a landlord can require - a tenant can still choose to voluntarily offer more, and that's legal in specific circumstances. See our guide to renting without Canadian credit history for the required-vs-voluntary distinction and why a landlord can't relabel a requirement as a request.
Entry Rules
Your landlord must give written notice at least 24 hours before entering, stating the date, time, and reason for entry.
Entry can only happen between 8am and 8pm, at the time stated in the notice.
No notice is required if there's an emergency - genuine danger to people or property, such as a fire or a burst pipe.
Rent Increase Notice
Regardless of whether your unit is rent-controlled or exempt, every rent increase needs at least 90 clear days' written notice, and can only happen once every 12 months. Rent-controlled units use Form N1 - Notice of Rent Increase; exempt units use Form N2. Both forms exist for a reason: they give you time to plan and a paper trail if something's wrong.
A rent increase that comes with less than 90 days' notice, skips the correct form, or happens more than once in 12 months is an illegal rent increase - you're not required to pay it, and you can dispute it with the LTB.
Dispute Resolution
The LTB is Ontario's tribunal for resolving landlord and tenant disputes under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. Either a landlord or a tenant can file an application; most cases go through mediation first, and move to an adjudication hearing if mediation doesn't resolve things.
A tenant might file with the LTB if:
Some LTB processes and eviction notice rules are changing under Bill 60, in stages - see our Bill 60 tenant changes guide for exactly what's in force now versus what's still coming. If you've received an N12 for landlord's own use, see our N12 eviction notice guide for the compensation rules, qualifying family members, and what to do if you suspect bad faith.
Next Step
Once you know your rights as a tenant, see our Ontario rental application checklist for the documents landlords typically expect - or if you're applying with a guarantor or co-signer, see our guide to how they differ - or use the Key to GTA Rental Readiness tool to review your budget, income, and documents before you apply.
Free readiness check
It takes a few minutes and gives you a clearer view of where your application is strong, what may need work, and what to prepare next.
Start Rental ReadinessFAQ
General information only, not legal advice - for an active dispute, contact the LTB or the Rental Housing Enforcement Unit directly.
2.1% - the maximum a landlord can raise rent on a rent-controlled unit in 2026 without LTB approval for an above-guideline increase. It applies only to units first occupied on or before November 15, 2018; newer units are exempt from the cap, though the landlord still needs 90 days' written notice.
It depends when the unit was first occupied for residential use. If it was on or before November 15, 2018, it's rent-controlled and increases are capped at the annual guideline. If it was after that date, it's exempt from the cap - your landlord can raise rent by any amount, but still needs 90 days' written notice and can only do it once every 12 months.
No. Security, damage, and pet deposits are all illegal in Ontario. The only deposit a landlord can legally collect is last month's rent, plus a refundable key deposit capped at the actual cost of replacing the key or fob.
At least 24 hours' written notice stating the date, time, and reason for entry, and the visit has to fall between 8am and 8pm. The only exception is a genuine emergency, like a fire or burst pipe, where no notice is required.