September 22, 2026
The GTHA Lease Renewal Letter
By Michael Taylor
If you're approaching the end of your lease and you're a renter in Toronto, Hamilton, Mississauga, or Brampton, this is the patient walk-through I wish someone had handed me. No urgency, no FOMO, no legal advice — just what the rules actually say and what real options you have.
The renewal conversation comes up for almost every renter I know in the GTHA, and it's the conversation where I see the same questions surface again and again. So I pulled together what the Ontario Residential Tenancies Act, the LTB, and each GTHA city actually publish, and wrote it down plainly.
The quiet default
Section 38 of the RTA says: when a fixed-term lease ends and hasn't been renewed or terminated, the landlord and tenant are deemed to have renewed it as a monthly tenancy on the same terms and conditions, subject to lawful rent increases under the Act.
“The end of a lease does not mean a tenant has to move out.”
— LTB, Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act
Rent increases have rules
For most residential units in Ontario, your landlord can only raise your rent once a year, and the increase has to be at or below the annual rent-increase guideline. For 2026, that guideline is 2.1%; for 2027, 1.9%. Both numbers come directly from the Government of Ontario's residential-rent-increases page.
Landlords must give at least 90 days' written notice on the proper LTB form. The forms are N1 (most units), N2 (some newer units, including most first occupied after November 15, 2018), and N3 (care homes).
Above-guideline increases exist
Section 126 of the RTA says a landlord may apply to the LTB for an order permitting the rent charged to be increased by more than the guideline in specific cases: an extraordinary increase in municipal taxes and charges, eligible capital expenditures, or operating costs related to security services.
Two termination notices worth recognising
A rent-increase notice doesn't end your tenancy. A termination notice is a different kind of form.
| Notice | Section | Grounds | Minimum notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| N12 | Section 48 | Good faith residential occupation by the landlord, family member, or caregiver | 60 days |
| N13 | Section 50 | Demolition, conversion, or repairs so extensive they require a building permit and vacant possession | 120 days |
Section 73 of the Act addresses the conditions under which the LTB may make an order on a Section 50 notice. If you've received either, the case-specific interpretation belongs to ACTO, CLEO, the LTB, or a licensed Ontario paralegal.
Your city's rules layer on top
| City | By-law | Who it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto | RentSafeTO: Apartment Building Standards | Apartment buildings with 3+ storeys and 10+ units |
| Hamilton | Safe Apartment Buildings By-law + Renovation Licence and Relocation By-law | Buildings with 2+ storeys and 6+ rental units; the renovation by-law (in effect since January 1, 2025) adds a municipal layer on top of N13 notices |
| Mississauga | Residential Rental Accommodation Licensing By-law (By-law 0172-2010) | Lodging houses |
| Brampton | Residential Rental Licensing (RRL) pilot | All rental properties with 1 to 4 units; program runs until December 31, 2028 |
Four starting questions
- Do you want price certainty or flexibility?
- Is the rent increase at or below the guideline for your unit?
- Is the renewal the only letter on the table?
- Would you stay if you didn't sign?
If the answer to four is yes — and under Section 38 it usually is — that's worth knowing before any conversation.
Where to go for specific situations
For a notice you didn't expect, a renovation letter, a rent bump above the guideline, or a maintenance issue you can't resolve with your landlord: ACTO (the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario), CLEO (Community Legal Education Ontario), Steps to Justice, the Landlord and Tenant Board, or a licensed Ontario paralegal.
— Michael
michaeltaylorrealty.com · 416-888-8352