Ontario Landlords: Your 90-Day Rent Increase Notice Window Is Easy to Miss. Here’s a Better Way to Track It

Ontario tenants do not have to sign a new lease or move when a fixed term ends. A tenancy can continue month to month. That makes it risky to rely on a lease-expiry reminder alone: the rent-increase question is about the lawful timing of an increase, the notice period, the unit’s rent-control status, and the proper notice—not simply the anniversary printed on a lease.

Start from the intended effective date. Count backward at least 90 days for notice, then check whether 12 months have passed since the tenancy began or the rent was last increased. If any piece is unclear, choose a later date or obtain qualified advice before serving a notice.

The Government of Ontario lists the 2027 rent increase guideline as 1.9%. It is the maximum increase for most rent-controlled residential units without Landlord and Tenant Board approval. The guideline does not apply to every unit: buildings, additions, and most new basement apartments first occupied for residential purposes after November 15, 2018 are among the categories that can be exempt from rent control.

Do not treat a percentage as permission by itself. A unit may require a different form or a fact-specific review. The current government guidance and Landlord and Tenant Board forms should be checked before a notice is approved or served.

1. Confirm the property, unit, tenant, current lawful rent, and active-tenancy facts.
2. Confirm whether the unit is guideline-controlled, exempt, or needs review.
3. Choose a proposed effective date that satisfies the 12-month and 90-day timing rules.
4. Review the current guideline and select the proper LTB notice form.
5. Record approval, the served-on date, delivery method, and proof of service.
6. Keep the final notice and supporting calculation with the tenancy record.

This is a tracking process, not legal automation. A deadline reminder should prompt a review; it should not substitute for confirming the current rule, form, service method, or tenant-specific facts.

DwellTrack’s Ontario rent-increase command centre uses the active lease, province, tenancy facts, current rent, and prior increase information to calculate an eligibility date, a proposed effective date, and a notice deadline. It identifies the expected form, stores status and service details, and surfaces upcoming notice work for review.

The landlord remains responsible for checking rent-control status, the current guideline, any exception or approval, the completed form, and lawful service. DwellTrack is designed to make that review visible and documented—not to make the decision on the landlord’s behalf.

For a calculation walkthrough, read the Ontario rent increase guideline guide, then use the rent-increase workspace to organize the record.