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Landlord Rights & Responsibilities

What can I do if my landlord refuses to make repairs?

Team Proppa
February 21, 2023

The law is quite clear on this. Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act requires landlords to keep the property in good condition and repair items that go through normal wear and tear such as plumbing, HVAC, electrical systems, large appliances such as stoves and laundry machines, windows, locks, flooring and common areas such as lobbies, pools, gyms, and patios. Landlords are supposed to keep such items in good working order. Although the law makes it the landlord’s responsibility to repair such items, it does not exactly specify a timeframe within which to effect such repairs. The Act simply states that landlords have to be reasonable about the time they take to effect repairs.

However, landlords are not supposed to repair tenants’ own belongings such as furniture and electronics nor insure them against theft or damage. That is covered by tenant insurance. Landlords are also not liable to repair items that are damaged by the tenant’s own negligence or malice, even if those damages take place in a common area. Refusal by tenants to effect such repairs can be grounds for eviction.

But what if the landlord refuses to repair or maintain items he or she is supposed to? If the landlord refuses to effect repairs within a reasonable time or has a history of refusing to keep up their end of the bargain, you can ask a city building inspector to come and look at the problem. Keep the reports that the inspector gives you. It’s generally a bad idea to refuse to pay rent in such cases since the landlord can legally begin eviction proceedings against tenants who refuse to pay rent. In such cases, tenants can go to the Landlord and Tenant Board which can order a landlord to do either one of the following: compensate the tenant, temporarily reduce the rent, order the landlord to repair or replace the item, reimburse the tenant to repair the item themselves or allow the tenant to break the lease early if the tenant wants to or if the property is deemed to be unsafe.

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Team Proppa

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Article Sources

https://www.surex.com/blog/guide-on-how-to-deal-with-landlord-who-not-fixing-repairs-ontario

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial or investment advice. Real estate investments carry risks, and individuals should conduct thorough research and seek professional guidance before making any investment decisions.