T6: A Tenant's Application About Maintenance

What counts as a maintenance problem

• No heat or hot water, broken appliances the landlord supplied, or a failed lock.
• Water leaks, mould, pests and structural damage.
• Broken stairs, railings, lighting or elevators that make the building unsafe.
• Breaches of local property standards by-laws, which a municipal inspector can confirm.

Steps before applying

1. Write to the landlord describing the problem, when it started and what you want fixed. Keep a dated copy.
2. Take dated photos or video and keep any messages or receipts.
3. If the problem is not fixed in a reasonable time, consider calling your municipality's property standards or by-law office. An inspection report or work order is strong evidence.
4. File the T6 with the LTB, with your evidence organised by date.

What the Board can order

• That the landlord make specific repairs by a set date.
• A rent reduction (an abatement) for the time the unit was not properly maintained.
• Repayment of reasonable out-of-pocket costs, such as repairs the tenant paid for or extra heating costs.
• Other remedies in the Residential Tenancies Act, including administrative fines against a landlord who keeps ignoring orders.

Mistakes to avoid

• Withholding rent. The landlord can serve an N4 and apply to evict, and the Board may order you to pay.
• Doing major repairs yourself without telling the landlord first, unless there is an emergency.
• Relying on phone calls only. Written notice shows what the landlord knew and when.
• Waiting too long. Many tenant applications must be filed within a year of the problem, and evidence gets harder to find with time.

Landlords: how to protect yourself

Answer maintenance requests in writing, fix problems quickly, and keep records of the work done. If repairs need access to the unit, give proper written notice. A landlord who responds promptly is far less likely to face an abatement or a fine.

Common questions