Received an N4 notice in Ontario

An N4 is a notice about unpaid rent, not an eviction order. For notices given on or after September 21, 2026, the minimum notice period is seven days. Service rules can affect the date, so review the actual notice and how it was delivered immediately.

Compare the rent ledger with your bank records, receipts, and agreed rent. Identify missing payments and charges that are not rent. Payment options and the amount needed to stop an eviction process can change as the matter progresses. Keep every notice and hearing document. Do not assume a repair dispute automatically excuses rent payments. If the landlord applies to the LTB, prepare your response and review the current requirements for raising other tenant issues at that hearing.

Separate the amount claimed from the procedural stage. At the notice stage, check the rental periods and balance stated; after an application or order, additional amounts and different requirements may be relevant. Keep proof of every payment, including transfers that were accepted, returned, or sent to a different account at the landlord's request. Ask for a written reconciliation if the figures do not match. A payment screenshot should show enough information to connect the transaction to your tenancy and the disputed period.

If you are trying to arrange repayment, prepare an honest budget that includes current rent as well as arrears. A proposal that ignores the next month's obligation may not be workable. Do not assume negotiations cancel a hearing or change a notice automatically. Read each new document and confirm what steps remain necessary. If you intend to raise repair or tenant-rights issues at an arrears hearing, obtain early advice about the current notice, disclosure, and payment conditions rather than waiting until the hearing to mention them.

Sources

• LTB N4 notice updated September 2026
• LTB legislative changes effective September 21 2026

Read next: Understanding an N12 personal use notice

General Ontario legal information, not legal advice for your matter, and reading it does not create a retainer. Sources checked 15 October 2026: check the current law, forms and dates before you act.

Photos from Pexels: A small model house with a key · Writing a date in a desk calendar.

This article is general information for people in Ontario, not legal advice. Rules, forms and deadlines change, and every situation is different. Check the current rule or speak to a licensed legal professional before you act.