Cash for Keys: Should You Accept Your Landlord's Buyout Offer?

Some landlords offer tenants money to leave, especially when a unit's rent is well below market. You never have to accept. If you do, the deal is usually recorded on an N11 (Agreement to End the Tenancy) and a separate written agreement about the payment.

What to weigh

• Your rent today versus market rent. Moving could mean paying much more each month for years.
• Moving costs. Movers, overlapping rent, deposits, time off work, and changing schools.
• Rent control. If your current unit is rent-controlled, a new one may not be.
• Why the landlord wants you out. If they could end the tenancy another way, such as for their own use, the rules and compensation differ.

Protect yourself

1. Get the agreement in writing, with the amount, when it is paid, and how.
2. Payment before keys. Ask for payment on or before your move-out date, ideally held in trust by a representative.
3. Choose a move-out date you can meet. Once you sign an N11, the landlord can apply to evict you if you don't leave.
4. Get advice before signing. A paralegal can review the terms and negotiate.

If you feel pressured

A landlord must not harass you into leaving. Keep a record, and remember you can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board (form T2) about harassment.

Sources

• Residential Tenancies Act, 2006
• LTB forms, including N11 and T2

Read next: Renting a Condo Unit in Ontario: The Rules You Need to Know

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: Papers marked paid and due beside a calculator · Signing a contract with a pen.

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.