Published 2 November 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
An Ontario tenant cannot refuse a showing to a buyer if the landlord gives at least 24 hours’ written notice stating the reason, the day and a time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. A tenant can refuse an invalid notice, and can refuse marketing photos or video unless the lease allows them or the tenant consents.
This is a plain-English rule book for Ontario tenants whose home is up for sale or rent, and for the landlords and agents running the showings. It covers the notice a landlord must give, the hours, how often, what changes once someone has given notice to move, photos and video, and what each side can do when the rules are broken.
Can a tenant refuse showings in Ontario?
Only when the landlord has not followed the rules. The Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) gives tenants a right to privacy and reasonable enjoyment, and it gives landlords a limited right to enter. Section 25 says a landlord may enter a rental unit only in the ways allowed by sections 26 and 27.
The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) explains the balance in its Interpretation Guideline 19. A tenant may deny entry if the landlord has not met the RTA’s entry requirements. A tenant may not deny entry just because the time does not suit them. So the answer turns almost entirely on whether the notice and the timing were right.
How much notice does a landlord need to give for a showing in Ontario?
It depends on who is being shown the unit. The table sets out the main situations.
| Situation | Notice needed | Allowed hours | RTA section |
|---|---|---|---|
| Showing to a potential buyer | Written, at least 24 hours before, with reason, day and time | 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. | 27(2) and 27(3) |
| Showing to a potential mortgage lender or insurer | Written, at least 24 hours before | 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. | 27(1) |
| Showing to prospective new tenants after a notice to end the tenancy or an agreement to end it | No written notice; the landlord must inform, or make a reasonable effort to inform, the tenant first | 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. | 26(3) |
| Tenant agrees at the door | None, if the tenant consents at the time of entry | Any time | 26(1)(b) |
| Marketing photos or video for a sale | Not covered by the entry right without a lease term or the tenant’s consent | Not applicable | Juhasz v Hymas, cited in LTB Guideline 6 |
Source: Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, ss. 25 to 27; LTB Interpretation Guidelines 6 and 19, as of November 2026.
Written notice has to be given in a way section 191 allows, such as handing it to the tenant or another adult in the unit, leaving it in the mailbox, mailing it, or another method in the LTB Rules. A text message saying “showing at 6” is not the same thing.
What hours can a landlord show a rental unit in Ontario?
Between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and the notice must name a time, not just a day. Guideline 19 says that where an exact time is not possible, a reasonable window can work, but what is reasonable depends on the facts. Both LTB guidelines refer to Wrona v. Toronto Community Housing, where the Divisional Court found that a window of several hours did not meet the requirement to state a time of entry.
For buyer showings, the landlord or agent controls the booking, so a specific time, such as “Saturday 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.”, is the safest practice.
How often can a landlord show a tenanted unit?
The RTA does not set a maximum. Each showing needs its own valid notice. Guideline 19 says landlords should make reasonable efforts to limit the frequency of entries, and that if the Board finds entries were unnecessary or unreasonable, it may find the landlord harassed the tenant or substantially interfered with their reasonable enjoyment of the unit.
In practice that means a schedule matters. Two or three set showing windows a week, agreed with the tenant, is easier to defend than daily notices, and it is easier to live with.
Do tenants have to allow showings after giving notice to move?
Yes, with a lighter rule. Once the landlord and tenant have agreed the tenancy will end, or either has given notice to end it, section 26(3) lets the landlord show the unit to prospective tenants without written notice, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., as long as the landlord first informs or makes a reasonable effort to inform the tenant. Guideline 19 adds that the landlord should try to give enough advance warning for the tenant to be ready.
There is one important exception. If a tenant ends the tenancy early because they or a child experienced violence or abuse (section 47.1), the landlord can only show the unit to new tenants after the tenant has moved out.
If you are planning a move, my guide on how to break a lease in Ontario covers the notice side.
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Can a tenant refuse photos, videos or virtual tours?
For marketing, generally yes. The LTB’s Guideline 6 summarizes two Divisional Court decisions:
- Nickoladze v Bloor Street Investments (2015): photos taken during a lawful inspection, for use in an LTB case, were not an illegal entry, because section 27 authorizes inspections.
- Juhasz v Hymas (2016): without a specific lease term or the tenant’s consent, section 27 does not authorize entering to take photographs for marketing a sale.
The decisions talk about photographs. In my view, video walk-throughs and 3D tours raise the same question, so landlords should get written consent before booking a photographer. Tenants who agree can still ask for personal items, family photos and documents to be kept out of frame. Older photos from before the tenancy, a floor plan and building or lot photos are the usual workaround.
Can the tenant be home during a showing, and what must they do?
Yes. Guideline 19 says a tenant may stay in the unit during an entry, and that the landlord can still enter if the tenant is out. During a lawful showing the tenant must not interfere with the landlord or its agents, and must take the steps needed to give access, including safely restraining pets.
A tenant does not have to stage, repaint or remove furniture. Section 33 makes the tenant responsible for ordinary cleanliness, nothing more. Anything beyond that, such as a deep clean or decluttering, is a favour the landlord can ask for and pay for.
Public open houses and lockboxes are not mentioned in the RTA. Each entry still needs its own valid notice with a time, and the LTB holds the landlord responsible for an illegal entry by its real estate salesperson. My view: do not run a public open house in an occupied rental without the tenant’s written agreement, and never treat a lockbox as a substitute for notice.
What can a tenant do if a landlord breaks the showing rules?
A tenant can file a T2 application at the LTB, alleging illegal entry, within one year of the entry, according to Guideline 6. If the Board agrees, section 31 lets it order a rent abatement, an administrative fine, the tenant’s out-of-pocket costs and an order to stop. Rent abatement is the most common remedy, according to the same guideline.
Entering without complying with sections 26 or 27 is also a provincial offence under section 234. Since 1 July 2026 the maximum fines on conviction are $100,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a corporation. I walk through the T2 process in the T2 application, explained.
What can a landlord do if a tenant refuses a proper showing?
Start with a conversation, a written showing schedule and, if needed, a rent credit. If a tenant keeps blocking valid entries, section 64 allows an N5 notice where a tenant substantially interferes with a lawful right or interest of the landlord. The LTB’s N5 instructions give the tenant 7 days to stop, which voids a first notice. If the conduct continues, the landlord can apply to the Board. Tenants who receive one should read what an N5 means and how to void it.
A sale does not end the lease on its own, which is often what tenants are really worried about. My guide on what tenants must allow when the house is sold explains when a buyer can, and cannot, ask a tenant to leave.
Most showing fights I see come from bad notices on one side and fear on the other. Landlords should send proper written notices with real times, keep to a few set windows a week and ask, never assume, about photos. Tenants should check whether the notice is valid before saying no, because refusing a valid one can put your tenancy at risk. A short call before the listing goes live prevents most of this.
What to do next
- Tenants: check each notice for the reason, the day, a specific time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and 24 hours’ lead time.
- Landlords: get written authorization on file for your brokerage and use one notice per showing.
- Agree a weekly showing schedule in writing, and agree separately whether photos or video are allowed.
- Keep copies of every notice and a log of every entry.
- If entries break the rules, or a tenant blocks valid ones, get advice from a lawyer or licensed paralegal before filing at the LTB.
Need help with this? Talk to me.
I’m Jatin Dua, Broker of Record at RE/MAX Quantum Realty, and I’m the best agent to do this kind of work for you in Toronto and across the GTA. Over $100 million in GTA sales and 100+ families helped sell. Feel free to contact me any time: call or text 833-330-1925 or email [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
Do tenants have to allow showings in Ontario?
Yes, if the landlord follows the rules. Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act lets a landlord or authorized real estate agent show a rental unit to a potential buyer with at least 24 hours’ written notice naming the reason, day and a time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The LTB says a tenant cannot refuse a valid showing just because the time is inconvenient.
Can a tenant refuse viewings in Ontario?
A tenant in Ontario can refuse a viewing only if the landlord has not met the entry rules, for example no written notice, less than 24 hours’ notice, no stated time, or a time outside 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. A tenant can also say no to marketing photos or video unless the lease allows them, based on the Juhasz v Hymas decision.
How much notice does a landlord need to show a house in Ontario?
At least 24 hours’ written notice for a showing to a buyer in Ontario. The notice must state the reason, the day and a time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., under section 27 of the Residential Tenancies Act. Showings to prospective new tenants after a notice to end the tenancy need no written notice, but the landlord must try to inform the tenant first.
Can a landlord show my apartment every day in Ontario?
The Residential Tenancies Act sets no daily or weekly limit, but each showing needs its own valid notice. The LTB’s Guideline 19 says landlords should make reasonable efforts to limit how often they enter, and unnecessary or unreasonable entries can be found to be harassment or substantial interference. Ontario tenants facing constant showings can raise it with the landlord or file a T2.
Can a landlord take pictures of my apartment to sell it in Ontario?
Not without your consent or a lease term allowing it. LTB Interpretation Guideline 6 cites Juhasz v Hymas, a 2016 Divisional Court decision, which found that section 27 of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act does not authorize entry to take marketing photographs for a sale. Photos taken during a lawful inspection for an LTB case were treated differently in another decision.
Do I have to be home for a showing as a tenant in Ontario?
No. An Ontario tenant may stay in the unit during a showing, but does not have to. LTB Guideline 19 says the landlord can enter with valid notice even if the tenant is out. While a showing happens, the tenant must not interfere and must take steps to give access, such as safely restraining pets.
Can a landlord do an open house with a tenant living there in Ontario?
Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act does not mention open houses. Section 27(2) allows entry to let a potential purchaser view the unit on 24 hours’ written notice with a stated time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. A public open house in a tenanted unit is best done only with the tenant’s written agreement, and each entry still needs valid notice.
What happens if a landlord enters without notice in Ontario?
The tenant can file a T2 application at the Landlord and Tenant Board within one year. The Board can order a rent abatement, costs and an administrative fine. Entering without following sections 26 or 27 is also an offence under section 234 of the Residential Tenancies Act, with maximum fines of $100,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a corporation since July 2026.
Can a tenant refuse showings to new tenants after giving notice in Ontario?
Generally no. Once a notice to end the tenancy is given or an agreement to end it is signed, section 26(3) of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act lets the landlord show the unit to prospective tenants between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. without written notice, after informing or trying to inform the tenant. A different rule applies to notices given because of violence or abuse.
Sources
- Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (e-Laws, current consolidation)
- LTB Interpretation Guideline 19: The Landlord’s Right of Entry into a Rental Unit
- LTB Interpretation Guideline 6: Tenant’s Rights
- LTB Instructions for Form N5
- Landlord and Tenant Board forms
- Government of Ontario: Renting in Ontario, your rights
Related reading
- Can My Landlord Enter Without Notice in Ontario?
- Can a Landlord Evict You Without Going to the LTB in Ontario?
- Can My Landlord Raise the Rent Every Year in Ontario? 2027 Rules
- Can a Landlord Put Security Cameras in or Outside a Rental in Ontario?
About the author — Jatin Dua, Toronto and GTA real estate broker
I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record and co-founder of RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage, Unit 101, 799 The Queensway, Toronto. I work with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the GTA and have helped more than 100 families sell. Four-plus years of active GTA transactions and over $100 million in sales volume.
Reach me at [email protected] or 833-330-1925, or book a call.