Published 2 November 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
File Form L10 with the Landlord and Tenant Board within one year of the move-out date. It works if the tenant left on or after September 1, 2021, and covers rent, NSF charges, utilities and damage up to $50,000. The fee is $201, or $186 online. If you win and they still do not pay, you enforce the order through Small Claims Court.
This guide is for Ontario landlords whose tenant has moved out still owing rent. You will learn whether you can still collect, how much you can claim, the deadlines and fees for the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) application, and what to do once you have an order, because winning and getting paid are two different steps.
Can you collect unpaid rent after a tenant moves out in Ontario?
Yes, in most cases. Section 87 of the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) lets a landlord apply to the LTB for an order that a former tenant pay rent arrears. You use Form L10, Application to Collect Money a Former Tenant Owes.
Two conditions decide whether the LTB can hear you:
- The move-out date: the tenant must have moved out on or after September 1, 2021. Before that date, the LTB had no power over former tenants.
- The deadline: you must file no later than one year after the tenant moved out. This comes from section 87(1.1) of the RTA, and the LTB repeats it in its own instructions.
If the tenant is still living in the unit, the L10 is the wrong form. The LTB says to use Form L9 to collect rent only, or Form L1 to evict and collect, which first requires an N4 notice. My N4 guide covers that route.
What can a landlord claim from a former tenant?
The L10 covers more than rent. According to the LTB, you can claim:
- Rent: unpaid rent during the tenancy, including amounts paid separately for services such as parking, and utilities if the tenant paid you a flat monthly rate.
- Compensation: money for the time the tenant stayed after the tenancy ended by a notice or an agreement.
- NSF charges: your bank’s charge for a bounced cheque, plus an administration charge of no more than $20 per cheque. You can only claim these if you also claim rent or compensation.
- Utilities: heat, electricity or water the tenant was supposed to pay but did not.
- Damage: repair or replacement costs for wilful or negligent damage, not normal wear and tear.
- Substantial interference costs: for example, a fire department charge after a false alarm.
The LTB’s filing fee of $201 can be added to the total you claim. Damage claims have their own evidence rules, which I explain in my post on a tenant who damaged the unit.
The $50,000 limit
The most the LTB can order is $50,000. If you claim at the LTB, section 207(3) of the RTA says any amount above that is gone once the Board issues its order. If the total really is higher, the LTB says to go to court instead.
How much rent is owed if the tenant left without notice?
Section 88 of the RTA sets the rules when a tenant walks out without proper notice and there was no agreement to end the tenancy. The idea is that the tenant owes rent up to the date a proper notice would have ended the tenancy, but not past the day a new tenant can move in.
| Situation | Rent owed until | RTA section |
|---|---|---|
| Tenant gave notice, but not a valid one | The earliest end date a valid notice could have given | s. 88(1), para. 1 |
| Tenant left with no notice at all | The earliest end date a valid notice could have given, counted from when you knew or should have known they left | s. 88(1), para. 2 |
| You re-rented the unit | No later than the day the new tenant is entitled to move in | s. 88(3) |
| Any of the above | The LTB considers whether you took reasonable steps to cut your losses | s. 88(4) and s. 16 |
Source: Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, sections 16 and 88, Ontario e-Laws consolidation read November 2026.
The last row matters. Section 16 gives you a duty to take reasonable steps to minimize your losses. A landlord who leaves a unit empty for months without advertising it should expect the claim to be cut.
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How do you file an L10 application?
The LTB lays out the steps and the deadlines that follow once your hearing is scheduled.
| Step | Deadline |
|---|---|
| File Form L10 and pay the fee | Within one year of the move-out date |
| Receive the Notice of Hearing from the LTB | No set timeline |
| Ask for an alternative way to serve, if needed | At least 40 days before the hearing |
| Serve the application and Notice of Hearing | At least 30 days before the hearing |
| File the certificate of service with the LTB | At least 20 days before the hearing |
| Give the former tenant and the LTB copies of your evidence | At least 7 days before the hearing |
Source: LTB brochure, Collecting Money a Former Tenant Owes, and Form L10 instructions. Filing fee $201, or $186 through the Tribunals Ontario Portal (LTB forms, filing and fees page).
The rent table on the form must show, for each rent period, the rent charged, the rent paid and what is still owing. The LTB lets you combine earlier periods, but the last row must show the final period with arrears.
If you miss the certificate of service deadline, the LTB says it may cancel the hearing and close the file, and the fee is not refunded. My guide to what happens at an LTB hearing will help you prepare.
How do you serve a tenant who has moved?
This is where many L10 claims stall. You must serve the former tenant at their current residence, not the rental unit. The LTB’s approved methods include handing it to them, handing it to an adult at their home, mail, courier, or leaving it where mail is delivered. Email works only if the tenant agreed in writing during the tenancy to receive documents by email and you can prove they received it.
The LTB may ask at the hearing how you found the current address. Keep a record of how you found it. If none of the standard methods will work, apply for alternative service at least 40 days before the hearing.
Practical tip from my side: collect an emergency contact and a signed email-service consent at the start of every tenancy. Both cost nothing and save weeks later.
What happens to the last month’s rent deposit?
It is not a damage or arrears fund you control. Section 106(10) of the RTA says a rent deposit must be applied to the last rent period of the tenancy. When the Board decides how much a tenant owes, section 87(4) has it subtract any rent deposit, and interest on it, that would be owing to the tenant on termination.
So build your rent table honestly. If the deposit covered the last month, that month is paid, and your claim is for the earlier gaps. My post on rental deposit rules explains the interest you owe each year.
Do not file at the LTB for a claim you know is larger than $50,000. Once the Board issues its order, section 207(3) of the RTA wipes out your right to the rest. Value the full claim, rent plus damage plus utilities, before you choose where to file.
You won an LTB order. How do you actually get paid?
An LTB order says the former tenant owes you money. It does not move the money. A spokesperson for Ontario’s Attorney General told CBC News that tribunal orders like the LTB’s are enforced by a court, not by the tribunal, and the person owed money in that story was told to file with Small Claims Court to collect.
The Small Claims Court Rules give a creditor several tools once there is an order for payment of money:
- Garnishment: money owed to the debtor by others, such as wages or bank accounts, can be directed to you (Rule 20.08).
- Examination: if the debtor defaults, you can have them examined about their income and assets (Rule 20.10).
- Writs of seizure and sale: against personal property or land.
The Board can also set a payment date in the order. Under section 207(7) of the RTA, interest starts after that date at the post-judgment rate under the Courts of Justice Act.
Collection agencies are another option, but CBC reported they keep a share of what they recover. Weigh that against your time.
Small arrears from a tenant with no job or assets are often not worth chasing for long. Large arrears from a tenant with steady income usually are, because garnishment works. Either way, file the L10 well inside the one-year window, even if you are not sure you will enforce. You cannot get that year back. The bigger win is upstream: proper screening, a written lease, email-service consent and quick action on the first missed payment.
When should a landlord go to court instead of the LTB?
Three cases point away from the L10:
- Over $50,000: the LTB itself says to apply to court, and section 207(2) of the RTA lets a court use the Board’s powers for the larger claim.
- Moved out before September 1, 2021: the LTB cannot hear the claim, and a court route may be very old by now.
- More than one year since move-out: the L10 deadline has passed. Whether any other route is open depends on your facts, so speak to a paralegal or lawyer before spending money.
Court rules, fees and limitation periods are separate from the LTB’s, so get advice for your situation.
What to do next
Act in this order.
- Write down the move-out date and mark one year later in your calendar as the L10 deadline.
- Build a rent table period by period, apply the deposit to the last month, and add NSF and utility amounts with receipts.
- Find and document the former tenant’s current address before you file.
- File Form L10 through the Tribunals Ontario Portal for the lower $186 fee, then meet every service deadline.
- If you win, plan enforcement through Small Claims Court, and review how to screen your next tenant.
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
Can a landlord collect unpaid rent after a tenant moves out in Ontario?
Yes. A landlord can file Form L10 with the Landlord and Tenant Board to collect rent arrears from a former tenant, under section 87 of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act. The tenant must have moved out on or after September 1, 2021, and the application must be filed within one year of the move-out date. The filing fee is $201, or $186 online.
How long does a landlord have to claim unpaid rent from a former tenant in Ontario?
One year from the day the tenant moved out. Section 87(1.1) of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act and the Landlord and Tenant Board’s L10 instructions both set that deadline. After one year, the LTB cannot hear the claim. Mark the date as soon as the tenant leaves, because the time cannot be extended later.
What is the maximum a landlord can claim at the LTB?
$50,000. The Landlord and Tenant Board says the most it can order on a claim is $50,000. Under section 207(3) of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act, any amount above that is extinguished once the Board issues its order, so a landlord with a larger claim should go to court instead of filing an L10 in 2027.
Can I take a former tenant to Small Claims Court for unpaid rent in Ontario?
Only in some cases. For a former tenant who left on or after September 1, 2021, the Landlord and Tenant Board’s Form L10 is the usual route within one year. The LTB says claims over $50,000 belong in court, and Small Claims Court is where you enforce an LTB order through garnishment. For any other situation, get advice from a paralegal or lawyer.
How do I serve an L10 if I do not know where my former tenant lives?
You must serve the former tenant at their current residence, not the old rental unit. If you cannot use the Landlord and Tenant Board’s approved methods, you can request an alternative service method at least 40 days before the hearing. Email service only works if the tenant agreed to it in writing during the tenancy.
Can I keep the last month’s rent deposit for unpaid rent in Ontario?
The deposit must be applied to the last rent period of the tenancy under section 106(10) of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act. When the Landlord and Tenant Board calculates arrears, section 87(4) subtracts any rent deposit and interest owed to the tenant. Your claim is for the other unpaid months, not the month the deposit already covered.
What if my tenant left without giving notice in Ontario?
The tenant generally owes rent until the earliest date a proper notice could have ended the tenancy, under section 88 of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act. If you re-rent sooner, the claim stops when the new tenant can move in. The Board also checks whether you took reasonable steps, such as advertising, to reduce your losses.
How do I enforce an LTB order for unpaid rent?
Through the court, because the Landlord and Tenant Board does not collect money for you. Ontario’s Attorney General told CBC News that tribunal orders are enforced by a court. Ontario’s Small Claims Court Rules allow garnishment of wages or bank accounts and an examination of a debtor who defaults. Interest runs after the payment date set in the order.
Can I claim NSF cheque fees from a former tenant?
Yes, if you are also claiming rent or compensation on Form L10. Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Board lets you claim your bank’s NSF charge plus a landlord administration charge of no more than $20 per bounced cheque. List each cheque, its date, the date the bank charged you and the amounts in the L10 table.
Sources
- Ontario e-Laws: Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (ss. 16, 87, 88, 106, 207)
- Landlord and Tenant Board: Instructions for Form L10
- Landlord and Tenant Board: Collecting Money a Former Tenant Owes
- Tribunals Ontario: LTB forms, filing and fees
- Ontario e-Laws: Small Claims Court Rules, O. Reg. 258/98 (Rule 20)
- CBC News: This tenant won $16K from her landlord. She worries she may never get it
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.