Can my landlord enter my unit? Only in the ways section 26 or 27 of the Act allows, and nothing else. Section 25 says so in one line: “A landlord may enter a rental unit only in accordance with section 26 or 27.”
For almost everything — repairs, inspections, an insurer or mortgage lender, and showing the unit to a buyer — the landlord needs 24 hours’ written notice stating the reason, the day, and a specific time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. A vague window is not a time.
No written notice is needed in an emergency, if you consent at the moment of entry, for contractual cleaning, or to show the unit to a prospective tenant once the tenancy is already ending. That last one is the exception people misapply: there is no equivalent shortcut for a sale.
How much notice does a landlord need to enter in Ontario?
Twenty-four hours, in writing. Section 27(1) allows entry “in accordance with written notice given to the tenant at least 24 hours before the time of entry.”
Section 27(3) says exactly what the notice must contain, and it is the subsection landlords most often fall down on: “The written notice under subsection (1) or (2) shall specify the reason for entry, the day of entry and a time of entry between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.”
Three things. Reason. Day. Time. The Board’s Interpretation Guideline 19 is explicit that a range will not do — the notice “must specify an actual time of entry. A broad window of time… is not sufficient.” “Sometime Tuesday” and “between 9 and 5” are both defective notices.
The complete list of reasons requiring 24 hours’ written notice
Section 27(1) permits entry on notice for these purposes, and section 27(2) adds the one that matters most to a seller.
| Reason | Section |
|---|---|
| To carry out a repair or replacement, or do work in the unit | s.27(1)1 |
| To let a potential mortgagee or insurer view the unit | s.27(1)2 |
| To let an engineer, architect or other qualified person inspect the unit for a Condominium Act, 1998 s.9(4) requirement | s.27(1)3 |
| To inspect whether the unit is in a good state of repair and fit for habitation, where the inspection is reasonable | s.27(1)4 |
| For any other reasonable reason for entry specified in the tenancy agreement | s.27(1)5 |
| To let a potential purchaser view the unit — by the landlord, or by a broker or salesperson registered under the Trust in Real Estate Services Act, 2002 with the landlord’s written authorisation | s.27(2) |
A note on that last row that matters if you are reading older material: s.27(2) used to refer to the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002. It was amended to the Trust in Real Estate Services Act, 2002, in force 1 December 2023. The LTB’s Guideline 19 still names the old Act. The statute is the one to follow.
When can a landlord enter with no written notice at all?
Four situations, and they are narrow.
- Emergency — s.26(1)(a). No notice, any hour.
- You consent at the time of entry — s.26(1)(b). Note the wording: consent at the time of entry, not consent given in the lease months ago. Guideline 19 spells out a trap here: a landlord may not walk in to do repairs without notice even if you asked for the repairs, unless you consent when they arrive.
- Contractual cleaning — s.26(2), only where the tenancy agreement requires the landlord to clean at regular intervals, at the times specified or otherwise between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
- Showing the unit to a prospective tenant — s.26(3). Three cumulative conditions, below.
The distinction almost everyone gets wrong: buyers versus tenants
This is the heart of it, and it is worth a table because getting it backwards is how landlords and agents end up on the wrong side of a T2 application.
| Showing to a prospective BUYER | Showing to a prospective TENANT | |
|---|---|---|
| Section | s.27(2) | s.26(3) |
| 24 hours’ written notice? | Yes, required | No |
| Hours | 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. | 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Precondition | None beyond the notice | The tenancy must already be ending — the parties have agreed to terminate, or one of them has given notice of termination |
| Other duty | — | Before entering, inform or make a reasonable effort to inform the tenant |
| Who may enter | Landlord, or a registered broker or salesperson with the landlord’s written authorisation | Landlord and their agents |
The takeaway
There is no “we’re selling” exception. Every showing to a buyer needs its own 24 hours’ written notice naming a reason, a day and a specific time. The no-notice route exists only for re-renting a unit whose tenancy is already ending. And the LTB’s Guideline 6 says the landlord is on the hook either way: “A landlord is held responsible for an illegal entry committed by their real estate salesperson or other agent.”
Can a listing agent photograph or video my unit?
The Act says nothing about photographs. I looked; there is no such provision. What exists is two Divisional Court decisions, both quoted in the Board’s Interpretation Guideline 6, and they point in opposite directions for good reason.
In Nickoladze v Bloor Street Investments/Advent Property Management, 2015 ONSC 3893, a landlord photographed a unit during an inspection for use in an upcoming LTB proceeding. That was not illegal entry, because s.27 authorises entry to inspect. The Court noted it might be prudent to mention photographs in the notice, but not mentioning them did not make the entry unlawful.
In Juhasz v Hymas, 2016 ONSC 1650, the Divisional Court found — in the Board’s own summary — that “absent a specific term of the lease or the tenant’s consent, section 27 does not authorize or require entry into a tenant’s unit to take photographs for marketing purposes to advance the sale of the property.”
Locks, keys and lockboxes
Section 24: a landlord “shall not alter the locking system on a door giving entry to a rental unit or residential complex… without giving the tenant replacement keys.” Section 35 is the mirror image — a tenant cannot change the locks without the landlord’s consent, and the landlord can apply to the Board for an order that the tenant hand over keys.
Lockboxes are not mentioned anywhere in the Act, and there is no LTB guidance on them that I could find. So: there is no rule requiring a tenant to accept one, and no rule prohibiting one. What is certain is that a lockbox does not replace notice. Every entry still needs its own compliant 24 hours’ written notice. That last sentence is the law; the rest of this paragraph is my read of a gap in it.
What can I do if my landlord entered illegally?
Two routes, and they are not mutually exclusive.
A T2 application to the Landlord and Tenant Board. Section 29(1) lets a tenant apply for an order determining that the landlord, superintendent or agent illegally entered the unit, or altered the locking system without giving replacement keys. There is a hard deadline: s.29(2) bars any application made more than one year after the conduct occurred.
Under s.31(1) the Board can order the landlord not to do it again to any tenant in the complex, pay your repair and out-of-pocket costs, abate your rent, pay an administrative fine, terminate the tenancy, or make any other order it considers appropriate. The administrative fine is capped at “the greater of $10,000 and the monetary jurisdiction of the Small Claims Court” — which since 1 October 2025 has been $50,000. Guideline 16 makes clear the Board does not hand these out lightly: a fine “is not normally imposed unless a landlord has shown a blatant disregard for the RTA.”
It is also a provincial offence. Section 234(a) makes it an offence to enter a rental unit where entry is not permitted by s.26, s.27 or s.142, or without first complying with those sections. Since 1 July 2026 the maximum fines on conviction are $100,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a corporation. Those are prosecution fines and are a different thing from the Board’s administrative fine — the Board’s own June 2026 update says so expressly.
| Route | Who decides | Maximum | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| T2 application — illegal entry | Landlord and Tenant Board | Administrative fine up to $50,000, plus rent abatement and costs | One year from the conduct (s.29(2)) |
| Prosecution under s.234(a) | Provincial Offences Court | $100,000 individual / $500,000 corporation (since 1 July 2026) | Set by the Provincial Offences Act |
If you are selling a tenanted unit, do this
- Talk to the tenant before the listing goes live. Not because the Act requires it, but because a cooperative tenant and a hostile one produce very different sale prices.
- Put every showing in writing, 24 hours ahead, with a specific time. One notice per showing. Reason, day, time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
- Get written authorisation on file for the brokerage to enter under s.27(2).
- Ask separately about photographs. Marketing photos are not covered by the entry right — see Juhasz v Hymas above.
- Consider grouping showings. Nothing in the Act requires a tenant to accept back-to-back showings, but a predictable weekly window that the tenant has agreed to beats a stream of individual notices, for everyone.
- Do not change the locks, and do not let anyone tell you a lockbox removes the notice requirement.
Selling an Etobicoke property with a tenant in it?
Tell me the unit, the lease end date and how the relationship with the tenant is going. I will tell you what it does to your price and your timeline, what your realistic options are, and how I would run the showings so you do not end up at the Board. No pitch, no obligation.
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Frequently asked questions
Can my landlord enter without notice in Ontario?
Only in four situations: an emergency; if you consent at the time of entry; to clean, where the tenancy agreement requires the landlord to clean at regular intervals; or to show the unit to a prospective tenant once the tenancy is already ending. Everything else needs 24 hours written notice under section 27.
How much notice does a landlord have to give to enter in Ontario?
At least 24 hours written notice. Section 27(3) requires the notice to specify the reason for entry, the day of entry and a time of entry between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The Landlord and Tenant Board’s Interpretation Guideline 19 confirms that a broad window of time is not sufficient, it must be an actual time.
Can my landlord show my apartment before I move out in Ontario?
Yes, but which rule applies depends on who is viewing. Showing to a prospective buyer requires 24 hours written notice under section 27(2). Showing to a prospective tenant needs no written notice under section 26(3), but only once the tenancy is already ending, only between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and only after the landlord informs or makes a reasonable effort to inform you.
Can I refuse to let my landlord in?
You can refuse entry that does not comply with the Act. You cannot refuse compliant entry simply because the time is inconvenient. Guideline 19 states this directly, and refusing lawful entry can support a notice of termination under section 64, which is void if you correct the conduct within seven days.
Can a real estate agent enter my rental unit?
Yes, if the landlord has given the broker or salesperson written authorisation and 24 hours written notice has been given to you, and entry is between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The salesperson must be registered under the Trust in Real Estate Services Act, 2002. The Board holds the landlord responsible for an illegal entry committed by their agent.
Can my landlord take photos of my apartment to sell it?
Not automatically. In Juhasz v Hymas, 2016 ONSC 1650, the Divisional Court found that absent a specific term of the lease or the tenant’s consent, section 27 does not authorise entry to take photographs for marketing purposes to advance the sale of the property. Entry to show the unit and entry to photograph it are treated differently.
What can I do if my landlord entered illegally?
File a T2 application with the Landlord and Tenant Board under section 29. You must apply within one year of the conduct. The Board can order the landlord to stop, pay your costs, abate your rent, pay an administrative fine of up to $50,000, or terminate the tenancy. Illegal entry is also a provincial offence under section 234(a), with maximum fines since 1 July 2026 of $100,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a corporation.
Can my landlord change the locks?
Not without giving you replacement keys. Section 24 prohibits altering the locking system during your occupancy without providing replacement keys. You also cannot change the locks without the landlord’s consent under section 35.
Sources
- Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 17 (e-Laws). Sections 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 31, 35, 64, 234 and 238. Consolidation current from 1 July 2026; accessed 10 August 2026.
- LTB Interpretation Guideline 19 — The Landlord’s Right of Entry into a Rental Unit. The requirement for an actual time rather than a window, and the tenant’s right to refuse non-compliant entry.
- LTB Interpretation Guideline 6 — Tenants’ Rights. Real estate agent entry and landlord responsibility for an agent’s illegal entry, and the summaries of Nickoladze and Juhasz v Hymas quoted above.
- LTB Interpretation Guideline 16 — Administrative Fines. When the Board imposes a fine and how the amount is set.
- O. Reg. 626/00 — Small Claims Court Jurisdiction and Appeal Limit. The $50,000 monetary jurisdiction that sets the administrative fine ceiling, in force 1 October 2025.
- Tribunals Ontario — LTB Operational Update, 30 June 2026. The increased maximum offence fines, and the confirmation that they do not apply to administrative fines.
- Government of Ontario — Guide to Ontario’s Standard Lease. Plain-language restatement of the entry and lock rules.
Related reading
- The T2 application: enforcing tenant rights at the LTB
- The Ontario LTB forms guide — which form does what
- Buying an Etobicoke condo with a tenant in place
- The N12 notice for landlord’s or purchaser’s own use
- The Etobicoke rental market: a guide for landlords and tenants
About the author — Jatin Dua, Etobicoke real estate agent
I am Jatin Dua, a Realtor with RE/MAX Quantum Realty, working out of 799 The Queensway in Etobicoke. I list tenanted units regularly, which means section 27 is not an abstraction for me — it is the paperwork I do before every showing. Most of the friction I see on tenanted listings comes from sellers who assumed a sale suspends the ordinary rules. It does not.
Reach me at connect@jatindua.com or 437-987-1925.