The T6 Maintenance Application: How Ontario Tenants Get Repairs Done (2026)

The T6 is how tenants force repairs. There is also a form to pay your rent to the Board instead of your landlord while it is pending.

A landlord in Ontario has a legal obligation to maintain a rental unit in a good state of repair and fit for habitation — regardless of what your lease says and regardless of whether you knew about the problem when you moved in. When they don’t, the T6 — Tenant Application about Maintenance is how you force the issue. It costs $48 through the Tribunals Ontario Portal, and there is a lesser-known companion form that lets you pay your rent to the Board instead of your landlord while it is pending.

The forms involved

What the T6 covers

The T6 applies where a landlord has failed to meet their maintenance and repair obligations. In practice that includes:

• Heating problems — no heat, inadequate heat, a broken furnace or radiator
• Plumbing — leaks, no hot water, blocked drains, sewage backup
• Mould and water damage
• Pest infestations — cockroaches, bed bugs, mice, rats
• Broken appliances the landlord is responsible for
• Structural problems — windows, doors, floors, ceilings, balconies
• Elevators, common areas and building systems not maintained
• Failure to comply with health, safety, housing or maintenance standards

Important point that surprises people: a landlord’s maintenance obligation applies even if the problem existed when you moved in and you accepted the unit as-is. You cannot sign away that obligation, and a lease clause purporting to do so is not enforceable.

Build your evidence first

T6 applications are won and lost on documentation. Before you file:

• Put every request in writing — email or text, so it is dated and provable. Verbal complaints are almost impossible to prove.
• Photograph and video everything, with dates. Take more than you think you need.
• Keep a written log — what happened, when you reported it, what the landlord said, what did or did not get done.
• Call 311 and request a City of Toronto property standards inspection. An inspector’s order is powerful third-party evidence, and it costs you nothing.
• Keep receipts for anything you had to spend because of the problem — a space heater, a hotel night, replaced food, laundry.

That last point matters because the Board can order the landlord to reimburse your out-of-pocket costs and can order a rent abatement — a reduction reflecting the reduced value of what you were actually renting.

You can pay rent to the Board instead of your landlord

This is the part most tenants have never heard of. While a T6 is pending, you can file a Request to Pay Rent to the Board on a Tenant Application About Maintenance.

If granted, you pay your rent to the Landlord and Tenant Board rather than to your landlord, and the Board holds it until the matter is resolved. That does two things: it protects you, because you are still paying rent and cannot be accused of arrears; and it creates genuine pressure on a landlord who has been ignoring you.

Cost, and how to avoid it

The T6 filing fee is $53, or $48 through the Tribunals Ontario Portal, as at August 2026. Fees are non-refundable.

If cost is a barrier, file a Fee Waiver Request. And if several tenants in your building have the same problem — a common situation with heating, elevators or pests — multi-tenant applications cost $53 for the first unit plus $5 per additional unit to a maximum of $450, though they must be filed by mail or courier rather than through the Portal.

Free help exists — use it

I’m a Realtor, not a paralegal, and I cannot advise you on a T6. But Ontario community legal clinics assist tenants free of charge and handle maintenance applications routinely. They can help you assess whether you have a strong case, prepare the application, and often represent you at the hearing at no cost.

Contact your local clinic before filing. The LTB can also be reached at 416-645-8080 or 1-888-332-3234 for questions about forms and procedure.

A note for condo owners who rent out units

If you own a condo in Etobicoke or Toronto and rent it out, understand this: you remain responsible for maintaining the unit even when the underlying problem is the condominium corporation’s. If a building-side leak damages your tenant’s unit, your tenant’s T6 is against you, not the corporation. You then pursue the corporation separately.

That is a real and underappreciated risk of owning an older investment condo — which is exactly why I tell buyers to read the status certificate and the reserve fund study properly before purchasing a rental unit. Happy to walk you through what to look for.

Frequently asked questions

What is a T6 application in Ontario?

The T6 is the Tenant Application about Maintenance, filed with the Landlord and Tenant Board when a landlord has failed to maintain a rental unit in a good state of repair — covering heating, plumbing, mould, pests, broken appliances, structural issues and failure to meet health and safety standards.

How much does it cost to file a T6?

As at August 2026, $53, or $48 if filed through the Tribunals Ontario Portal. Fees are non-refundable. A Fee Waiver Request form is available if you cannot afford the fee.

Can I stop paying rent until repairs are done?

No. Withholding rent is not a legal remedy in Ontario and will expose you to an N4 notice and possible eviction. Instead, file a Request to Pay Rent to the Board on a Tenant Application About Maintenance — the Board then holds your rent until the matter is resolved.

What is a rent abatement?

A reduction in rent ordered by the Board to reflect the reduced value of what you were actually renting while the maintenance problem persisted. The Board can also order the landlord to reimburse out-of-pocket costs such as a space heater, hotel nights or replaced food.

Does it matter if the problem existed when I moved in?

No. A landlord’s obligation to maintain the unit in a good state of repair applies even if the problem existed at move-in and you accepted the unit as-is. A lease clause attempting to waive that obligation is not enforceable.

What evidence do I need for a T6 application?

Written repair requests by email or text so they are dated, photographs and video with dates, a written log of events, receipts for costs you incurred, and ideally a City of Toronto property standards inspection obtained by calling 311 — an inspector’s order is strong third-party evidence.

Should I file a T6 or a T2?

File a T6 for repairs, maintenance, mould, pests and health and safety standards. File a T2 for interference with your rights — illegal lockout, illegal entry, harassment, or withholding vital services.

Can several tenants file a T6 together?

Yes. Multi-tenant applications cost $53 for the first unit plus $5 for each additional unit, to a maximum of $450. They must be submitted by mail or courier rather than through the Tribunals Ontario Portal.

I own a rental condo and the problem is the building’s fault. Am I still responsible?

Yes. As the landlord you remain responsible to your tenant for maintaining the unit even where the underlying cause is the condominium corporation’s responsibility. Your tenant’s T6 is against you, and you pursue the corporation separately. It is one reason to review the status certificate and reserve fund study carefully before buying a rental condo — something I can help with. Call 437-987-1925 or email connect@jatindua.com.