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Welcome back to Three Bullet Thursdays from Zinati Kay – Real Estate Lawyers.
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This Thursday, we’re looking at one of the most meaningful changes to Ontario’s rental laws in years: Bill 60, the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025. For responsible condo owners and small landlords, these changes offer faster timelines, clearer rules, and more predictability in recovering rent or regaining possession.
To know this Thursday:
When you rely on rental income to pay the mortgage, condo fees, and taxes, long delays at the Landlord and Tenant Board can put real pressure on your investment. Bill 60 brings several targeted reforms to the Residential Tenancies Act designed to reduce delay tactics and make the process fairer and more efficient for both sides.
Here are the three things you must know:
1.Own-Use Evictions (N12): No more one-month compensation when you give long notice.
When a landlord or qualifying family member needs to move into the unit, Bill 60 removes the requirement to pay one month’s rent as compensation, provided you give at least 120 days’ notice and the termination date falls at the end of the lease term or rental period.
This offers clearer financial planning and makes it easier to regain possession when the tenancy ends naturally.
2.Rent Arrears Cases: Tenants must pay 50% of the arrears before raising repair issues.
Under the new rules, a tenant cannot raise maintenance, repair, or similar issues as a defense in a rent-arrears eviction hearing unless they first pay at least half of the arrears claimed.
This targets last-minute delay tactics and keeps arrears hearings focused on the central question: whether rent has been paid.
3.Faster Eviction Timelines: A shorter cure period and faster LTB finality.
Landlords can now file with the Landlord and Tenant Board after only 7 days from the N4 notice (down from 14). The window to request a review of an LTB order is also cut in half — from 30 days to 15.
This accelerates the process and reduces the period of unpaid occupancy, helping you protect your cash flow.
The changes in Bill 60 offer practical tools for landlords who manage their properties responsibly. The legislation aims to reduce misuse of the system and move files through faster while still protecting legitimate tenant rights. As with any major update, further regulations and updated LTB forms may follow — but the direction is clear: more efficiency, more certainty, and quicker outcomes.
Dig deeper:
Ontario Legislative Assembly – Bill 60 (Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025)
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Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (current consolidated law)
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Checklist: What Landlords Should Do Now
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Update your N4 and N12 strategy:
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Use the shorter 7-day N4 timeline.
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For N12s, plan termination dates at the end of the lease term to rely on the new no-compensation rule.
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Document arrears promptly:
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Keep a clear payment ledger.
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Send notices immediately when rent is missed.
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Prepare for hearings with the 50% rule in mind:
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Bring a clear calculation of arrears.
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Know that repair issues cannot be raised unless the required payment has been made.
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Track LTB timelines closely:
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Decisions become final faster with the new 15-day review limit.
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Review leases and renewals:
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Ensure termination dates, renewal rules, and notice periods are clearly stated.
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Monitor for updated LTB forms and procedural directions:
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Bill 60 amendments will require revised forms and guidance from the Board.
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We’re always here to answer your questions and provide guidance.