Paying Rent Into Board

Question:In Ontario, is a tenant allowed to withhold rent from a landlord until maintenance or repair issues are addressed?

Answer:Denali Paralegal says a tenant generally should not withhold rent to pressure a landlord to make repairs, because it can be found unlawful under Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 17.   Instead, the proper route is to file a Tenant Application About Maintenance (Form T6) and, if appropriate, request that rent be paid into the Landlord and Tenant Board rather than to the landlord under Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 17, s. 195(1)(b).   Cases such as Haran v. Westover, 2021 CanLII 101368 and O.C. v. J.M., 2018 CanLII 86120 reinforce that the Act does not permit rent withholding as a way to compel specific performance.   If you are dealing with maintenance issues and rent disputes, call (877) 414-4377 for Ontario guidance from Denali Paralegal (family law services provider paralegal) before taking any rent action.

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Can a Tenant Legally Withhold Rent As Means to Urge Repairs or Maintenance By a Landlord?

It Is Unlawful and Improper For a Tenant to Withhold Rent From a Landlord. Instead, a Tenant May Apply to the Landlord Tenant Board to Pay Rent to the Landlord Tenant Board.

Note: For immediate help, please contact Denali Paralegal by phone at: (877) 414-4377 to retain services or to discuss any specific questions that you may have.

Understanding That Withholding Rent From a Landlord Requires Payment of Rent Into the Landlord Tenant Board

If a tenant has issues with the state of repair of the rental unit, the tenant should refrain from withholding rent from the landlord. Instead, the tenant should initiate proceedings at the Landlord Tenant Board and apply to pay the rent to the Landlord Tenant Board as a proper means to motivate the landlord to address the repair issues as complained of by the tenant.

The Law

A tenant that withholds rent as a means to urge the landlord to make repairs or otherwise remedy perceived maintenance concerns does so improperly and unlawfully.  Instead of withholding rent, upon submitting a Tenant Application About Maintenance (Form T6) to the Landlord Tenant Board, the tenant may apply to the Landlord Tenant Board to submit rent payments to the Landlord Tenant Board rather than the landlord.

The cases of Haran v Westover, 2021 CanLII 101368, O.C. v. J.M., 2018 CanLII 86120, D.P.J. v. A.C., 2011 CanLII 26905, among others, address the impropriety of the withholding of rent by a tenant.  Specifically, per Haran, O.C., and D.P.J., the Landlord Tenant Board said:

As shown by the above cases, among many others, a tenant is without a right to withhold rent regardless of concerns for failure of maintenance by a landlord.  With this said, rather than improperly withholding rent from the landlord, when a tenant files a Tenant Application About Maintenance (Form T6), a tenant may apply to provide rent payments to the Landlord Tenant Board.  A tenant may apply to pay rent into the Landlord Tenant Board as per section 195(1)(b) of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, Chapter 17, which states:

To apply to provide rent payments to the Landlord Tenant Board, a tenant must first file the Tenant Application About Maintenance (Form T6) and then a tenant may file the Request to Pay Rent to the Board on a Tenant Application About Maintenance.

Summary Comment

A tenant with a legal dispute over issues of maintenance is forbidden to withhold held as a means to urge the landlord to address the maintenance issues.  Instead, a tenant may apply to the Landlord Tenant Board to make rent payments to the Landlord Tenant Board.