Ending a Tenancy the Right Way in Ontario

This article is general information, not legal advice. Verify against the Residential Tenancies Act and the Landlord and Tenant Board's current guidance, or consult qualified counsel.

Here is the single most misunderstood rule in Ontario renting: a lease does not end when the fixed term is up. When a one-year lease reaches its end date, the tenancy does not expire; it automatically continues on a month-to-month basis. A landlord cannot evict a tenant simply because the term ended. There is no "no-fault, end-of-term" eviction in Ontario, and a landlord always needs a valid ground allowed by the Act. Here is how a tenancy actually ends.

The tenant can end it

A tenant has two straightforward paths:

• Form N9 (tenant's notice to end the tenancy). The tenant must give at least 60 days' notice, and the termination date has to fall on the last day of a rental period (for a monthly tenancy) or no earlier than the end of the fixed term. If the notice is mailed, add five days.
• Form N11 (agreement to end the tenancy). The landlord and tenant simply agree on an end date and both sign. It is voluntary; a tenant never has to sign one.

The landlord needs a ground

A landlord can only end a tenancy for a reason the Act allows, using the right form:

• For cause (N4 to N8). N4 for non-payment of rent, N5 for damage or interference, N6 for an illegal act, N7 for serious impairment of safety, and N8 for persistent late payment. Note that as of September 21, 2026, the N4 non-payment notice period dropped to 7 days for monthly and yearly tenancies; we cover that in the Bill 60 N4 change.
• Own use (N12) and demolition, major repair, or conversion (N13). These are the "no-fault" grounds, and both carry compensation and good-faith requirements, covered below.

Own-use (N12) and the 2026 compensation change

An N12 is used when the landlord, a purchaser, or a close family member intends to move into the unit. It has always required the landlord to compensate the tenant, and the person named actually has to move in.

The compensation rule changed in 2026, so get the current version right:

• Traditionally, an N12 required the landlord to compensate the tenant with one month's rent (or to offer another rental unit acceptable to the tenant).
• As of September 21, 2026 (under Bill 60), a landlord's own-use N12 given with at least 120 days' notice, ending on the last day of a rental period or fixed term, no longer requires that one month's compensation.
• A purchaser's own-use N12 still requires the one-month compensation, and so does a landlord's own-use N12 given with shorter notice.

Because this is a recent, nuanced change, confirm the current requirement for your specific situation before serving an N12. Our N12 guide walks through the own-use route.

Demolition, repair, or conversion (N13)

An N13 is for genuinely emptying a unit to demolish it, convert it, or carry out repairs so extensive the unit must be vacant. Compensation is required, but the amount varies with the reason and the size of the building (and larger buildings and repair-type N13s can carry a right of first refusal to move back). Do not assume a single flat figure; check what applies to your situation.

Bad faith is expensive

Both N12 and N13 are only valid when they are genuine. If a landlord evicts for "own use" and then re-rents to someone else, or claims renovations that never happen, the tenant can bring a bad-faith application, and the penalties are serious. Ontario's maximum fines for residential-tenancy offences rose to $100,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a corporation on July 1, 2026. Since September 21, 2026, the Board also presumes an own-use N12 was given in bad faith if the landlord or family member does not move in within 60 days of the termination date (or of the tenant's actual move-out, if later), and presumes a renovating landlord denied the right of first refusal if they skip the required written updates to a tenant who asked to return. Treat these grounds as documented, good-faith processes, not shortcuts.

Only the LTB and the Sheriff can evict

However a dispute goes, a landlord cannot end a tenancy by changing the locks or removing belongings. Eviction happens only through a Landlord and Tenant Board order, enforced only by the Sheriff. Anything else is an illegal eviction.

Frequently asked questions

Does my tenancy end when my lease term is up? No. It automatically continues month-to-month. The landlord cannot evict just because the term ended.

How much notice does a tenant give to move out? At least 60 days on Form N9, ending on a rental-period or term end (add five days if mailed). A tenant can also agree to an earlier end date with the landlord on Form N11.

Does an N12 own-use eviction still require paying the tenant a month's rent? It depends. As of September 21, 2026, a landlord's own-use N12 given on or after that date with at least 120 days' notice, ending on the last day of a rental period or fixed term, no longer requires it, but a purchaser's own-use N12, and shorter-notice own-use N12s, still do. Confirm the current rule for your case.

Can a landlord evict without going to the Board? No. Only the LTB can order eviction, and only the Sheriff can enforce it. Self-help eviction is illegal.

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Ending a tenancy correctly is a paperwork-and-deadlines exercise, and the rules keep shifting. Habyn helps small landlords keep notices, dates, and records straight so the right process is the easy one. See how Habyn helps landlords.