How Ontario rent increases work
Each year the province publishes a rent increase guideline tied to the Ontario Consumer Price Index, then caps it so it never runs ahead of what tenants can reasonably absorb. For 2026 the guideline is 2.1%, comfortably under the 2.5% ceiling. For most tenancies, the guideline is the most a landlord can raise rent without going to the Landlord and Tenant Board.
Which units the guideline covers
The guideline applies to most private residential units first occupied as a rental before November 15, 2018. Units first occupied on or after that date are exempt from the guideline, which means there is no guideline cap on the amount, though every other Residential Tenancies Act rule still applies. Knowing which side of that line a unit falls on is the first thing to confirm before serving any notice.
Notice and timing
A rent increase requires at least 90 days written notice on Form N1, and rent can only be raised once every 12 months for the same tenant. The calculator uses both rules: it counts 90 days from today and, if you enter the date of the last increase, twelve months from that date, then shows the later of the two as the earliest the increase can take effect.
Keep the record clean
An increase is only as defensible as its paper trail: the prior rent, the new rent, the effective date, the notice served, and the date it was delivered. When those facts live with the lease instead of in an inbox, a disputed increase becomes a lookup rather than an argument. That is exactly what Habyn's lease management and rent tracking are built to keep. For the full picture, read our guide to the 2026 rent increase guideline and the Residential Tenancies Act.