Landlord & Tenant Board

You come home to an N4, Notice to End your Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent, taped to your door, with a termination date two weeks away.

Your Rights

• An N4 is a notice, not an eviction. Only the Landlord and Tenant Board can end a tenancy, after an application and a hearing.
• For monthly tenancies the notice must give at least 14 days, and a defective notice can be challenged.
• Paying the full arrears before the termination date voids the N4.
• You are entitled to raise the landlord's conduct, such as disrepair or harassment, at the hearing.

What to do: Do not move out automatically. Keep the notice and note how and when it was served, then have it reviewed before the termination date.

Your tenant is three months behind, is not returning calls, and a friend suggests changing the locks while they are at work.

Your Rights

• Changing locks or cutting services without a Board order is illegal and can expose you to significant penalties.
• You are entitled to serve a proper notice and apply to the Board for arrears and eviction.
• You may claim the rent owing, and the process protects you when your paperwork is correct.

What to do: Serve the correct notice, keep a complete rent ledger and communication trail, and file the application promptly. Precision at this stage decides the hearing.