Landlord Entry
During your tenancy, your landlord will need to enter your unit to do repairs, perform inspections, and show your unit to new tenants. Even if they own or manage your rental unit, they cannot simply enter whenever they want.
Usually, your landlord must give you written notice before they enter your rental unit. Your landlord can only enter your rental unit without giving you notice if:
- You give them permission to enter,
- You have abandoned your rental unit,
- There is an emergency like a fire, flood, or issues with water, electricity, or heat,
- They enter within 2 working days of your request for repairs,
- It is the last rental period of your lease, and your lease says they can show your unit to new tenants without notice, or
- You rent a room in a boarding or lodging house and your lease says that the landlord provides housekeeping services.
Otherwise, your landlord must give you written notice which includes:
- Your name,
- Your address, and
- Your landlord’s name and the date.
The amount of notice they must give you depends on their reason for entry:
| Reason for Entry | Notice Required |
|---|---|
| Show your unit to buyers or mortgage lenders. | at least 24 hours’ written notice |
| Inspect your rental unit. | at least 24 hours’ written notice |
| Repair something you asked to be repaired, but they did not come within 2 working days of your request. | at least 24 hours’ written notice |
| Repair something because of an order by a government or safety authority. A copy of the order is required. | at least 24 hours’ written notice |
| Do routine maintenance or general repairs. | at least 7 days’ written notice |
Time and date of entry
Your landlord must enter your unit between 8:00am and 8:00pm, and not on Sundays or holidays unless there is an emergency or you have given them permission to do so.
Assistance from the Tenant and Landlord Relations Office (TLRO)
If your landlord breaks one of these rules, tell them. If they continue to break the notice rules, you can send them a Notice of Complaint. If they do not fix the issue within 7 days, you can apply for assistance through the TLRO Complaints Process
If your landlord wants to inspect your unit, they must give you at least 24 hours’ written notice. If the requests for inspection become too frequent and unreasonable, speak to your landlord about it.
If the requests continue, you can follow the Tenant and Landlord Relations Office (TLRO) Complaints Process. Start by speaking to your landlord about the problem. If nothing changes, you can send them an official Notice of Complaint. If after 7 days the problem is not fixed, you can submit an Application for Assistance to the TLRO. You may want to submit evidence to support your claim.
Please note that legally, you cannot block your landlord from entering your unit where they are authorized to do so.