Bill 60 for Landlords: the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act

I. Introduction

If you own a rental property in Ontario, you know the frustration of the “LTB Backlog.” For years, landlords have told us the same story: you have a non-paying tenant, you follow every rule, but you’re stuck waiting eight to twelve months just to get a hearing. Meanwhile, the debt piles up, and your hands are tied.

That is finally changing.

In November 2025, the Ontario government passed Bill 60: The Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act. While the headlines have focused on tenant protests, the reality for property owners is that this legislation is a massive step toward fixing a broken system.

This isn’t just a tweak to the rules; it is an overhaul designed to stop delay tactics. The new law recognizes that when a tenant stops paying rent or damages property, a landlord shouldn’t have to wait a year to get their keys back.

For landlords, Bill 60 offers a clear path to faster dispute resolution and fairer enforcement. Below, we break down exactly how to use these new tools to protect your investment.

Bill 60 for Landlords: the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act

III. Speeding Up Non-Payment Evictions (The 14-to-7 Rule)

Perhaps the most practical change for your day-to-day management is the update to the N4 Notice (Notice to End your Tenancy for Non-payment of Rent).

For decades, if a tenant missed rent, you had to give them a 14-day notice. This meant you had to wait two full weeks to see if they would pay before you could even apply to the Board for a hearing.

The New Law: The notice period for non-payment of rent has been reduced from 14 days to 7 days.

How to Use This:

  1. Don’t Wait: If rent is due on the 1st and it isn’t paid, you can issue the new N4 on the 2nd.
  2. Calculate Correctly: The termination date on the notice (the day they must pay or move out) can now be 7 days after you give them the form.
  3. File Sooner: If they don’t pay by that 7th day, you can file your L1 Application (the eviction application) immediately.

Why It Matters: By shaving a week off the notice period, you get into the LTB hearing queue seven days earlier. In a system where every day counts toward lost revenue, this allows you to start the legal process before the tenant falls a second month behind on rent.

Here are the next three sections of the blog post, continuing with the practical, plain-language approach.

IV. “Pay to Play”: Ending Delay Tactics at Hearings

If you have ever been to a Landlord and Tenant Board hearing for unpaid rent, you might be familiar with the “ambush.”

Here is how it usually happens: You arrive at the hearing prepared to show that the tenant hasn’t paid rent in six months. Suddenly, the tenant claims the stove is broken, or there was a mouse in the basement three months ago. They argue they shouldn’t have to pay the full rent because of these issues.

Want to see what the new law means from the tenant’s side? Read this article on Bill 60 for tenants to learn more.

In the past, the Adjudicator would often adjourn (postpone) the hearing to investigate these claims, delaying your eviction order by months—even if the tenant never mentioned these repairs to you before.

The New Rule: Bill 60 introduces a “Pay to Play” system to stop these stall tactics.

  1. Advance Notice Required: Tenants can no longer spring maintenance complaints on you the morning of the hearing. They must provide written notice of these issues in advance.
  2. The 50% Deposit: Before a tenant is allowed to argue that maintenance issues excuse their non-payment, they must pay 50% of the rent arrears into the Board (in trust).

Why It Matters: This stops tenants from using “repairs” as a free loophole to live rent-free. If a tenant genuinely has maintenance issues, they can still raise them—but they have to put some money on the table first to prove they are acting in good faith.

V. Changes to “Landlord’s Own Use” (N12) Compensation

Using an N12 Notice to reclaim a unit for yourself or a family member is one of the most common ways to end a tenancy, but it usually comes with a price tag. Under the old rules, you were always required to pay the tenant one month’s rent as compensation.

Bill 60 introduces a new option that allows you to save that money if you can afford to wait.

Bill 60 for Landlords: the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act

The New Option: If you provide the tenant with 120 days’ notice (roughly 4 months) instead of the standard 60 days, you are no longer required to pay the one-month rent compensation.

How to Use This:

  • The Standard Way: You give 60 days’ notice and pay the tenant 1 month of rent. (Use this if you need the unit quickly).
  • The New “Long Notice” Way: You give 120 days’ notice and pay $0 in compensation.

Strategy Tip: If you know your daughter is moving back home from university in four months, or you are planning a move well in advance, issue the N12 immediately with the 120-day timeline. You give the tenant plenty of time to find a new place, and you save yourself a month’s worth of expenses.

VI. Practical Checklist: How to Adapt Your Workflow

The law has changed, which means your daily habits need to change, too. Using old habits (or old paperwork) will get your case thrown out. Here is your checklist for staying compliant under Bill 60:

  1. Throw Out Old Forms: Go to the LTB website and download the new 2025 versions of the N4 and N12 forms. If you use an old N4 that says “14 days” instead of “7 days,” the Board will dismiss your case, and you will have to start over from zero.
  2. Tighten Your Rent Collection Schedule: Stop waiting “to be nice.” The new law expects speed.
  • Day 1: Rent is due.
  • Day 2: If unpaid, issue the new N4 immediately.
  • Day 9: If still unpaid, file the L1 application. Every day you wait is a day added to the timeline if you eventually need the Sheriff.
  1. Document Repair Requests Religiously: Since tenants now have to give advance notice of maintenance issues, you need to be ready to rebut them. Keep a log of every text, email, or call regarding repairs. If a tenant raises an issue at a hearing that isn’t in your log and wasn’t submitted in writing beforehand, you can now ask the Adjudicator to dismiss that argument.
  2. Check Your Open Cases: If you currently have an eviction order that was issued recently, check the date. Under the new rules, the review period expires on Day 15. Don’t assume you have to wait a full month—check the status, and if the 15 days are up, book the enforcement.

Here is the conclusion, a helpful FAQ section, and the SEO meta-description to complete your blog post.

Bill 60 for Landlords: the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act

VII. Conclusion

Bill 60 is the “tough on delays” legislation that Ontario landlords have been waiting for. It acknowledges a simple truth: valid property rights shouldn’t be buried under administrative backlogs.

By shortening notice periods, cutting appeal times in half, and preventing bad-faith stall tactics at hearings, the province has handed you a powerful set of tools to protect your investment.

However, a word of caution: Speed requires precision.

Because the law now allows you to move faster, the Landlord and Tenant Board will likely be stricter than ever on technicalities. If you try to give a 6-day notice instead of the required 7 days, your case will be dismissed just as quickly as before.

Take the time today to update your files, download the new forms, and review your arrears list. If you have tenants who are significantly behind on rent, there has never been a better time to take action.

Resources

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I still use the old N4 forms if I cross out “14 days” and write “7 days”? 

No. Never alter LTB forms manually. The Board is very strict about formatting. You must download the new standard forms from the LTB website that reflect the legislative changes. Using an old form is the fastest way to lose your case.

Does the “Pay to Play” rule mean the tenant pays the 50% rent arrears directly to me? 

Generally, no. The tenant is usually required to pay this amount “into the Board” (in trust) rather than directly to the landlord. This proves they have the money and are acting in good faith without putting the funds in your pocket before a decision is made.

I served a 14-day notice before Bill 60 passed. Can I switch it to a 7-day notice now? 

No. Notices are valid based on the laws active at the time they were served. If you already served a 14-day notice, you must let that timeline finish. However, any new notices for non-payment you issue from today forward can follow the new 7-day rule.

Do I always have to give 120 days’ notice for an N12 (Landlord’s Own Use) to avoid paying compensation?

No. You can still choose the standard option: give 60 days’ notice and pay the one-month compensation. The 120-day option is simply a new alternative that allows you to waive the compensation if you are willing to give the tenant significantly more time to move.

My tenant filed a review on Day 20. Is it too late? 

Under the new rules, yes. The review period is now 15 days. If they file on Day 20, you should have already been able to proceed with enforcement. You (or your legal rep) should immediately flag this as out of time to the Board.

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