Updated October 3, 2026 · DF Property Management
What the N4 does
Form N4, Notice to End your Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent, is the first formal step when a tenant hasn't paid rent in full. It states how much is owed and gives a termination date. If the tenant pays everything owing before you file with the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB), the notice is void and the tenancy simply continues. If they don't, you can apply to evict and to collect the arrears.
An N4 does not end the tenancy on its own. The tenant doesn't have to leave on the termination date, and only an LTB order, enforced by the Sheriff, can remove them.
The timing changed on September 21, 2026
Amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 made by the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025 (Bill 60) shortened the N4 notice period for monthly tenancies from 14 days to 7.
| When the N4 was given | Rent paid monthly | Rent paid daily or weekly |
|---|---|---|
| Before September 21, 2026 | Termination date at least 14 days after service | At least 7 days after service |
| On or after September 21, 2026 | At least 7 days after service | At least 7 days after service |
The LTB published an updated N4 at the same time. Always download the current version from the LTB website or start from the Tribunals Ontario Portal.
Count from the day the tenant is considered served. Handing it over, sliding it under the door or putting it through the mail slot counts the same day; regular mail adds five days. Many experienced landlords add a day or two of buffer, because a termination date that is one day short can sink the whole application.
What belongs on an N4 — and what doesn't
Only rent goes on an N4. That includes base rent plus charges that form part of the lawful rent under the lease, such as parking, a storage locker or a properly calculated seasonal air-conditioner charge.
- Don't include NSF fees. Bank charges and your administration charge (capped at $20 per cheque) can be claimed in the L1 application instead.
- Don't include utilities the tenant reimburses you separately — in most set-ups they aren't rent.
- Don't include an unpaid rent deposit, damage costs or late fees.
- Don't apply the last month's rent deposit to the arrears. It can only be used for the last rental period of the tenancy.
Adding amounts that aren't rent is one of the most common reasons an N4 is found invalid at a hearing.
How a tenant voids the notice
The tenant voids the N4 by paying, before you file, the arrears listed in the notice plus any rent that has come due since. If May is unpaid and June 1 passes before the tenant pays, they must pay May and June.
Filing an L1 doesn't end their options. Until the order is issued, the tenant can pay everything claimed — including your filing fee — plus new rent. After the order, paying the full amount before it becomes enforceable voids it automatically. A tenant who pays after that, but before the Sheriff acts, can ask the LTB to set the order aside; that motion is available only once during a tenancy.
From N4 to eviction order
- Rent is missed — You can serve an N4 the day after rent was due. Check the ledger first: partial payments, credits and the correct rental periods.
- Serve it properly — Complete every field, sign it and keep a record of the method and date of service.
- Let the termination date pass — The earliest you can file is the day after the termination date. There's no filing deadline for an L1, but don't let a notice go stale.
- File an L1 — Through the Tribunals Ontario Portal ($186) or on paper ($201). The tenant must still be living in the unit.
- Prepare for the hearing — An updated rent ledger, the N4, proof of service and payment records. Most hearings are held by video.
- Enforce the order — If eviction is ordered and the tenant neither pays nor leaves, file the order with the Court Enforcement Office (Sheriff). Only the Sheriff can change the locks.
L1, L9 or L10?
| Form | Use it when | Notice first? |
|---|---|---|
| L1 | You want an eviction order and the arrears; tenant still in the unit | Yes — a valid N4 |
| L9 | You want the arrears only and the tenancy to continue; tenant still in the unit | No — file any time after rent is due |
| L10 | The tenant has already moved out and owes rent or compensation | No — file within one year of move-out |
An L9 order can be collected as a debt, but it can never be used to evict.
New: tenants must pay half to raise other issues
For arrears applications filed on or after September 21, 2026, a tenant who wants to raise other issues at the hearing — repairs, for example — must pay you at least half of the arrears claimed, directly and at least seven days before the hearing, and give you and the LTB a written description of the issues. Money paid into the LTB's trust account doesn't count for this purpose.
This favours landlords with clean maintenance records. It doesn't remove the LTB's power to refuse or delay an eviction, so a well-documented repair history still matters.
Payment plans
The LTB considers whether you tried to work out a repayment arrangement. Once an L1 is filed, any repayment plan must use the LTB's mandatory Payment Agreement Form. If the tenant breaks it, you can apply for eviction without a hearing on Form L4 — only if the agreement included that term — or ask to re-open the application. Either step must be taken within 30 days of the missed payment.
Chronic late payers
A tenant who always pays eventually, but late, needs a different tool. As of September 21, 2026, paying rent more than seven days after the due date at least three times within six months counts as persistent late payment. That supports an N8 notice, with at least 60 days' notice ending on the last day of a rental period.
How we handle arrears
On properties we manage, our rent collection process follows up on missed rent early, serves N4s with correct dates and amounts, and keeps the ledger and evidence ready if the file goes to the Board. The full path is covered in our guide to the LTB process, and the best protection of all starts earlier, with thorough tenant screening. Questions about a specific file? Our compliance service covers notices and filings.
General information, not legal advice. Rules change; check the Landlord and Tenant Board for current forms and requirements before serving a notice.