Updated October 3, 2026 · DF Property Management
When the standard lease is required
Ontario's Residential Tenancy Agreement (Standard Form of Lease), form 2229E, is required for most private residential tenancy agreements entered into on or after April 30, 2018. The current version is dated December 2020 and has been mandatory for new agreements since March 1, 2021.
It applies to houses, semis, basement apartments, condo units and units in apartment buildings alike. It doesn't apply to care homes, sites in mobile home parks and land lease communities, most social and supportive housing, co-operative housing and certain other special tenancies. Commercial leases are a different world entirely.
If you don't use it
A tenant who should have received the standard lease can demand it in writing. You then have 21 days to provide it. If you don't, the tenant may withhold one month's rent — and if you still haven't provided it 30 days after they withheld, they keep that money. Special rules also let the tenant end a fixed-term lease early.
Separately, you must give the tenant a copy of any signed written lease within 21 days of signing.
What each section does
| Section | What it covers | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 Parties, unit | Names, address, parking | Every adult tenant named; condo units should reference the declaration, by-laws and rules |
| 3 Contact | Address for notices; optional email consent | Ticking email consent lets notices be served by email where LTB rules allow |
| 4 Term | Start date, fixed term or periodic | The tenancy continues month to month after the term ends |
| 5 Rent | Base rent plus separate charges = lawful rent | Future increases are calculated on the total |
| 6 Services and utilities | Who pays hydro, gas, water; what's included | Be precise for houses and plexes with shared meters |
| 7 Rent discounts | Any discount offered | Lawful rent returns when the discount ends |
| 8–9 Deposits | Rent deposit and key deposit | No damage, pet or security deposits |
| 10 Smoking | Rules for smoking in the unit | Indoor common areas are already non-smoking by law |
| 11 Insurance | Whether tenant liability insurance is required | You may ask for proof of coverage |
| 12–14 | Changes to the unit, maintenance, assignment and subletting | Fixed wording that can't be changed |
| 15 Additional terms | Your property-specific rules | Plain language, at least 10-point type |
| 16–17 | Changes in writing; signatures | Co-tenants are each responsible for the full rent |
Additional terms that generally hold up
- Opening utility accounts in the tenant's name by move-in, where the unit is separately metered.
- Snow clearing and lawn care for a house, if the tenant has exclusive use of the yard.
- Rules for amenities and common areas: laundry hours, bike storage, garbage and recycling, parking.
- Compliance with condominium rules, with a copy attached.
- A move-in and move-out inspection, with photos, signed by both sides.
- No smoking or vaping in the unit, set out in section 10.
Terms that are void
Any term that takes away a right or responsibility under the Residential Tenancies Act is void and unenforceable, even if the tenant signed it. Common examples:
- No pets — void, except where a condominium declaration restricts pets.
- No guests, roommates or additional occupants.
- Damage, pet or security deposits, or interest on rent arrears.
- Tenant pays for repairs that are the landlord's responsibility.
- Mandatory post-dated cheques or automatic payments — you can agree on them, but can't require them.
- A signed agreement to end the tenancy as a condition of renting.
- A ban on air conditioners — since July 1, 2026, tenants may install a window or portable unit after notifying you in writing, if it's installed safely. Where electricity is included in rent, you can charge a seasonal increase.
Condo units
Renting a condo adds a second rulebook. Section 2 of the standard lease lets you record that the tenant agrees to follow the condominium declaration, by-laws and rules — attach a current copy. Condo rules on pets, short-term rentals, move-in bookings, elevator reservations and amenity use bind the tenant once they're part of the agreement. Most condo corporations also want a lease summary or tenant registration form, and many charge move-in deposits for elevator use; check who pays before you sign.
Renewals and changes mid-tenancy
When a fixed term ends, the tenancy continues month to month on the same terms. You don't need a new lease, and the tenant can't be required to sign one. If both sides choose a new fixed term, rent can only change in line with the Act's increase rules. Any other change to the agreement — adding parking, a locker or a seasonal service — should be recorded in writing and signed by both sides, as section 16 requires.
Getting the rent right
Section 5 does more work than it looks. The total of base rent and separate charges becomes the lawful rent, and every future guideline increase is calculated on that figure. If parking is $100 a month on top of $2,400 base rent, the lawful rent is $2,500. Leaving parking off the lease and collecting it informally causes problems later — it can't be enforced as rent and can't go on an N4.
Drafting a lease that works
- Start from the official form — Download the current 2229E from the Government of Ontario; don't use an old copy or a reformatted template.
- Fill in rent precisely — Separate charges for parking, lockers or other services go in section 5 so the lawful rent is clear.
- Decide on email service — It speeds up notices and is worth agreeing on at signing.
- Write section 15 for this property — Short, specific, enforceable terms. Remove anything the Act overrides.
- Sign and deliver — Everyone signs (electronically, if both sides agree); the tenant gets a copy within 21 days.
- Document the condition — A photo inspection at move-in is the evidence you'll rely on later.
How we can help
Every tenancy we set up through our tenant placement service uses the current standard lease, with additional terms written for that property. Before signing comes screening; after signing, the rent deposit rules apply.
General information, not legal advice. Have additional terms reviewed if your property has unusual features.