Updated October 3, 2026 · DF Property Management
Three kinds of communication
It helps to separate them, because each has different rules:
| Type | Examples | What matters |
|---|---|---|
| Legal notices | N1 rent increase, N4, notice of entry, termination notices | Correct form, content, timing and method of service |
| Building notices | Water shut-offs, fire alarm testing, elevator outages, pest treatments, construction | Advance notice, visibility, clarity |
| Everyday service | Repair requests, questions, complaints | Speed, tracking, follow-through |
Legal notices: get them right
Notices under the Residential Tenancies Act have strict requirements. A notice that's late, on the wrong form or improperly served can be invalid.
- Use the current LTB form where one exists, such as the N1 for rent increases.
- Serve it properly. Methods include handing it to the tenant, mail, and leaving it in the mail slot or mailbox. Email service is allowed where the tenant has agreed in writing to receive notices that way.
- Keep proof. Who served it, how, when — and a copy.
- Entry notices. Generally at least 24 hours' written notice, with the reason, date and a time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
The tenant notification board
In Toronto, buildings under RentSafeTO must keep a tenant notification board in a central, accessible location. It must show, among other things:
- RentSafeTO information and how to contact 311.
- The building's latest evaluation results.
- Planned and unplanned service disruptions: what, how long and which units.
- 24/7 emergency contact information.
- Major capital projects, with timelines and affected units.
- Pest control details and the pest management plan.
- The cleaning schedule and waste instructions.
- City notices, orders and Fire Code violations.
- The nearest cooling locations and air-conditioned spaces.
From June 15, 2026, RentSafeTO buildings must also display colour-coded signs near the main entrance showing their evaluation result. Treat the board as a live document: outdated notices teach tenants to ignore it.
Building notices: a standard approach
- Plan the lead time. As much notice as possible for planned work — a week or more for water shut-offs, testing and contractor access; longer for major projects.
- Use more than one channel. The notification board, a notice in the elevator and lobby, under-door notices for affected units, and email or text where tenants have opted in.
- Say exactly what will happen. What, when, how long, which units, what tenants need to do and who to call.
- Update during the event. If the water shut-off runs late, post an update before people start calling.
- Close it out. A short note when work is done — especially after outages.
Service requests: track everything
RentSafeTO requires a process for tracking and responding to service requests: generally, urgent requests (heat, water, electricity, gas, for example) responded to within 24 hours and non-urgent requests within seven days. Even outside Toronto, a tracking system is the backbone of good service.
- One intake, many channels. Portal, phone, email or a note to the super — every request logged in one place.
- Acknowledge fast. Even if the fix takes longer, tenants should know the request was received and what happens next.
- Close the loop. Record the outcome, the date and the trade. Photos before and after.
- Review patterns. Repeated requests from one stack or floor often reveal a building problem — a riser, a roof drain, a heating zone.
Tenant portals
A tenant portal can handle repair requests, rent payments, document storage and building announcements. Portals work well in many buildings, but not for everyone: some tenants, often older long-term residents, will never use one. Keep paper and phone channels open and make sure every request ends up in the same system.
Emergencies
- A 24/7 emergency line, posted on the notification board and in every lease package.
- A vital services disruption plan for loss of heat, water, electricity or gas. RentSafeTO requires one.
- A voluntary contact list of tenants who may need help during an evacuation or a long elevator outage.
- Fire emergency procedures posted on every floor, as the Fire Code requires.
- Pre-written templates for floods, fires, power failures and elevator outages, so the first notice goes out in minutes.
Multilingual buildings
Many GTA apartment buildings are home to tenants who speak dozens of languages — Thorncliffe Park, Flemingdon Park, St. James Town and parts of Scarborough and Mississauga especially. Communication that works only in English fails a large share of residents.
- Translate high-impact building notices — pest preparation, fire safety, water shut-offs — into the building's most common languages.
- Use plain English with short sentences, dates in full and pictures or icons for key actions.
- Know which staff or contractors speak which languages.
- Legal notices should be served on the required LTB forms; a translated cover note can help tenants understand them.
Tone matters
Notices that read like warnings get ignored or resented. Write as a building operator explaining a plan: start with what's happening and why, then what tenants need to do. Thank people for their patience after a disruption. Avoid threats in routine notices — if a legal step becomes necessary, use the proper form.
Templates worth writing now
- Water shut-off, planned and emergency.
- Annual fire alarm testing and elevator testing.
- Pest treatment preparation, by pest type.
- Elevator out of service, with an expected return time.
- Heat or hot water interruption.
- Major project kick-off: balconies, windows, risers.
- Welcome package for new tenants: contacts, garbage and recycling, laundry, the request system.
Keep the record
Every building notice, update and tenant message is evidence. If a tenant later claims they weren't told about a shut-off, or a tenant application reaches the Landlord and Tenant Board, the date-stamped notice, the photo of it posted and the log of who received it settle the question quickly. Store them by building and by date, not in someone's inbox.
Accessibility
Under Ontario's Human Rights Code, landlords have a duty to accommodate tenants with disabilities, which can include how you communicate: large print, phone calls instead of written notices, or a support person. Ask, and record the preference.
How we communicate
For buildings under our apartment building management, every request goes into one tracked system with photos on every job, notices go out through several channels, and we keep the notification board current. Owners hear from us within one business day, and tenants know who to call. For the legal side, see our compliance service.