Access and Showings During a Tenancy in Ontario

This article is part of our complete guide to leasing in Ontario. It covers landlord entry in Ontario: when notice is needed, how showings work and what each side can do when things go wrong.

How Much Notice Does a Landlord Need to Enter in Ontario?

Ontario landlords usually need at least 24 hours’ written notice before entering a rental unit. According to the Landlord and Tenant Board’s Interpretation Guideline 19, the notice must state the reason for entry, the date and the time of entry, which must be between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

When an exact time isn’t possible, the notice can give a reasonable window. However, a very wide window may not meet the rule. In one case, the Divisional Court found that a nine-hour window for a smoke alarm inspection didn’t comply.

How to Deliver the Notice

Landlord entry in Ontario depends on notice delivered in a permitted way. The Board’s brochure on serving documents lists the main methods:

• Hand delivery, or notice left in the tenant’s mailbox or through the mail slot.
• Regular mail, which counts as received five days after mailing.
• Courier, which counts as received the day after it’s sent (or the next non-holiday day).
• Email, but only if the tenant has agreed in writing to receive documents by email.

Don’t rely on a text message alone to serve a formal notice of entry. Use a permitted delivery method. Email is permitted where the tenant has agreed in writing to accept service by email. Keep a copy of every notice, along with the date and method of delivery.

When Can a Landlord Enter a Rental Unit in Ontario?

Landlord entry in Ontario with 24 hours’ written notice is allowed only for reasons the Residential Tenancies Act sets out. Under Guideline 19, these include:

• Making repairs, replacements or other work in the unit.
• A reasonable inspection to check that the unit is in good repair, fit to live in and meets health, safety, housing and maintenance standards.
• Letting a potential mortgagee or insurer view the unit.
• Letting a potential buyer view the unit.
• An inspection by an engineer, architect or similar professional for a proposed condominium conversion.
• Any other reasonable reason set out in the tenancy agreement.

Owning the property doesn’t give a landlord the right to drop in. In addition, landlords should limit entries to those they need. Unnecessary or unreasonable entries can amount to harassment or substantial interference with the tenant’s reasonable enjoyment of the unit.

Can a Landlord Enter Without Written Notice in Ontario?

Yes, but only in a few situations. Landlord entry in Ontario without written notice is allowed in these cases:

• An emergency, such as a fire or a burst pipe.
• Consent at the time, when the tenant agrees to let the landlord in when they arrive.
• Cleaning, if the tenancy agreement requires the landlord to clean the unit, at the agreed times or between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
• Showing the unit to prospective tenants, after notice to end the tenancy has been given or the parties have agreed to end it, as the next sections explain.

Notably, a tenant’s repair request doesn’t, by itself, authorize entry without notice. Unless there’s an emergency, give proper notice or obtain the tenant’s consent at the time of entry.

How Do Showings to Buyers Work When a Unit Is Rented?

When a rented home is for sale, landlord entry in Ontario for each showing needs at least 24 hours’ written notice. The landlord, or a registered Realtor® or broker the landlord has authorized in writing, can then enter between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. to let a potential buyer view the unit, whether or not the tenant is home. The tenant can remain in the unit during a lawful showing. They don’t have to leave simply because the property is being shown.

The Act doesn’t set a maximum number of showings. Even so, the Board expects landlords to limit entries to what’s reasonable, and frequent showings can become substantial interference. A tenant can’t refuse a properly noticed showing just because the time is inconvenient, but grouping showings into set windows usually works better for everyone.

For how showings affect the price and timing of a sale, see our article on selling a tenanted property in Ontario.

When a Tenant Won’t Allow Showings

Can a Landlord Show a Unit to New Tenants in Ontario?

Yes, once a notice to end the tenancy has been given or the landlord and tenant have agreed to end it. In that situation, the landlord doesn’t need to give 24 hours’ written notice. Instead, the landlord can enter between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. after telling the tenant, or making a reasonable effort to tell them, about the visit.

In practice, reasonable advance notice still matters. A quick message the day before, and a regular showing window, keep things cordial in the last weeks of a tenancy. Our article on how residential leases end in Ontario explains the notices that start this period.

What Can a Landlord Do If a Tenant Refuses Entry?

First, check that the notice met every rule for landlord entry in Ontario. A tenant can refuse entry if the landlord hasn’t met the Act’s requirements, but not simply because the time is inconvenient. Tenants also have to provide access to the work area and safely restrain any pets.

If the notice was proper and the tenant still blocks entry, don’t force your way in. Instead, document what happened and keep copies of every notice. Repeatedly blocking lawful entry can, in some cases, support an N5 notice for substantially interfering with the landlord’s lawful rights, which the tenant can void by stopping within seven days. Get advice from a lawyer or licensed paralegal before taking that step.

What Can a Tenant Do If a Landlord Enters Illegally?

When landlord entry in Ontario happens without proper notice or a valid reason, the tenant can file a T2 application with the Landlord and Tenant Board. If the Board agrees, it can order remedies such as a rent abatement and an order that the landlord stop. Illegal entry is also an offence under the Act, according to Ontario’s list of rental housing offences. Since July 1, 2026, the maximum fines when an offence is prosecuted are $100,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a corporation, according to the Board’s update.

Before filing, many tenants start by raising the problem in writing. Our article on tenant rights and landlord obligations in Ontario covers the wider relationship.

How Can Landlords and Tenants Avoid Conflict Over Entry?

Most disputes about landlord entry in Ontario come down to communication. These habits prevent most of the problems we see:

• Talk before you list or book work. Explain what’s coming and ask what times suit the tenant.
• Give proper notice. Use written notice whenever required, and communicate in advance even where a legal exception applies.
• Keep windows short and specific, rather than blocking off a whole day.
• Respect the tenant’s belongings. Ask before taking photos of the unit, and keep personal items out of listing photos.
• Respond in writing. Tenants who can’t make a time work can suggest another in writing.
• Keep records. Copies of notices, emails and replies carry weight if a dispute reaches the Board.

For lease terms about entry that won’t hold up, see our article on illegal lease clauses in Ontario.

We are not lawyers or paralegals, and this article is general information, not legal advice. It covers ordinary private residential tenancies under the Residential Tenancies Act and is based on Landlord and Tenant Board guidance as of October 2026; other accommodation can follow different rules. Before refusing entry, entering a unit or filing an application, speak with an Ontario lawyer or a licensed paralegal.