Harassment by a Landlord: What Counts and What You Can Do

The legal concept: reasonable enjoyment

Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA) doesn't use the word "harassment" as a standalone legal term in the way people often use it conversationally. Instead, the relevant legal concept is a tenant's right to "reasonable enjoyment" of their rental unit, free from substantial interference by the landlord or the landlord's agents. In practice, though, this concept covers most of what tenants describe as harassment: repeated unwanted entries, threats, intimidation, aggressive or demeaning communication, and conduct clearly intended to pressure a tenant into leaving or giving up a right. Understanding that "harassment" and "substantial interference with reasonable enjoyment" are, for practical purposes, the same idea under Ontario law helps tenants know what to call the problem when seeking help and what remedy to pursue.

What generally counts as harassment

Behaviour that tends to be treated as harassment or substantial interference includes a landlord entering the unit repeatedly without proper notice or consent, showing up unannounced, making repeated threatening or intimidating comments, using aggressive language or tactics to pressure a tenant to leave or sign something, deliberately disrupting a tenant's use of common areas or services, and spreading false information about a tenant to other residents or neighbours. It can also include a pattern of excessive, unnecessary communication — repeated calls, texts, or visits that go well beyond what's needed to manage the tenancy — particularly where it follows a tenant asserting a right, such as requesting a repair or raising a concern with the LTB. What tends to distinguish this from ordinary landlord-tenant friction is both the pattern and the apparent purpose: conduct that looks designed to make a tenant feel unsafe, unwelcome, or pressured into giving something up. Even indirect pressure, such as a landlord repeatedly reminding a tenant that "things could get difficult" without ever serving a proper notice, can fit this pattern when it's clearly meant to unsettle rather than to communicate a legitimate concern.

What generally does not count

Not every frustrating or uncomfortable interaction rises to the level of harassment. A landlord asking about overdue rent, reasonably following up on a maintenance issue the tenant caused, giving proper notice before a lawful entry, or communicating firmly but professionally about a genuine dispute generally doesn't cross the line on its own. Disagreements are a normal part of a landlord-tenant relationship, and the law doesn't require a landlord to be warm or accommodating — only that they not substantially interfere with a tenant's reasonable enjoyment of the unit or use harassment-like tactics to force an outcome. The distinction tends to come down to tone, frequency, and purpose: a firm but isolated conversation about a legitimate issue is different from a pattern of pressure clearly aimed at pushing a tenant out or punishing them for asserting a right.

Common patterns tenants report

Some patterns come up often enough to be worth naming specifically. One is a landlord who begins entering more frequently, or with less notice, after a tenant raises a complaint or files an LTB application — this timing itself can be significant evidence. Another is a landlord who repeatedly suggests, without any actual notice or application, that the tenant should "just leave" or that staying will become difficult, sometimes alongside vague threats about rent increases, lease non-renewal, or unspecified consequences. A third involves a landlord withdrawing or threatening to withdraw services, access, or amenities specifically in response to a tenant exercising a right — distinct from, but sometimes overlapping with, the vital-services violations covered elsewhere on this site. Recognizing these patterns for what they are — pressure tactics rather than legitimate property management — is often the first step toward responding effectively.

How to respond in the moment

In the moment, the most useful response is usually to stay calm, avoid escalating verbally, and clearly state that you're not comfortable with the behaviour and are asking it to stop. Where safe to do so, put this in writing afterward — an email summarizing what happened and asking the landlord to stop is a simple, low-risk way to create a record while also giving the landlord a clear, documented chance to correct their behaviour. Avoid responding to intimidation with intimidation; staying measured and factual tends to serve a tenant better both practically and if the matter later goes before the LTB, since an adjudicator will be looking at the pattern of conduct on both sides.

Documenting a pattern over time

Because harassment claims generally rest on a pattern rather than a single incident, documentation matters even more here than in many other tenant disputes. Keep a simple, dated log of each incident — what happened, when, who was present, and what was said as closely as you can recall it. Save texts, emails, and voicemails; if a call isn't recorded, write down a summary immediately afterward while it's fresh. Photos or video of unwanted entries, where it's safe and practical to capture them, can also help. A log that spans weeks or months, showing a repeated pattern rather than an isolated event, is generally far more persuasive to the LTB than a description of one bad day, however serious that day was.

The T2 application and possible remedies

A tenant experiencing harassment or substantial interference with reasonable enjoyment generally has the right to apply to the LTB using a T2 application, the same form used for illegal entry and vital-services violations, since all three fall under a tenant's broader right to reasonable enjoyment and freedom from landlord interference. Where the LTB finds that a landlord engaged in this kind of conduct, it has a range of remedies available, which can include ordering the landlord to stop the behaviour, awarding compensation to the tenant, and in more serious or repeated cases, administrative penalties. As with other LTB remedies, outcomes depend heavily on the specific evidence and facts presented, and no particular result should be assumed in advance — but a well-documented pattern of harassment is a real basis for a claim.

When the situation feels unsafe

If harassment ever escalates into something that feels physically threatening, involves actual violence, or creates a genuine safety concern, that goes beyond what an LTB application alone can address, and contacting local police is appropriate regardless of whatever landlord-tenant process may also be underway. The LTB process and the criminal justice system operate separately, and pursuing one doesn't prevent pursuing the other where the conduct genuinely warrants it. For harassment that falls short of that threshold but is still serious and ongoing, reaching out to a tenant advocacy organization or community legal clinic early can help you think through both the T2 process and any other steps that make sense for your specific situation. It's also worth remembering that you're not required to handle an escalating situation entirely on your own — trusted neighbours, friends, or family who can witness an interaction, or simply be present when a landlord visits, can both improve your safety and strengthen your evidence if the matter later goes before the Board.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Reviewed by Ryan J. Manilla, BA, JD

Legal Reviewer · Landlord Tenant Ontario