How to File a T2 Application, Step by Step

Before you start: confirm a T2 is the right form

A T2 application — formally the "Tenant Application About Tenant Rights" — is generally the form a tenant uses to ask the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) for a remedy when a landlord has interfered with the tenancy itself, rather than over a specific dollar amount owed for repairs. Common grounds include illegal entry into the unit, harassment or substantial interference with reasonable enjoyment, changing the locks without giving the tenant new keys, withholding or interfering with a vital service like heat or water, or giving a bad-faith notice to end the tenancy. If your complaint is specifically about the cost of repairs or a rebate for a maintenance problem, a T6 application may be the better fit instead; if you're uncertain which applies, our overview of tenant remedies for illegal entry walks through how a T2 is generally used and where it overlaps with other application types.

Before opening the portal, take stock of what actually happened: specific dates, what was said or done, who was present, and what documentation exists. A T2 generally needs to be filed within one year of the most recent incident it relies on, so if the conduct has been ongoing, identify both the earliest and most recent relevant dates.

Step 1: Pin down the specific grounds you're relying on

The T2 form lists several distinct categories of complaint, and selecting the ones that actually match your situation matters because the Board will generally expect your evidence and narrative to track the box checked. Typical categories include:

1. The landlord, superintendent, or someone acting for the landlord entered the unit illegally.
2. The landlord substantially interfered with your reasonable enjoyment of the unit or residential complex.
3. The landlord harassed, obstructed, coerced, threatened, or interfered with you.
4. The landlord withheld or deliberately interfered with a vital service, such as heat, water, or electricity.
5. The landlord changed the locks without providing you with new keys.
6. The landlord gave you a notice of termination in bad faith.

You can generally select more than one ground if several apply to the same pattern of conduct, as long as each one is supported by specific facts rather than general dissatisfaction with the landlord. It's also worth thinking about severity and pattern separately from one another: a single, serious incident (such as one illegal entry while you weren't home) can generally support a T2 on its own, while a harassment claim often benefits from showing a pattern across several smaller incidents that, taken together, amount to more than any one event standing alone. Matching the right combination of grounds to the facts, rather than checking every box that might loosely apply, generally makes the application easier for an adjudicator to follow and assess fairly.

Step 2: Gather dates, documents, and evidence

The strength of a T2 application generally comes down to how specific and well-documented the timeline is. Before filing, assemble:

1. A written timeline of each incident, with dates and, where possible, approximate times.
2. Any text messages, emails, or written notices exchanged with the landlord about the issue.
3. Photos or video, particularly for lock changes, property condition, or physical evidence of entry.
4. Names and contact information for any witnesses, such as other tenants or visitors.
5. Records of any costs you incurred because of the landlord's conduct, such as a locksmith bill or a hotel stay during a loss of heat.

Where you're seeking monetary compensation as part of the application, having a specific, documented basis for the amount claimed — rather than a round number chosen informally — generally makes the claim easier for the LTB to assess. If the landlord's conduct affected your use of the unit over a period of time, such as a vital service outage lasting several days, breaking that period down day by day with a short note of the practical impact each day generally supports a rent abatement claim more effectively than a single lump sum with no breakdown. Keep originals or clear copies of everything, and organize the material chronologically before you sit down to complete the application, since the portal generally works more smoothly when you already know which document supports which specific incident.

Step 3: File the T2 through the Tribunals Ontario Portal

The T2 is generally filed online through the Tribunals Ontario Portal, which also allows for mail or in-person filing in some circumstances. The general filing sequence looks like this:

1. Create or log into your Tribunals Ontario Portal account.
2. Select the T2 application and enter the rental unit address and the landlord's legal name and address exactly as they appear on your lease or rent receipts.
3. Check the specific grounds that apply and complete the narrative section with your documented timeline.
4. Upload supporting documents and evidence where the portal allows attachments.
5. Review the filing fee information on the portal, including whether a fee waiver may be available based on your circumstances.
6. Submit the application and retain the confirmation number and any filed copy for your records.

If you're unsure which account details or formatting the portal expects for the landlord's legal name, checking a recent rent receipt, lease, or N-notice you've received is generally the most reliable source, since it's the name the landlord has already used to identify themselves in connection with the tenancy. Taking a few extra minutes to get this right at filing generally avoids administrative back-and-forth with the LTB later.

Step 4: Understand how the landlord is notified

Once a T2 is filed, the LTB generally takes responsibility for sending the landlord a copy of the application and a notice of hearing, rather than requiring the tenant to personally serve the landlord. That said, providing an accurate and current address for the landlord on the application generally matters, since a notice sent to an outdated or incorrect address can delay the process or create disputes later about whether the landlord was properly notified. If you have more than one possible address for the landlord — for example, a management company and a numbered corporation — including both on the application is usually worthwhile.

What happens after you file

After the T2 is accepted, the LTB will generally schedule a hearing and send both parties a notice of hearing with the date, time, and format (which may be in person, by video, or by phone depending on the case and region). Before the hearing, either side may request mediation as an alternative way to resolve the dispute without a full hearing. At the hearing itself, the tenant generally bears the burden of proving the allegations on a balance of probabilities, using the timeline and evidence gathered earlier. If the LTB is satisfied the landlord engaged in the conduct alleged, it may order a rent abatement, a specific remedy, or other relief appropriate to the situation; our guide to what happens at an LTB hearing explains the general hearing process in more depth.

Common mistakes that cause delay or rejection

Reviewing an application before submitting it can avoid several frequent problems:

1. Describing conduct in general terms ("the landlord is always harassing me") instead of specific, dated incidents.
2. Missing the one-year filing window for older incidents.
3. Leaving out a current, accurate address for the landlord.
4. Asking for compensation without any documented basis for the amount.
5. Selecting every available ground regardless of whether the facts actually support it.
6. Failing to keep a copy of the filed application and confirmation number.

Because a T2 often turns on credibility and documentation, tenants dealing with a serious or ongoing situation, especially one involving safety concerns, should strongly consider speaking with a paralegal, lawyer, or community legal clinic before or while preparing the application.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Reviewed by Ryan J. Manilla, BA, JD

Legal Reviewer · Landlord Tenant Ontario