Ontario landlord repair log: what to record

The tenant's repair request is in a text message. The contractor's answer came by phone. The invoice is in your inbox. You have taken steps, but explaining exactly what happened now means searching three places.

An Ontario landlord repair log brings those pieces together. It should show what was reported, what you did, what remains unresolved and who is taking the next step. You can start with a simple table and a folder for the records behind it.

Respond to the problem, then record the response

The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) explains in its maintenance and repairs guide that landlords must keep rental property in repair and meet applicable health, safety, housing and maintenance standards. A log helps you track that work. It cannot do the work for you.

Start one record for each issue. Identify the property, unit and exact location, then note when and how you first learned about it. Separate the tenant's description from what you have personally observed. If the cause is unknown, leave it unknown until you have information to support a conclusion.

Record a phone report as well as a written one. The LTB's maintenance guideline recognizes that notification can be oral. Do not make completing your preferred form a reason to leave a reported problem unattended.

How long does a landlord have to make repairs?

The LTB's maintenance guideline says legitimate requests must be answered within a reasonable time, with urgent problems taking priority. It identifies the seriousness of the problem, its effects on the tenant and the availability of materials or contractors as factors in assessing response time. That is not a single number of days you can apply to every repair.

Check any applicable property standard or work order as well. The LTB's repair guide explains that a municipal work order can set a repair deadline.

In your log, note the apparent urgency, the action taken and the next follow-up. If a contractor cannot attend, record that answer and what you tried next. A note saying you are waiting is a status update; it is not a repair plan. Keep the next action visible and revisit it when the situation changes.

A simple repair log you can use

The fields below are a suggested working format, not a government form or a prescribed record-keeping rule. Add a new entry when something happens, rather than replacing the previous entry with the latest status.

Field	What to record
Event date and time	When the report, call, visit or work happened. Mark an estimate as approximate.
Report or observation	Who reported the problem, where it is and what they said. Identify your own observations separately.
Response or action	Your reply, contractor contact, inspection request or other step, with the date.
Access and work outcome	The entry arrangements and what actually happened at the visit. Link the notice or consent record.
Supporting file	The message exchange, photo, contractor report, work order or invoice that relates to this entry.
Next step	The outstanding task, the person handling it and the follow-up date you have set.

Write short, factual entries. If you add a recollection later, record when you wrote it and when you believe the event occurred. If an earlier entry was mistaken, add a dated correction explaining why. That keeps a later clarification from looking like a note made at the time.

Keep the records behind each entry

A summary such as “contractor contacted” leaves you with another search to do. Link or name the actual record so you can find it again. Use one issue label across the log and its folder, such as “Unit 2, bathroom fan”.

• Messages: save the complete relevant exchange, including your replies and any changed arrangements. Keep the dates and participants visible.
• Phone conversations: make a dated note identifying who spoke, what was reported and what each person said they would do. Distinguish your summary from an exact quotation.
• Photos: retain the original files and add a note of the date, location and photographer. A wider view can help explain a close-up.
• Contractor records: connect the findings, work description and invoice to the particular issue. If the invoice only names a visit, ask for a description of what was checked or repaired.

Keep observations and conclusions separate. “Tenant reports the fan stops after several minutes” describes a report. “Motor requires replacement” should be attributed to the person who made that finding, if someone has actually made it.

Record entry arrangements separately

A request for repairs is not blanket permission to enter the unit. Under the LTB's right-of-entry guideline, the ordinary written-notice route for repairs requires at least 24 hours' notice, stating the reason, date and an entry time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The guideline also describes entry without notice in an emergency or with the tenant's consent at the time of entry.

For a planned visit, retain the notice and a record of how and when it was given. Check the permitted service method and any timing rules; a calendar booking or log entry does not itself serve a notice. Where entry relies on consent at the time, record that consent and when it was given.

Then record the actual visit: who attended, when they arrived, whether entry occurred and what work was done. If it did not proceed, state the reason you know. Avoid “tenant refused access” when the record only shows that an appointment was discussed but never confirmed.

Close the issue with a clear outcome

Before marking an issue complete, record what was repaired, who did it and when. Add the contractor's findings, any testing they report, your own observations and the tenant's follow-up. If you have no tenant response, say that; do not turn silence into confirmation that the repair worked.

If the problem returns, add the new report and the next action. Keep the earlier work in the record. A second visit may help explain what the first visit did and what still needed attention.

These dates can matter if there is a dispute. The official instructions for Form T6, Tenant Application about Maintenance, ask about when the problem began, whether it continues, when and by whom it was fixed, and when the landlord was first told. Your log helps you locate the relevant information. It does not guarantee the LTB's decision.

A hypothetical example: a bathroom fan

A tenant reports that the bathroom fan runs intermittently. The landlord saves the message, records the reported symptoms and arranges an inspection through a lawful entry process. The contractor reports a faulty motor and orders a replacement. The log links those findings, the part order and the planned follow-up.

After installation, the landlord adds the work record and the contractor's test result. If the tenant later reports that the problem continues, the issue stays open for further attention. This example shows how to connect records; it does not set a repair deadline or establish that the response would satisfy every legal duty.

Before you put the file away

• Can you find the first report and your response?
• Does the log separate reported information from observed facts?
• Are the entry arrangements and actual visit recorded?
• Can you connect the work performed to the problem reported?
• Is anything unresolved, and who is following up?

If the dispute reaches hearing preparation, our guide to organizing an LTB hearing evidence file covers that later step.

If a repair dispute is developing and you need help understanding your next step, we can discuss your file. Contact us through our contact page.

This article is general information about LTB procedure for Ontario landlords and is not legal advice about your matter.