The N1 Notice of Rent Increase is the Landlord and Tenant Board form most landlords in Ontario must give before raising a tenant's rent. It must be in writing, given at least 90 days before the increase, and the increase can only take effect at least 12 months after the last one (or after the tenant moved in). For most units the amount is capped by the annual guideline, which is 1.9% for 2027.
At a glance
| Who uses it | Landlords of most residential units, other than care homes, partially exempt units and N10 agreements |
| When | At least 90 days before the increase date, for an increase at least 12 months after the last one |
| Notice period / deadline | 90 days' written notice (add 5 days if mailed) |
| How it is served or filed | Served on every tenant; not filed with the LTB |
| Filing fee (if an application) | None. An above-guideline increase needs an L5 application ($233 for the first ten units + $10 per extra unit, max $1,000) |
| Follow-on form | None, unless you are relying on an L5 above-guideline application |
What the N1 is for
RTA s. 116 says a landlord cannot increase the rent without first giving the tenant at least 90 days' written notice in a form approved by the Board. The notice must state the new rent. An increase taken without proper notice is void, and a new notice must be given before the landlord can take it (s. 116(4)).
Three other rules sit alongside the notice:
- 12-month rule (s. 119): at least 12 months must pass since the tenant's last increase or, if there has been none, since the unit was first rented to that tenant. If the unit was assigned to the current tenant, the N1 instructions say you measure from the previous tenant's last increase.
- Guideline (s. 120): for most units the increase cannot exceed the guideline for that calendar year. The exceptions are an LTB above-guideline order (s. 126) or an agreement under s. 121 (N10) or s. 123 (an added parking space or prescribed service). The guideline is capped by statute at 2.5%. Ontario has set it at 1.9% for 2027, and it was 2.1% for 2026.
- Deemed lawful after a year (s. 136): an increase becomes lawful if no application challenging it is made within one year after it was first charged.
Units exempt from the guideline since 2018 (s. 6.1). The guideline does not apply where:
- no part of the building, or the addition, was occupied for residential purposes on or before November 15, 2018; or
- the unit is a new second unit, created after that date in a house that had no more than two units, that meets the s. 6.1(3) conditions.
The 90-day notice and the 12-month rule still apply to these units: s. 6.1 does not exempt them from ss. 116 or 119. Ontario recommends recording the exemption in the lease and keeping proof such as permits and occupancy documents. The landlord carries the burden of proof (s. 6.1(6)).
When to use it (and when not to)
Use the N1 for a normal annual increase in a rent-controlled unit, or for an increase above the guideline that is approved, or applied for, under an L5.
Use a different form when the N1 instructions say to:
- N2: the unit is exempt from the rules limiting the amount of rent increases, such as most social and non-profit housing.
- N3: the unit is in a care home.
- N10: you and the tenant have agreed to an above-guideline increase in exchange for capital work or a new service. No N1 is needed.
For a post-November 15, 2018 unit exempt under s. 6.1, the N1 instructions say exempt units use the N2. However, the instructions (2015) and the N2 instructions (2017) were written before s. 6.1 existed, and the N1's tick-boxes do not fit an uncapped increase. The LTB has not published guidance on which of the two it expects for a unit exempt under s. 6.1. Whichever you use, it must be an approved form giving at least 90 days' written notice (s. 116); check with the LTB before serving.
A new tenant's starting rent is not an "increase". You and the new tenant agree on it.
Deadlines and limitation periods
- 90 days, in writing. Do not count the day you give the notice (Rule 1.13). If mailed, it is deemed given on the fifth day after mailing (RTA s. 191(3)), so add five days. The LTB cannot shorten the 90 days or the 12-month period (O. Reg. 516/06, s. 56).
- 12 months between increases. For example, rent last increased on March 1, 2026 can next increase on March 1, 2027. The N1 must be given by December 1, 2026 if handed over, or mailed by November 26, 2026.
- Above-guideline applications must be filed at least 90 days before the first increase date in the application (s. 126(3)).
- Tenant challenges: an increase not challenged within one year of first being charged is deemed lawful (s. 136).
How to fill out the N1, section by section
The current N1 is version 01/04/2022. It is two pages.
- To: (Tenant's name and address). Every tenant in the unit, with a mailing address if different.
- From: (Landlord's name and address). All landlords, with a mailing address.
- Address of the Rental Unit. The full address, including the unit number and postal code.
- Your New Rent. - "On dd/mm/yyyy": the date the increase takes effect, at least 90 days after service and at least 12 months after the last increase. - "your rent will increase to $": the total new rent. The form notes this includes "the basic rent for your rental unit, plus any amount you pay separately to your landlord for services". - "per month / week / other": the rent period.
- Explanation of the Rent Increase. The dollar amount of the increase and the period, and the percentage. Example at the 2027 guideline: $1,800.00 × 1.9% = $34.20, so the new rent is $1,834.20 (an increase of $34.20 per month, or 1.9%).
- Shade one box. - "less than or equal to the rent increase guideline" (no approval needed); or - "more than the rent increase guideline, but": shade 1 if an LTB order has already approved it, or 2 if you have applied for an above-guideline increase.
- Page 2: Important Information About the Law. Leave this as printed. It tells the tenant about the 12-month rule and that they need not sign a new lease. It also says that while an above-guideline application is pending, the tenant need only pay the guideline amount.
- Signature. Shade Landlord or Representative, print the name and phone number, sign and date. A representative also completes the representative block.
Serving it
The N1 instructions allow you to:
- hand it to the tenant or an adult in the unit;
- leave it in the mailbox or where mail is delivered;
- slide it under the door or through the mail slot;
- send it by courier or mail; or
- fax it to the tenant's home or business.
Rule 3.1 also permits email if the tenant has consented in writing. You cannot post it on the door. Give a copy to each tenant and keep proof of the date and method.
Mistakes that get it refused, voided or dismissed
- Less than 90 days' notice, often by forgetting the five mailing days. The increase is void (s. 116(4)). You must serve a fresh N1 and wait another 90 days. You cannot simply move the date.
- Breaking the 12-month rule. An increase less than 12 months after the last one, or after move-in, is not a lawful increase.
- Exceeding the guideline without an order or an N10. In a rent-controlled unit, the excess is unlawful. If you have filed an L5 and it is still pending, the tenant may pay only the guideline amount until the order issues.
- Using the wrong year's guideline. Use the guideline for the calendar year the increase takes effect: 1.9% for 2027, 2.1% for 2026.
- Calculating from the wrong base. The increase is calculated on the current lawful rent. If an earlier increase was void, everything built on it is wrong.
- Oral, text-message or homemade notices. Section 116(3) requires the Board-approved form. An increase without it is void.
- The knock-on effect on evictions. Interpretation Guideline 10 describes an N4 found invalid because the arrears were calculated on an "incorrect lawful rent" caused by a failure to serve a valid notice of rent increase. A bad N1 can sink a later non-payment eviction.
- Posting it on the door, or emailing without written consent. The service is defective. The increase is at risk unless you can prove the tenant actually received the notice in time (s. 191(2)).
What happens next
Nothing needs to be filed. On the effective date the tenant owes the new rent. A tenant who does not give notice to end the tenancy is deemed to have accepted any increase the RTA allows (s. 118).
A tenant who believes the increase is unlawful can apply to the LTB. After one year, an unchallenged increase is deemed lawful (s. 136). Keep the N1, proof of service and your guideline calculation for at least that long.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I raise the rent in Ontario in 2027?
For most rent-controlled units, by up to the 2027 guideline of 1.9%, with 90 days' written notice and at least 12 months since the last increase. Increases above that need an LTB order (L5) or a signed N10 agreement.
Do I need an N1 for a unit first occupied after November 15, 2018?
The guideline does not cap these units, but the 90-day written notice and 12-month rules in RTA ss. 116 and 119 still apply. Which LTB form to use is not clearly addressed in the current instructions. See the note above.
What if I gave less than 90 days' notice?
The increase is void. You must give a new notice and wait at least 90 days from that new notice.
Does the tenant have to sign the N1?
No. The N1 is a notice, not an agreement. The tenant does not need to sign it or a new lease for the increase to take effect.