Can My Landlord Enter Without Notice in Ontario?

The Two Lawful No-Notice Entries

Under section 26(1) of the Residential Tenancies Act, a landlord may enter your unit without written notice only:

• in cases of emergency (a burst pipe, fire, gas leak — genuine urgency); or
• if you consent to the entry at the time of entry.

A lease clause purporting to allow entry "at any time" or "with verbal notice" does not change this — the RTA overrides it.

Everything Else: 24 Hours, in Writing

Section 27 lets a landlord enter with written notice given at least 24 hours before entry, only between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and only for lawful purposes, including:

• carrying out a repair, replacement, or work in the unit;
• an inspection to determine whether repairs are needed;
• allowing a potential mortgagee or insurer to view the unit;
• an inspection by an engineer, architect, or similar professional;
• any reasonable purpose set out in the tenancy agreement.

The notice must state the reason, the date, and a time window between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. A text message the night before saying "coming by tomorrow sometime" does not comply.

Showings When You Are Moving Out

After either party gives a notice of termination, the landlord may show the unit to prospective tenants without written notice — but only between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and only after making reasonable efforts to inform you first. This is the narrow exception landlords most often stretch.

What Counts as Illegal Entry

• Entering with no notice and no emergency.
• Verbal or texted "notice" for a section 27 entry.
• Entry outside 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Repeated, pretextual entries used to pressure or harass you.
• Changing your locks without giving you a key — a lockout, which is separately prohibited.

What You Can Do

1. Document every incident: dates, times, photos of notices (or the absence of any), camera footage if you have it.
2. Write to the landlord citing sections 25 to 27 of the RTA and ask that entries comply.
3. If it continues, file a T2 application (Tenant Rights) at the Landlord and Tenant Board. Remedies include rent abatement, an order to stop, out-of-pocket costs, and administrative fines.
4. In a lockout, you can also call the Rental Housing Enforcement Unit.

Your unit is your home. The landlord owns the building; they do not keep a right to wander through your home.