Updated: July 29, 2026
Since April 30, 2018, Ontario landlords renting most private residential units have been legally required to use the Ontario Standard Lease a government-prescribed form that sets out the terms of the tenancy in a standardized format. Using a custom lease, or no written lease at all, is not only non-compliant it can create legal vulnerabilities that follow you for the entire tenancy.
This guide explains what the standard lease covers, what you can and cannot add to it, what happens if you don’t provide it, and the practical steps to execute it correctly.
We execute standard leases for landlords across Toronto and the GTA every week, and the same handful of errors come up again and again.
What Is the Ontario Standard Lease?
The Ontario Standard Lease (officially Form 2229E, Residential Tenancy Agreement Standard Form of Lease) was introduced under the Residential Tenancies Act to create consistency and transparency in residential rental agreements across the province. It replaced the patchwork of custom lease forms that landlords previously used many of which contained illegal clauses that tenants were unaware were unenforceable.
The standard lease is available in multiple languages from the Ontario government website (ontario.ca) and must be provided in the language the landlord and tenant used to negotiate the tenancy.
Which Tenancies Require the Standard Lease?
The standard lease is required for most private residential rentals in Ontario, including:
- Apartments and condo units
- Single-family homes, townhouses, and semi-detached homes rented to tenants
- Secondary suites and basement apartments
- Rooms in a rooming house
Exceptions: the standard lease is NOT required for:
- Care homes and retirement residences
- Most university and college residences
- Commercial properties
- Accommodation where the tenant shares a kitchen or bathroom with the owner (some owner-occupied shared spaces)
- Seasonal or vacation rentals not intended as a primary residence
- If your rental falls outside these exceptions, you are required to use the standard lease.
What the Standard Lease Covers
The standard lease is divided into sections that capture the essential terms of the tenancy:
- Parties and property: Legal names of all landlords and tenants, and the full address of the rental unit.
- Term: Whether the tenancy is fixed-term or month-to-month, and the start date. If a fixed-term lease is used, the end date.
- Rent: The total monthly rent amount, what’s included (utilities, parking, storage), the payment due date, and acceptable payment methods.
- Rent deposit: Whether a last month’s rent deposit was collected and the amount. Remember: in Ontario, only an LMR deposit is permitted no security or damage deposits.
- Additional terms: A section for agreed-upon additional rules, provided they don’t violate the RTA.
- Key rules summary: An attached explanation of tenant and landlord rights that must be provided with the lease.
The standard lease intentionally does not override the RTA; it cannot include clauses that reduce tenant rights below what the RTA provides. Any such clause is void, even if both parties signed it.
What You Can and Cannot Add
One of the most common questions landlords ask is whether they can include additional terms in the standard lease beyond the prescribed sections.
You can add:
- Pet policies (permitted or prohibited, conditions)
- Smoking restrictions (prohibition in the unit, common areas)
- Parking and storage rules
- Maintenance responsibilities for specific items
- Noise and quiet hours policies
- Rules about guests and extended absences
These are added in the “Additional Terms” section or as an attached addendum referenced in the lease.
You cannot add (void even if signed):
- Clauses that restrict a tenant’s RTA rights (e.g. “tenant waives right to notice before entry”)
- Clauses that waive the landlord’s maintenance obligations (“tenant responsible for all repairs”)
- Clauses requiring a security or damage deposit
- Clauses that impose conditions for ending the tenancy that are stricter than the RTA allows
- Clauses imposing fees not permitted under the RTA (e.g. late payment fees; these are not permitted in Ontario)
A clause that violates the RTA is void regardless of whether the tenant signed it. The tenant can still exercise their RTA rights even if the lease says otherwise.
Our residential leasing service prepares and executes standard leases with properly drafted addendums that comply with the RTA, avoiding the most common lease drafting errors that create problems later.
What Happens If You Don’t Provide the Standard Lease?
If a tenant requests the standard lease in writing and you fail to provide it within 21 days, the tenant has the right to withhold one month’s rent. This is not rent forgiveness; it is a one-time withholding right that the tenant can exercise if you remain non-compliant.
If you still haven’t provided the standard lease after the tenant has exercised this withholding right, the tenant may be entitled to keep that month’s rent permanently a significant financial consequence for what is essentially a paperwork failure.
This rule applies even if the parties have a verbal agreement or a custom-written lease. The standard form is required by law, and the withholding remedy exists specifically to enforce that requirement.
Executing the Lease Correctly
- Provide it before the tenancy begins. The lease should be signed before the tenant moves in and receives keys. Both parties should sign the same document, not separate copies with different terms.
- Give the tenant a signed copy within 21 days. Once the lease is signed, you must provide the tenant with a fully executed copy (bearing both signatures) within 21 days. Failure to do so triggers the same withholding right described above.
- Document the LMR deposit. If you collected a last month’s rent deposit, confirm the amount, date collected, and what it applies to in the lease. Issue a receipt.
- Attach the required information. The standard lease must be accompanied by the government’s attached explanatory information about tenant and landlord rights. This is part of Form 2229E do not omit it.
- Use the current version. The Ontario government updates the standard lease form periodically. Always download the current version from ontario.ca before use. An outdated form may not capture current legal requirements.
The Standard Lease and Rent Control
The lease should clearly state the monthly rent amount. For units subject to rent control (first occupied before November 15, 2018), this amount becomes the base from which future increases are calculated and any increase above the annual guideline (2.5% in 2026) without an AGI application is a violation of the RTA.
For rent-control-exempt units (first occupied on or after November 15, 2018), the initial rent amount is still important it’s what you’ll serve an N1 from when you raise rent. The 90-day notice requirement and 12-month frequency limit apply regardless of rent control status.
What the Standard Lease Does NOT Cover
The standard lease establishes the contractual terms between landlord and tenant, but it does not replace your ongoing obligations under the RTA. These continue regardless of what the lease says or doesn’t say:
- Your maintenance and repair obligations under RTA s.20
- Entry notice requirements under RTA s.27
- The tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment under RTA s.22
- Proper notice requirements for rent increases (N1 form, 90 days)
- The legal eviction process (correct notice form, LTB application)
For a complete picture of all the ongoing legal obligations Ontario landlords carry under the RTA, that guide covers every category in detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the Ontario standard lease mandatory?
Yes, for most private residential rentals in Ontario. Landlords who fail to provide it within 21 days of a written tenant request face a rent withholding remedy. Custom leases do not satisfy this requirement.
Q: Can I use an older custom lease I’ve used for years?
No. Since April 30, 2018, the standard form is required for tenancies in most residential rental situations. Your existing custom lease even if it was valid when signed would need to be replaced with the standard form for any tenancy you enter.
Q: What if the tenant refuses to sign the standard lease?
If a tenant refuses to sign, document your attempt in writing. The RTA governs the tenancy regardless of whether a written lease is signed so a tenancy can technically exist without a signed lease. However, a signed standard lease protects both parties and is strongly in your interest as a landlord.
Q: Can I charge a late fee if the tenant pays rent late?
No. Ontario’s RTA does not permit landlords to charge late fees or any fee for late payment of rent. Clauses in a lease imposing late fees are void. The remedy for persistent late payment is an N8 notice, not a contractual penalty.
Q: Does the standard lease auto-reat the end of the term? The standard lease does not “auto-renew” in the traditional sense. When a fixed-term lease expires, the tenancy automatically converts to a month-to-month tenancy on the same terms the tenant does not need to sign a lease.
Get the Lease Right From the Start
A lease executed correctly right form, right terms, right addendums, right timing protects you for the entire duration of the tenancy. Errors made at lease signing tend to compound over time.
- Residential leasing service standard lease preparation, addendum drafting, and compliant execution.
- Residential property management ongoing RTA compliance from lease to vacancy.
- Move-in and move-out management documented condition reports at both ends of the tenancy.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The Ontario Standard Lease and RTA requirements are subject to change. Always download the current form from ontario.ca and consult a legal professional for advice specific to your situation.
