Tenant Paralegal Toronto – Representation at the Landlord and Tenant Board
Experienced paralegal protecting tenant rights and fighting for fair treatment across Toronto and the GTA
Having Problems with Your Landlord?
Whether you’re facing eviction, dealing with a landlord who won’t make repairs, or being harassed out of your home, you have legal rights. Let’s talk about your options.
Get Tenant Help NowOr call: (416) 561-2345
Standing Up for Tenants Across Ontario
Renting in Toronto and the GTA comes with challenges that go far beyond just paying rent on time. Landlords who ignore maintenance requests for months. Illegal rent increases that squeeze your budget. Harassment designed to push you out so the unit can be rented at higher rates. Eviction notices that may not even be valid. As a tenant in Ontario, you have substantial legal protections under the Residential Tenancies Act, but those rights only matter if you know how to enforce them.
As a licensed paralegal who has represented hundreds of tenants at the Landlord and Tenant Board, I help tenants across Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Brampton, and throughout Ontario fight back against landlords who violate their rights. Whether you need to defend against an eviction, force repairs to be made, recover money you’re owed, or stop harassment, I provide the experienced representation that gets results.
How I Help Tenants
Comprehensive representation for every tenant issue at the LTB
Defending Your Home
When you receive an eviction notice, the stakes couldn’t be higher. But many eviction notices contain errors, and many landlord claims can be successfully challenged. I defend tenants against all types of eviction including N4 notices for non-payment where arrears may be miscalculated or you have maintenance issues that offset what you owe, N5 notices for alleged interference or damage where the landlord’s claims may be exaggerated or improperly documented, N12 notices for landlord’s own use which are frequently served in bad faith to remove rent-controlled tenants, and N13 renoviction notices where landlords may not have proper permits or the work doesn’t actually require vacancy. Even when you genuinely owe rent or made mistakes, I fight for outcomes that keep you housed through payment plans, extended timelines, and Section 83 relief based on your circumstances.
Forcing Repairs and Maintenance
Landlords in Ontario have a legal obligation to maintain rental units in a good state of repair and comply with health and safety standards. When they ignore your maintenance requests, let problems fester, or refuse to address serious issues like pest infestations, heating failures, water damage, or mold, you don’t have to just live with it. I file T6 applications that compel landlords to make repairs, obtain rent abatements for the period you’ve lived with substandard conditions, and in serious cases get authorization for you to arrange repairs yourself and deduct the cost from rent. Your landlord’s neglect shouldn’t be your burden to bear.
Stopping Harassment and Interference
Some landlords try to force tenants out through harassment rather than legal eviction. They enter without proper notice, shut off utilities, interfere with your guests, make your life miserable hoping you’ll leave voluntarily, or threaten you with consequences that aren’t legal. This behavior violates the Residential Tenancies Act and you can fight back. I file T2 applications for harassment and substantial interference that result in rent abatements, orders requiring the landlord to stop the behavior, and in serious cases compensation and the right to terminate your tenancy on your terms with damages.
Recovering Money You’re Owed
Landlords frequently overcharge tenants in ways that violate the law. Illegal rent increases above the guideline amount without proper approval, improper charges for keys or administrative fees, misapplication of your last month’s rent deposit, or taking deposits they weren’t entitled to take. Through T1 applications, I help tenants recover money that landlords took improperly. If you’ve been evicted through a bad faith N12 or N13 and the landlord didn’t actually move in or renovate, a T5 application can recover significant compensation including the rent difference for up to a year, your moving costs, and other damages.
Common Situations I Handle
→ Received an Eviction Notice
Whether it’s for non-payment, alleged disturbance, landlord’s own use, or renovations, I review your notice for defects, identify your defenses, and represent you at the hearing to fight for your right to stay.
→ Landlord Won’t Make Repairs
Months of ignored maintenance requests, pest problems, no heat in winter, water damage, mold. I file applications that force repairs and get you compensation for living in substandard conditions.
→ Illegal Rent Increase
Landlords can only raise rent once per year by the guideline amount unless they get LTB approval. If you’ve been overcharged, I help you recover the excess and establish the correct legal rent.
→ Landlord Harassment
Entering without notice, threats, utility shutoffs, interference with your life in the unit. I file applications that stop the behavior, get you compensation, and document the pattern for future protection.
→ Bad Faith Eviction
Evicted under an N12 for landlord’s own use but they never moved in? Renovicted but the work was minimal? You may be entitled to significant compensation. I pursue T5 applications against landlords who lied.
→ Above Guideline Increase
Landlords must prove AGI applications with proper documentation and the increase must be justified. I help tenants challenge above guideline increases that aren’t properly supported.
Why Tenants Need Representation
The Landlord and Tenant Board is designed to be accessible without lawyers, but that doesn’t mean the process is simple. Landlords often have property managers, legal representatives, or experience from multiple evictions. Going up against them alone means navigating complex procedures, evidence rules, and legal arguments while your housing hangs in the balance. Professional representation levels the playing field.
I know how landlords build their cases and where those cases have weaknesses. I know what adjudicators need to see and how to present your situation effectively. I know the procedural rules that can make or break applications. And I know how to negotiate settlements that protect your interests when that’s the best path forward. Having someone in your corner who has done this hundreds of times makes a real difference in outcomes.
What Happens When You Hire Me
Understand Your Situation
We review everything together: your lease, any notices you’ve received, communications with your landlord, the history of problems, and what outcome you’re hoping for. I explain your rights, your options, and what’s realistic to expect.
Develop Your Strategy
Whether we’re defending against an eviction, filing an application against your landlord, or both, I map out the approach. What evidence do we need? What arguments are strongest? What’s the other side likely to say and how do we counter it?
Build Your Case
I gather and organize evidence, prepare documents, handle all filings and procedural requirements, and get everything ready for hearing. You provide the facts and materials; I handle the legal work.
Represent You at the LTB
At your hearing, I present your case, examine witnesses, challenge the other side’s evidence and arguments, and advocate for the outcome you deserve. You have someone experienced fighting for you.
Questions Tenants Ask
I received an eviction notice. Do I have to leave?
No. A notice is not an eviction order. In Ontario, landlords cannot evict you without going through the LTB and obtaining an order, which then must be enforced by the Sheriff. Many notices contain technical errors that make them invalid. Many can be voided by correcting the issue. And even valid notices can often be successfully defended at a hearing. Never move out based on a notice alone without understanding your options first.
Can I withhold rent because my landlord won’t make repairs?
Withholding rent is risky because the landlord can still file for eviction based on non-payment, and you’ll need to raise the maintenance issues as a defense. The better approach is to file a T6 application for maintenance while continuing to pay rent. This gets the repairs ordered and gets you compensation for the period you lived with the problem, without putting your tenancy at risk.
My landlord raised my rent more than the guideline. Is that legal?
Landlords can only raise rent above the annual guideline if they obtain approval from the LTB through an Above Guideline Increase application, and even then only for specific reasons like major capital expenditures. If your landlord simply raised your rent above the guideline without LTB approval, the increase is illegal and you can recover the excess through a T1 application.
How much does tenant representation cost?
I offer fixed-fee packages for most tenant matters so you know the cost upfront with no surprises. Fees depend on whether you’re defending against an application, filing your own application, or both. The initial consultation is free and I provide a clear quote after understanding your situation. Protecting your housing is worth getting professional help.
Can you help if I’m outside Toronto?
Yes. With most LTB hearings now conducted virtually, I represent tenants across Ontario regardless of location. I regularly handle matters throughout the GTA including Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughan, Markham, and beyond, as well as other Ontario communities. Geography is no barrier to getting experienced representation.
LTB Resources and Guides
For detailed information about LTB forms, notice requirements, and procedures, visit our comprehensive resource library. These guides explain how each form works, common errors to avoid, and what to expect at each stage of the process.
Protect Your Rights as a Tenant
Free consultation to review your situation, explain your rights, and discuss your options. You don’t have to accept unfair treatment.
Get Tenant Help NowOr call: (416) 561-2345