Above-Guideline Rent Increase Insights
In-depth articles on above-guideline rent increases in Ontario and what landlords need to know.
Tenants may question an Ontario AGI application at the LTB. Learn the issues that can arise and why landlords should prepare their evidence before filing.
When an Ontario landlord obtains an AGI for a capital expenditure, does that increase remain part of the rent forever? A recent Ontario Divisional Court decision highlights why the answer can be more complicated than landlords may expect.
When an Ontario landlord files an AGI application based on capital expenditures, the matter may not proceed directly to a hearing. There is another important stage in the process: the Case Management Hearing.
Filing an Above Guideline Rent Increase application is only the beginning of the LTB process. Will there be a hearing, and what will it look like? The answer can depend on the grounds for the application.
Major repairs to a residential building often address a structural problem and improve appearance. Does that improved appearance prevent the expenditure from qualifying for an Above Guideline Rent Increase?
Above Guideline Rent Increase applications can take time to reach a hearing and decision at the Landlord and Tenant Board. What happens when the proposed rent increase date arrives before the LTB has decided the AGI application?
When an Ontario landlord applies for an Above Guideline Rent Increase based on capital expenditures, affected tenants have rights to access the materials supporting the landlord’s claim.
An Ontario landlord who has completed a significant capital project may assume that preparing an AGI application is primarily about showing what was spent. The process is more complicated.
Major repairs and replacements are an inevitable part of owning a residential rental property. For certain qualifying projects, Ontario’s RTA allows a landlord to seek an AGI to recover eligible capital expenditures — but a large expense is not automatically an eligible capital expenditure.
Ontario’s annual rent increase guideline limits how much most landlords can raise rent without LTB approval — but for certain qualifying expenses, the RTA allows a landlord to apply for an Above Guideline Rent Increase.