The T2 Application About Tenant Rights is how Ontario tenants ask the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) to address serious violations of their rights under the Residential Tenancies Act. If your landlord entered your unit without proper notice, changed your locks, harassed you, interfered with your reasonable enjoyment, or withheld vital services, the T2 is the form you need.
Unlike maintenance claims (which use the T6) or illegal rent collection (the T1), the T2 addresses conduct by the landlord, the landlord's agent, or the superintendent. This guide explains when to file, how to complete each section, and the mistakes that cause tenant applications to fail. It is based on the official T2 instructions and the LTB's Interpretation Guideline 6 on Tenant Rights.
When to Use the T2 Application
Current or former tenants may file a T2 when the landlord, agent, or superintendent:
- Entered the rental unit illegally
- Changed the locks without providing replacement keys
- Substantially interfered with your reasonable enjoyment of the unit or complex
- Harassed, coerced, obstructed, threatened, or interfered with you
- Withheld or interfered with vital services (heat from September 1 to June 15, electricity, gas, hot or cold water, fuel)
- Withheld care services or meals in a care home
You may also use the T2 if the landlord failed to give you 72 hours to retrieve belongings after a Sheriff eviction, or failed to provide a proper written care home agreement.
The One-Year Limitation Period
You must file within one year of the date the conduct occurred. This deadline is strict — claims outside the limitation period will be dismissed regardless of how serious the conduct was.
For ongoing conduct, each incident may have its own one-year window. Document dates carefully and file before the earliest relevant incident expires.
T2 vs. T6: Choose the Right Application
A common error is mixing maintenance issues into a T2 application. If your complaint is about repairs, mold, broken appliances, or building disrepair, file a T6 Tenant Application About Maintenance instead.
Use the T2 when the landlord's conduct violated your rights — not when they failed to fix physical problems in the unit. You may file both applications if both issues exist, but each form must address the correct category of claim.
How to File
File online through the Tribunals Ontario Portal. You do not need to serve the application on your landlord yourself — the LTB handles service after accepting your filing.
Include:
- The completed T2 application
- The application fee (fee waivers available for eligible applicants)
Attach a Schedule A or additional sheets if you need more space to describe incidents.
Part-by-Part Instructions
Part 1: General Information
Enter the complete rental unit address, your name, and the landlord's name and contact information. If multiple tenants or landlords are involved, use a Schedule of Parties for additional names.
Indicate whether you still live in the unit. If you moved out, provide the move-out date.
Disclose any related unresolved LTB applications for this unit.
Part 2: Reasons for Your Application
Shade every box that applies to your situation. You may select multiple reasons if the landlord's conduct violated more than one provision.
For each reason selected, you must provide a detailed narrative. The LTB evaluates each claim separately, so be specific about which conduct supports which reason.
Reason 1: Illegal Entry
Describe each entry that violated sections 26 and 27 of the Act. Landlords may enter without 24 hours' written notice only in limited circumstances (emergency, tenant consent, or specific showing requirements).
For each entry, include:
- The date and time
- Who entered (landlord, superintendent, agent, contractor)
- Whether you received written notice and whether it complied with the 24-hour rule
- What happened during the entry
Reason 2: Lock Changes
Describe when the locks were changed, who changed them, and whether you received replacement keys. Changing locks without providing keys is a serious violation that can support significant remedies.
Reason 3: Substantial Interference with Reasonable Enjoyment
This covers conduct that significantly disrupts your ability to use and enjoy your home — persistent noise from the landlord, failure to address disruptive neighbours when the landlord had a duty to act, or construction that made the unit uninhabitable.
Be specific about how the conduct affected you. Minor inconveniences may not meet the legal threshold. Describe the frequency, duration, and impact of each incident.
Reason 4: Harassment
Harassment under section 23 includes a pattern of conduct that a reasonable person would consider unwelcome and demeaning. Examples include repeated threatening texts, discriminatory comments, or persistent pressure to vacate without proper notice.
Document each incident with dates, the exact words or actions used, and witnesses if available.
Reason 5: Vital Services
Identify which service was affected and when. Remember that heat is a vital service only between September 1 and June 15. Describe how the landlord withheld or interfered with the service and how it affected your living conditions.
Reasons 6 and 7: Care Home and Post-Eviction Property
These apply in specific circumstances — failure to provide a proper care home agreement, or failure to allow 72 hours to collect belongings after a Sheriff eviction.
Describing Your Reasons: What the LTB Needs
For every reason you select, your narrative should include:
- Who caused the problem (landlord, agent, or superintendent)
- What happened, described in concrete terms
- When it happened — exact dates if known, approximate dates if not
- How often the conduct occurred (single incident vs. ongoing pattern)
- When you told the landlord about the problem
Vague statements like "the landlord harassed me" without dates and specifics are insufficient. The burden of proof is on you to show it is more likely than not that the conduct occurred.
Part 3: Remedies
Shade the remedies you are requesting. Available remedies include:
- Rent abatement — a reduction in rent for the period affected
- General damages — compensation for the impact on you
- Orders for compliance — requiring the landlord to stop the conduct
- Administrative fines against the landlord
- End of tenancy — if the situation is intolerable
For each remedy, explain how you calculated the amount requested. Attach supporting calculations on additional sheets if needed.
The LTB maximum is $50,000 per application. If you believe you are owed more, you may need to pursue the excess in court.
Part 4: Signature
Sign as Tenant 1 or Tenant 2 (matching Part 1), or have your representative sign. Complete the payment form and pay the filing fee.
Building a Strong T2 Application
Document Everything Before You File
Gather evidence before completing the form:
- Photos and videos of incidents or their effects
- Text messages, emails, and letters
- A log of entries, harassment incidents, or service interruptions with dates and times
- Witness names and contact information
- Copies of any notices you received (or proof you received none)
Be Precise With Dates
The one-year limitation period makes dates critical. If you are unsure of an exact date, state that it is approximate and provide your best estimate. Do not omit incidents because you cannot recall the precise day — approximate dates are acceptable.
Separate Each Incident
Rather than writing "the landlord entered illegally many times," list each entry:
March 3, 2026 — Superintendent entered at approximately 2:00 p.m. without notice. I was home and asked him to leave. He stated he needed to "check something" and remained for 15 minutes.
This level of detail gives the adjudicator a clear record to evaluate.
Do Not Wait Too Long
Even ongoing harassment has a limitation clock. File as soon as you have enough documentation to support your claims — you can supplement evidence before the hearing.
Common Mistakes That Cause T2 Applications to Fail
Missing the One-Year Deadline
Each incident must fall within one year of filing. Tenants who wait too long lose the right to claim remedies for older conduct, even if the pattern continues.
Insufficient Detail
Applications dismissed for lack of specifics are common at the LTB. Include dates, names, and descriptions for every incident you rely on.
Mixing Maintenance Claims Into the T2
Broken heating due to a furnace the landlord refuses to repair may support a T6. A T2 for vital services requires showing the landlord withheld or interfered with a service — the distinction matters legally.
Failing to Attend the Hearing
Non-attendance results in automatic dismissal. If you cannot attend, request a reschedule promptly through the LTB.
Requesting Remedies Without Explanation
If you ask for a $3,000 rent abatement, explain the calculation: which months were affected, what percentage of your rent reflects the impact, and why that amount is reasonable.
After You File
The LTB serves your landlord and schedules a hearing. Before the hearing:
- Organize your evidence chronologically
- Prepare to testify about each incident
- Be ready for cross-examination
- Review the landlord's response if one is filed
At the hearing, the member determines whether each claim is established and what remedies are appropriate. Outcomes range from rent abatements and compliance orders to fines and, in serious cases, termination of the tenancy at the tenant's request.
When to Get Professional Help
Tenant rights applications require you to prove complex factual and legal issues — harassment standards, illegal entry rules, and abatement calculations are not intuitive. Professional representation can help you organize evidence, frame your claims correctly, and present your case effectively.
RentZen connects Ontario tenants with paralegals who specialize in LTB tenant applications. Browse qualified professionals at /paralegals, and review how similar tenant rights cases were decided in our /case-study collection.
Conclusion
The T2 is a powerful tool for tenants whose landlords have crossed legal boundaries. But its power depends on the quality of your application — specific dates, detailed descriptions, correct form selection, and timely filing. Work through each reason methodically, document every incident, and request remedies with clear calculations.
Your application is the foundation of your case. Build it carefully, and you give yourself the best chance of a fair outcome at the LTB.
