Ontario Form L5: Above-Guideline Rent Increase
Plain-English instructions: when to use this form, how to fill it in, important deadlines and what happens next.
Form L5 asks the LTB for permission to increase rent beyond Ontario’s rent-increase guideline. Eligible reasons include extraordinary municipal-tax increases, security-service costs, and qualifying capital expenditures. It usually must be filed at least 90 days before the first proposed increase date.
Use this guide to fill out the official form. You still need to send it to the Landlord and Tenant Board.
What costs can support an L5?
- Municipal taxes and charges: an extraordinary increase, calculated under the LTB rules.
- Security services: qualifying new or increased operating costs.
- Capital expenditures: eligible completed and paid-for work supported by invoices and required schedules. Ordinary maintenance is not automatically an approved AGI.
The official instructions restrict capital-work claims where a new tenancy began after the relevant work was completed.
Complete L5 step by step
- Part 1: name the residential complex, landlord, and First Effective Date (FED) of the earliest proposed rent increase.
- Rental Unit Information (RUI): submit the mandatory Excel spreadsheet electronically, identifying the units and tenants; its totals must match the application.
- Part 2: select the relevant reason(s): taxes/charges, security, or capital expenditures. Supply Schedule 1 for the first two; Schedule 2 and itemized detail for capital claims.
- Evidence: include the relevant tax bills, cost comparisons, contractor invoices, payment records and any rebates or grants.
- Signature and filing: complete the form, sign and file by the method currently offered for L5—email, mail/courier, or an accepting ServiceOntario location—and pay as instructed.
The filing charge is $233 for up to ten units, plus $10 for each additional unit, capped at $1,000. For 12 units, the calculation is $233 + $20 = $253. This is the application fee, not an approved rent increase.
Important L5 filing detail: the L5 Rental Unit Information (RUI) spreadsheet must be provided electronically in Excel format even if the signed L5 application is delivered on paper. For email filing, send the application, required schedules, supporting evidence and Excel RUI to AGIpayments@ontario.ca; the LTB then emails a secure payment link, normally expiring after three calendar days. For paper filing, email the Excel RUI separately as directed in the official instructions. Missing required materials may cause the application to be refused.
Deadline and outcome
Usually file at least 90 days before the FED; late applicants must submit a Request to Shorten Time and are not guaranteed acceptance. The LTB must determine whether the costs qualify and what increase, if any, is allowed. A filed L5 alone does not authorize collecting the proposed additional rent as an approved AGI.
Common mistake to avoid
The Excel Rental Unit Information form became mandatory in November 2025; do not omit it or treat an L5 application as an automatic rent increase.
Related Ontario resources
Official sources
Official sources
- Tribunals Ontario — official Form L5 PDF
- Tribunals Ontario — Form L5 instructions
- Tribunals Ontario — L5 November 2025 RUI update
- Tribunals Ontario — filing methods and fees
- Ontario — Residential Tenancies Act, 2006
Key form instructions and fees checked October 13, 2026. General legal information only; deadlines, filing requirements and exceptions depend on the facts.