Ontario Form N14: Notice to a Tenant’s Spouse
Find out who uses this form, what to fill in and when to send it.
N14 is a landlord’s notice to the spouse of a tenant who moved out without notice, while owing rent. It explains how the spouse can choose to remain and become the tenant. The landlord normally must give it within 45 days of believing the tenant moved out; the spouse then has 15 days to return the signed agreement.
This is a plain-language guide, not a substitute for the official Tribunals Ontario form. Complete the government PDF to give an actual notice.
When is N14 allowed?
The departing tenant must have left without giving or receiving a termination notice or agreeing to leave, the spouse must remain living there, and the former tenant must owe rent. The landlord must generally give N14 within 45 days after the date they believe the tenant moved out.
Important exception: if the landlord lives in a building with three or fewer residential units, the spouse does not have the ordinary statutory option to become the tenant unless landlord and spouse agree; the landlord should not use N14 in that case. If the tenant did not owe rent, or the 45-day window has passed, an A2 application may instead be appropriate.
What must the spouse do?
To continue as the tenant, the spouse must tell the landlord they want to stay and agree in writing to pay the rent owing. The N14 package contains a separate “Notice to Landlord and Agreement to Pay the Rent Owing” that the spouse signs and returns within 15 days after receiving N14. If properly returned, the spouse becomes the tenant under the same tenancy agreement, and rent does not reset simply because the spouse remains.
A tenant moves out around August 1, 2026 without ending the tenancy and owes $900. Their spouse remains. The landlord delivers an N14 on August 20, within 45 days. The spouse can return the included signed agreement within the following 15-day response window. Preserve evidence of when the notice was actually delivered.
Complete the N14 form
- Names and address: write the landlord’s name, the spouse’s name (or “Unknown” if genuinely unknown), and the complete unit address.
- Former tenant and departure: state the tenant who left and the date you believe they vacated.
- Money: provide rent owing, period covered, current rent amount and payment frequency, and date the next rent is due.
- Contact and signature: provide landlord contact information; sign/date or complete representative fields.
- Enclosed spouse response: give the spouse the entire package, including the separate signed-agreement page.
What if the spouse does not respond?
If they neither return the signed agreement nor move out after the response period, the landlord may apply using Form A2 for an order concerning an unauthorized occupant. N14 itself does not evict anyone; the LTB holds a hearing before making an order. Different statutory rights can apply if identity or arrears are disputed.
Common mistake to avoid
N14 is not for every “roommate” or occupant. Confirm spouse status, departure circumstances and arrears before using it.