Ontario Form N3: Rent and Care-Service Increases
Find out who uses this form, what to fill in and when to send it.
Form N3 is used for care-home rent increases and increases in care-service or meal charges. It separates the residential rent component from services and meals; those two parts can be governed by different limits.
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 do you use N3?
Use N3 if a tenant lives in an Ontario care home and the landlord is increasing rent, charges for care services or meals, or both. Care homes include housing where tenants occupy their unit to receive care services. Landlords must provide the required care-home information package before giving an N3.
Use N1 for a regular rent-controlled rental; use N2 for a unit exempt from the guideline where the official instructions direct its use. N3 is not a generic retirement-home marketing price list.
Separate rent from services and meals
- Rent: the ordinary guideline applies to most guideline-controlled care-home rents. The increase is generally no more often than every 12 months, with at least 90 days’ notice.
- Care services and meals: Ontario’s ordinary rent guideline does not cap these charges, and increases are not limited to once per 12 months, but 90 days’ written notice is normally required for increasing existing charges.
- New agreed services: a new or additional service that the tenant agrees to take may have different timing rules; do not disguise an existing service increase as “new.”
Assume 2027 care-home rent is $1,200 and increases by the 1.9% guideline to $1,222.80. Existing meal/care charges rise from $600 to $650. The new total is $1,872.80 monthly. On N3, show rent and service charges separately, then the total.
Fill out Form N3, field by field
- People and unit: identify tenant(s), landlord(s) and rental unit. Give any tenant’s different mailing address where requested.
- New rent: if rent increases, enter the effective date, amount and frequency, and indicate the proper guideline/approval category.
- Care services/meals: if those charges increase, enter the new service-and-meal amount separately, not rolled into the rent amount.
- Combined total: enter the final rent plus care/meals total and how often it is paid.
- Sign and date: the landlord or representative signs, keeps a copy and records delivery.
Service, timing and tenant protections
Provide written N3 notice at least 90 days before an increase to rent or to existing care/meal charges. Deliver by a allowed method, such as personal delivery, mailbox, under the door, mail or courier. Do not post the notice on the door. If the tenant has an authorized guardian or substitute decision-maker, provide a copy as described by the LTB instructions.
Common mistake to avoid
The increase to care services or meals cannot be described as a rent-guideline increase. Show each component separately.