Ontario Form N4: Unpaid Rent Notice
The official Ontario LTB notice, explained in everyday language: what it is for, how to fill it in, deadlines, service and next steps.
Use N4 when a tenant still lives in the unit and has not paid all rent due. For notices served on or after September 21, 2026, the earliest termination date is 7 days after service. N4 is a warning and opportunity to pay—not an eviction order.
An N4 is a notice, not an LTB eviction order. The form and its instructions are controlled by Tribunals Ontario; this page explains the key steps but is not itself a fillable official form.
When is N4 the right form?
Use it for unpaid rent, not for damage, noise, utility bills paid directly to the utility company, a last-month’s-rent deposit or an NSF fee. Wait until the day after rent was due. If the tenant has already moved out, N4 is not the correct first step; the LTB describes an L10 application for certain former-tenant debts.
Fill in the N4 — section by section
- To / From: list every tenant and landlord named on the tenancy, plus the complete unit address and postal code.
- Rent owing table (page 3): list each unpaid rental period, rent charged, money received and difference. Add the amounts; the total must match the figure shown on page 1. Include additional rent-period details as an attachment if required.
- Termination date: start counting the day after valid service. A notice personally handed over on October 15, 2026 can state October 22 as the earliest date. Mailed notice requires five additional calendar days for deemed delivery; courier normally requires an additional business day.
- Sign: landlord or authorized representative signs and dates the completed notice. Provide the tenant with every attachment at the same time.
Rent is $1,600/month. The tenant paid $1,100 for September and nothing for October. September arrears: $500; October arrears: $1,600; total $2,100. This assumes no other qualifying rent payments or lawful adjustments.
Give the N4 to the tenant
Allowed methods include personal delivery to the tenant or an adult in the unit, leaving it in the mailbox, slipping it under the unit door, or using mail/courier. Do not tape or post the N4 on the door. Record the service method and date; keep an identical copy and rent ledger.
What happens next?
- If the tenant pays all qualifying arrears before an L1 application is filed: the N4 is void, including where full payment arrives after the notice termination date but before the application. Keep dated payment receipts.
- If arrears remain: the landlord may submit L1 no earlier than the day after the termination date, with N4 and the Certificate of Service. The LTB decides at a hearing; the landlord cannot evict a tenant just by delivering N4.
- If you're a tenant: check the rent table, payments and service date. Keep receipts. You can dispute incorrect arrears at the LTB; do not assume you must move out solely because N4 arrived.
The seven-day rule applies to N4 notices served on or after September 21, 2026. Older notices were subject to different minimum periods; check the relevant form edition and service date.
Common mistake to avoid
Do not accidentally include damage charges or utility bills that do not qualify as rent; inaccurate totals may invalidate the notice.