Can a Landlord Send a Rent Increase by Email in Ontario?

The Short Answer: Only With Written Consent

A landlord can serve a rent increase notice by email in Ontario, but only if the tenant has given written consent to electronic service. Without that consent, email delivery is invalid regardless of whether the tenant actually reads the notice, acknowledges it, or even starts paying the higher amount.

Consent can be recorded in Section 15 of the Ontario Standard Lease or in another written agreement. The LTB's Consent to Service by Email form is optional. Without written consent to email service, delivery is invalid even if the tenant reads or acknowledges the message.

Why This Catches Landlords

Many landlords communicate with their tenants primarily by email. Maintenance requests, payment confirmations, lease questions — all handled electronically. It feels natural to send the rent increase notice the same way. But the RTA treats statutory notices differently from routine correspondence. A Form N1 sent by email without signed consent doesn't satisfy the service requirements under LTB Rules of Procedure, and the 90-day clock never starts.

The problem surfaces months later. The tenant pays the higher amount for a while, then a dispute arises — maybe over repairs, maybe over a lease term. The tenant files a T1 application claiming the increase was improperly served. At the hearing, the adjudicator asks for proof of electronic service consent. If the landlord can't produce Section 15 of the Standard Lease with the tenant's signature authorizing electronic delivery, the increase is void — even if the tenant acknowledged the email at the time.

What Counts as Valid Consent

The consent must be:

• In writing — verbal agreement doesn't count
• Signed by the tenant — typically in Section 15 of the Ontario Standard Lease
• Covers service of notices by email — routine email correspondence alone does not show consent to receive rent-increase notices by email

The LTB's Consent to Service by Email form is one way to record consent, but the parties do not have to use that form.

If you're using the mandatory Ontario Standard Lease (required under RTA Section 12.1 for most tenancies), Section 15 is one place to record this consent. If you're working with a tenancy that predates the Standard Lease requirement, consent can be recorded in a separate written agreement that covers service of rent-increase notices by email.

If Email Consent Exists: Same-Day Deemed Service

When valid written consent is in place, email is one of the fastest service methods. The notice is deemed received the same day it's sent — no 5-day mail deeming delay, no business-day courier calculation. For a January 1, 2027 effective date, you'd email the Form N1 on or before October 3, 2026.

Keep a record of the sent email (including timestamp and recipient address) alongside the signed consent document and your Certificate of Service (Form P1).

If There's No Consent: Use Another Method

Without written consent, fall back to one of the other permissible methods:

• Personal delivery to an adult occupant — deemed received the same day
• Mailbox or door slot — deemed received the same day
• Regular mail — deemed received 5 calendar days after mailing
• Courier — deemed received 1 business day after sending

Personal delivery or mailbox service gives you the same timing advantage as email without needing consent. The trade-off is physical presence — you need to be at the property (or have someone deliver on your behalf).

What About Text Messages and Tenant Portals?

Neither text messages nor online property management portals qualify as valid service methods for statutory notices under the RTA. Even if the tenant reads the notice through a portal and clicks "acknowledged," the service is void. The LTB's permissible electronic service method is email, and only with consent.

The Ontario Rent Increase Guide includes a checklist for verifying email consent status and the deemed service timeline for every permissible method.

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