Hey everyone, I’m renting a room in a house where I share the kitchen and bathroom with my landlord. I signed a standard Ontario lease, but I’ve heard that the LTB doesn’t cover these situations. What legal protections do I actually have? Can I still rely on the lease I signed?
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You’re correct that when you share a kitchen or bathroom with your landlord, you’re not covered by the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) or the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). In this case, you’re considered a ‘boarder’ rather than a ‘tenant’.
The lease you signed is still a legal contract, but it’s not enforceable through the LTB. Instead, any disputes would need to be settled through small claims court. This means you don’t have the same protections as regular tenants, such as rent increase limits or eviction procedures.
However, the terms of your lease are still binding as a civil contract. Both you and your landlord are expected to follow the agreed-upon terms, but enforcement would be through civil court, not the LTB.
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Thanks for the info! So if I wanted to move out early, would I still need to give 60 days notice like the lease says?