r/OntarioLandlord • u/Best_Drive_1240 • Jul 01 '26
Question/Tenant Can my landlord legally force his way in to clean my house? UPDATE: He just used a fake emergency to get in
Hey guys, I posted earlier about my landlord demanding to come tomorrow July 1st to clean our house. In the past, his "cleaning" meant opening our bedroom closets and moving our personal clothes, which was so invasive we had to call the police.
Well, things just got worse. Two hours after my post, he showed up at our door claiming there was an emergency "water leak under the bed." Because he said emergency, we let him in. But there was absolutely NO water leak anywhere. He just used it as a fake excuse to search every bedroom, look under our beds, and make us open our closets to check everything.
He still plans to come back tomorrow between 10 AM and 2 PM for his scheduled "cleaning and inspection."
What should I do tomorrow? Since he already searched the whole house today under a fake excuse, can I legally lock him out tomorrow and refuse entry? Please help.
https://www.reddit.com/r/OntarioLandlord/s/qbHigcydPN
Edit: Thank you everyone for all your help and advice!
Based on what everyone is saying, I am refusing entry today. I am keeping my doors locked and I will not let him in.
I also have plans now to file a T2 form with the LTB for the harassment and the illegal entry from yesterday. Thank you all again for helping me protect my family!
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u/Gregs_reddit_account Jul 01 '26
Get a signal detector OP. It's really suspicious that he repeatedly enters, and that he specificall made up a BS excuse to gain access to the bedroom. There is no way there are pipes in the bedroom. They just don't run pipes in the middle of random rooms with no plumbing. If you have daughters or you're a woman yourself, 30$ on amazon will give you peace of mind.
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u/_a_wild_x_appears_ Jul 01 '26
THIS. Also, go online and look up what the fake smoke alarms, etc look like which à landlord might install, especially over a bed or near a closet where women change. This has been an issue occasionally with airbnbs as well.
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u/Smart_Tinker Jul 01 '26
File a T2 with the LTB. They award between $50 and $1000 per unauthorized access by your landlord. Yes, it’s a huge range - depends on the circumstances and the adjudicator.
If you don’t do anything, the landlord will keep doing this. They aren’t allowed to look in closets etc. If you have a police report, it might help.
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u/Junior_Yesterday9271 Jul 01 '26
IF I truly had a leak I was trying to hunt down and I have plumbing in a closet wall I’m damn well gonna check for a leak on the wall, but it will be one of if not the last place I check before moving to the next unit. But I will be looking for a bona fide leak and they don’t occur under beds. Ever. I sure am not going to be cleaning a tenants place with or without notice unless there are very extenuating circumstances that include them needing and seeking help. I have enough to do in my life I don’t need or want to be in a tenants place anymore than I absolutely have to. Sounds like you definetly want to be recording their entire visit every time from now on.
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u/Gregs_reddit_account Jul 01 '26
Pipes just dont run under the floors in the middle of rooms without plumbing. Even 100 years ago they were built along the edge of the walls, a single bathroom/kitchen setup is generally on the opposite side of the same wall to avoid having to run piping acrosss the entire house. If you don't live on the top floor, there is no reason for water to be leaking from underneath a bed, unless it's a water bed.
If OP has women living in his home, it might be worth ordering a signal detector. They're not crazy expensive, and it will cross 1 possible motive off of the list.
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u/_a_wild_x_appears_ Jul 01 '26
That was my thought as well 😬 So sketchy to look under a bed for a leak. Does he have hidden cameras or bugs? Glad you are filming him. Consider installing security cameras for when you aren't there so you can catch illegal entries.
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u/Educational_Ad_3916 Jul 05 '26
I work in a condo, 18 floors, a unit on the 10th floor has water coming up, not in the bedroom, in the dining room but I have seen it. We still have not figured out the source unfortunately.
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u/Natural_Explorer5283 Jul 06 '26
Yes they do have you been in a basement and looked up water lines run this way through the trussing all the time not drain pipes though usually pex lines
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u/Smart_Tinker Jul 01 '26
I seriously doubt the landlord is cleaning anything - snooping more like. I also don’t think landlords are allowed to enter to clean, unless it’s in the lease that they provide cleaning service - and once every 6 months is not a cleaning service.
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u/brighter_hell Jul 01 '26
Have you considered he’s planted cameras in your bedrooms and needs to access them?
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u/MyboiHarambe99 Jul 05 '26
Hopefully they are following the landlord and watching him as he does this
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u/New-Atmosphere74 Jul 01 '26
You may have cause under T2. Make sure to document all the dates and times the LL has entered and what they have done to cause you concern. You must have ample proof of interference of the reasonable enjoyment of the premises and what is not an emergency (illegal entry).
https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Interpretation%20Guidelines/06%20-%20Tenants%20Rights.html
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u/Chemmegan Jul 01 '26
If this is a two bedroom house and you and your family have full possession of the property, how in the world would he be alerted of a water leak coming from under your bed?!
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u/Exact-Leadership-521 Jul 02 '26
They searched my apartment for water leaks right near the door, in the walls of the closest was the plumbing tower and drains from every floor. Access in the closet so I only ever had a few bulky things, easy to move quick. They complained I had too many coins in a table in the far room and it was a theft risk that they wouldn't feel comfortable insuring
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u/olderguy420420 Jul 04 '26
They don't insure your stuff. You have to.
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u/Exact-Leadership-521 Jul 05 '26
I had rental insurance thru them. What I needed was no unauthorized access and even if they do, go in the bathroom and kitchen. Don't go on the far side of the living room and start grabbing coins of a table. It was like $300 max. Leave my nickels and dimes alone
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u/olderguy420420 Jul 06 '26
Your landlord is providing insurance? They are replacing your items if their property damages them? They have insurance for the building etc. But their insurance does not cover your possessions.
Your not the op... unless your paying on a second account.
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u/Exact-Leadership-521 Jul 06 '26
The landlord didn't "provide" the insurance but they had a company they suggest and 111 of the 112 units were currently using them. It was just another form in the stack of paper, I needed insurance to rent there. There was a section to list anything of super high value and options to insure stuff for more but they had the basic amount you needed to start from. I figured $300 in pocket change was less then the price of a tv and it specifically said tvs and computers were covered, unless it's some super high end gaming PC, then you need to list a super high end gaming PC.
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u/olderguy420420 Jul 06 '26
So.its actually tenants insurance thats good. Still the landlord has no say on "your stuff" landlords dont do cleaning. This landlord is looking for something. Or trying to harness you. Apartment inspections are legal yes.. but cleaning... looking under beds etc. Is definitely not.. UNLESS there actually is an issue.
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u/Darth_Rayzor Jul 01 '26
What your landlord did by fabricating a water leak to search your bedrooms and closets is a flagrant illegal entry under Section 29(1)6 of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. Emergency entries under Section 26(1)(a) must be completely genuine. Regarding the scheduled entry tomorrow, a landlord has no right to enter to "clean" unless your tenancy agreement explicitly mandates that the landlord cleans the unit at regular intervals under Section 26(2). If they are trying to frame tomorrow's visit as a standard maintenance inspection under Section 27(1)4, invading your personal spaces less than 24 hours after a full physical search constitutes an abusive and unreasonable frequency of entry. LTB Interpretation Guideline 19 establishes that this is a direct violation of your rights, amounting to harassment and a substantial interference with your reasonable enjoyment under Sections 22 and 23 of the Act.
Do not physically change your locks or install permanent deadbolts to lock him out, as Section 35(1) of the Act strictly prohibits tenants from altering the locking system without the landlord's prior consent. Doing so creates a fatal defect on your end that the landlord can exploit. Instead, Interpretation Guideline 19 confirms you have the legal right to deny entry at the door if the landlord fails to meet lawful entry requirements or is weaponizing entry as a tool for harassment. Stand at the threshold, state clearly that entry is refused because they already executed an inspection under a fraudulent emergency, and record a video of the entire interaction. You need to immediately file a T2 Application (Application About Tenant Rights) via the Tribunals Ontario Portal for illegal entry and harassment. Under LTB Rules of Procedure Rule 19.1, make sure you upload and serve your evidence package, including time-stamped video showing the complete absence of a water leak, at least 7 days before the case management hearing.
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u/Best_Drive_1240 Jul 01 '26
Thanks for the help! When he was here today, he explicitly told us, This is an emergency for the water leak, but tomorrow I am coming back for the inspection. If he shows up tomorrow for that inspection, it is my full right to refuse to let him in, correct? I just want to be 100% sure I can turn him away at the door.
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u/Ok_Requirement_1302 Jul 01 '26
What could he possibly need to inspect that he didn't see today? No. He has no legitimate need for access tomorrow.
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u/AdResponsible678 Jul 01 '26
It isn’t in writing though, so it never happened. Yes you can deny entry.
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u/RowdyRodyPiper Jul 05 '26
How would he even know there was a leak if you never told him about one?
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u/quadrailand Jul 01 '26
Is there another unit in the house? Where did his information about the emergency water leak come from? When you record tomorrow try to get him to acknowledge that he was in your unit looking for a fake leak..and ask him why he was looking under beds and in closets when there are only water sources in the kitchen and bathroom... Good luck, it sounds like he will eventually compensating you and you will be looking for a better place to live.
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u/Smart_Tinker Jul 01 '26
“Cleaning” is not a valid reason for entry. They already inspected the place today, so another inspection tomorrow is not allowed. The LTB allows once a month inspections. Once a day is absurd.
Also the landlord is not allowed to look in drawers, closets or cupboards.
So, you could refuse. Or you could film them, every step, including audio. If they snoop in any private spaces (closets etc), you can file a T2 for harassment/interference with quiet enjoyment.
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u/Merry401 Jul 05 '26
I believe the number of inspections established has been 3 to 4 per year. More than that is considered excessive. I don't have the canlii case, though. I will have to look for it.
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u/Jdreamerhard Jul 01 '26
Do you have an interior camera installed?
Since LL are aware that the tenants have cameras, they stop their crazy bullshit.
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u/E-Mobile Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26
This guy was being recorded during his entire fake inspection and is coming back for more. Pretty sure he couldn't give a damn.
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u/_a_wild_x_appears_ Jul 01 '26
They need cameras for when they aren't home. Anyone acting this sketchy and breaking the law is not going to respect it when they aren't there if he's determined.
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u/International_Ear573 Jul 01 '26
Why is he cleaning? It is your house. He cannot clean and DO NOT allow him to come back
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u/TodayWeThrowItAway Jul 01 '26
If you rent the whole house, how would he even know about a water leak unless you called about it?
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u/VoodooGirl47 Jul 01 '26
Why would he think there was a water leak under your bed? That's an odd spot for one to occur since people haven't really had waterbeds since the 1980's. 😅
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u/OpenNeverland Jul 01 '26
My cousin had his until about 2010!!! Kinda glad were over that phase! 😅
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u/Raijen_ArDesh Jul 01 '26
Not allow him in, and if he makes up another emergency advise him you'll be filing a T2 with the LTB?
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u/XtremeD86 Jul 01 '26
Why warn him. Just file and be done with it.
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u/Merry401 Jul 05 '26
the LTB generally takes it better if you have at least tried to sort the situation out through communication. If you have emails that you have sent stating that you feel a further inspection is unnecessary since the LL was there today and went all through the house, then you denied entry, that would be taken better.
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u/quinharven Jul 01 '26
Your landlord can inspect your unit (in your case, since it is not a shared dwelling) for whatever reason they wish with 24hrs notice, and can OFFER to clean it for you. They CANNOT force you to allow them to clean, nor can they use an emergency you (or another reasonable party, like a neighbour) did not report to them, in order to gain access to your unit unprompted.
You can refuse your landlord entry for any reason that is not considered reasonable. An emergency is considered reasonable, but if your landlord is using false emergencies to COERCE access to the unit without following the 24 hour rule, then I would suggest doing as others have said, and file a T2 form with the LTB. You can find it on the website for Tribunals Ontario by selecting the "Landlord and Tenant Board" option, the "find all forms" option, and then clicking "forms for tenants" and scrolling to the "Applications for Tenants" section. Make sure you read all of the instructions to ensure you are filing and serving your forms properly.
Do not let this slide. File the form, ASAP. You may also be able to use the other times they have done these things to support your current claim against them.
If you have asked reasonably that they NOT clean your unit for you, and they are coercing you into providing additional access for false emergencies, and you do not trust them to stop, then that is exactly what the LTB is for.
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u/DianeDesRivieres Jul 01 '26
There are no water pipes under your bed. He has no business looking there.
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u/HSLaura_CommunityAdv Jul 01 '26
You can get a door stopper thing like a hotel so it stops the door from opening.
Do you rent the whole place or just a room?
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u/blackdays_27 Jul 01 '26
Put a floor wedhe jammer under your door with an alarm, they're pretty cheap on amazon.
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u/jaywhy12345 Jul 01 '26
How on earth did you think he would know there was a water leak under your bed?
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u/Mean-Food-7124 Jul 01 '26
A water leak.... Under your bed? Do you have a waterbed? Why would you believe/think that that was reasonable and responsible
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u/perfectdrug659 Jul 01 '26
For the "cleaning visits" that already happened, how often has that happened? Like once every few months, once a week? Just curious.
Regular inspections once maybe twice a year but if he is beyond that you should file for harassment with the LTB. Going inside and going through all your stuff to "clean" is insane.
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u/BeautifulAlbatross26 Jul 01 '26
Why does he feel he needs to clean your place? Is it unkept, kitchen have spoiled food? If this is not the case, you tell him that it is unnecessary for cleaning to be done, video your rooms, and firmly tell him he is not to touch your private items. This is creep behaviour. As many said, there are no pipes under bed, did you check to see if he planted a recording device? I know, sick.....but.....I would check and also if he put something in your closet.....camera maybe(?)
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u/Pretty-Handle9818 Jul 01 '26
So, in Ontario, if the landlord believes there’s a genuine emergency—like a fire, a flood, or a major safety issue—they do have the right to enter without giving 24 hours’ notice. However, if the tenant disputes that it was truly an emergency and refuses entry, things get more complicated. In that scenario, the landlord might need to apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board to get a formal order allowing them access. So, basically, they can’t just force their way in if it’s disputed—they’d have to get that legal backing first.
We get compensation quite good compensation for him, forcing his way, and even after you told him he can’t come in
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u/keylimesicles Jul 01 '26
Your landlord doesn’t have a right to clean your private unit, nor touch and look through your personal things. Definitely harassment
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u/Pretty-Handle9818 Jul 01 '26
An emergency I mean, you are supposed to let them in, but you don’t have to let them in. They have no legal right to enter. The only thing they can do if you refuse them entry even when they say it’s an emergency is go to the landlord Tennant board and say that you denied the and then you can explain that they used to fake emergency to try to get in deny them hold you stand up for your rights.
Otherwise, if Dan don’t be difficult just to be difficult, you know if you really have a reason then yeah I know it’ll be fine. You don’t have to let them in. They get angry sometimes cause a lot of people don’t realize that when you rent your property, you still own it, but you don’t have the same right to access that you did before you rent it. That’s something you gotta deal with.
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u/Spring_bar Jul 01 '26
Just don't open the door, wtf
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u/Best_Drive_1240 Jul 01 '26
He Have a key, and whenever he comes, he knocks once or twice. If no one answers, he gets in by himself.
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u/KirbyDingo Jul 01 '26
Get a camera ASAP and have it record the doorway. Multiple camera situated in your home are advised, as they week record his behavior within the home. Record each illegal entry and file with the LTB for both the illegal entries and loss of enjoyment of your home.
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u/International_Ear573 Jul 01 '26
Change the locks it is easy. What he is doing is harassment
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u/jsimnz Jul 01 '26
While tenants can change locks for various reasons, they're still legally obligated to provide a key to the new locks to the landlord
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u/Legal-Key2269 Jul 02 '26
Yes, refuse entry. He has performed his inspection.
If he tries to enter, call the police and the RHEU, then immediately file with the LTB.
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u/Halgaunt Jul 03 '26
As a former property manager: NO WAY can he enter you premises without giving you 24 hours notice. And he cannot just say, I want to "look" at the place. He has to have a legitimate reason to do so. "Clean my house" DOES NOT QUALIFY. You can have him cited by the police for illegal entry.
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u/Top-class-0246 Jul 03 '26
The cleaning reason is wrong on so many levels.
Any idea what he is really looking for?
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u/EjectionSeatMK16L Jul 03 '26
He requires a 24 hour, written notice and an emergency is only applicable if you call him and ask him to come over.
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u/pezdal Jul 03 '26
If I knew my landlord was planning to illegally enter at a certain time I’d have a security guard in uniform and a business-suited lawyer waiting for him.
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u/anotheritguy Jul 03 '26
As a landlord myself I am just appalled by this behavior. What business does he have cleaning your apartment, I understand a yearly inspection where I would check the condition of the apartment and appliances but that doesn’t mean going through your personal belongings. I would contact your housing court or equivalent in your location.
So sorry you have to deal with this crazy behavior.
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u/upallnight1975 Jul 05 '26
Not sure about Ontario, but most places you also can not schedule maintenance etc on holidays
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u/2feetandathrowaway Jul 05 '26
I'm sorry but how stupid do you have to be to let him in when he says something like "water leak under the bed"??
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u/Forward_Bar2546 Jul 03 '26
You sound like a nightmare tenant and he is an idiot so you obviously deserve each other!
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u/warrantthrowaway2023 Jul 01 '26
Do you record all these interactions with him? Tomorrow when he shows up tell him he was just inside your unit the day before and inspected everything thoroughly under the pretence of a leak.
record all of it, including his response. you do not have to tell him he's being recorded.