You got an N4. Now what?

Your landlord just handed you a piece of paper called an N4. It looks official, it has Government of Ontario branding, and the bold language at the top is essentially: pay or move. If you are stressed reading it, that is the correct response. If you are panicking, take a breath — you almost certainly have more time than the form makes it look.

Here is what an N4 actually is, in plain English: it is a notice your landlord is required to give you before they can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) to evict you for not paying rent. The N4 itself is not an eviction. It is the first step in a process that, in Ontario, almost always takes weeks to months — not days.

The numbers on the form, decoded

Look at the top of the N4 for two things: the termination date (when the landlord wants you out) and the amount of rent claimed.

• 14 days — the standard termination period for monthly or yearly tenancies.
• 7 days — for weekly or daily tenancies.
• 20 days — for some social housing situations.

Whatever the date says, that's the day after which your landlord can applyto the LTB. Not the day you have to be out. Most tenants don't know this and it changes everything about how stressed you need to be in the next forty-eight hours.

Your three options, in order of how often they work

1. Pay it.If you can pay the arrears, do it as soon as possible and get a receipt — ideally by e-transfer with “rent arrears, N4 dated [date]” in the memo. Once paid, the N4 is void and the conversation is over.
2. Pay it after the termination date but before they file.Yes, this still works. The N4 is voidable until the landlord actually submits an L1 to the LTB. Most landlords don't file the same day the notice expires — they wait, they hope, they get busy. Use that window.
3. Negotiate a repayment plan.If you can't pay all at once, write to your landlord and propose a schedule. Most landlords would rather have rent slowly than start an LTB process that costs them filing fees and months of time. Put the agreement in writing and have both parties sign it.

What if the L1 has already been filed?

Then you'll receive a Notice of Hearing in the mail. Don't ignore it. Don't assume you'll lose. About a third of LTB hearings involving rent arrears result in a payment plan worked out the same day — the landlord shows up, you show up, and a Board mediator helps you find a number that works for both sides.

If you have a real defence — repairs that were never done, a deposit that was never returned, harassment from the landlord, illegal rent increases — that is a T2 application you can file independently. Talk to a paralegal before the hearing. Even one phone call changes what you know about your options.

What we recommend, if it's been less than 48 hours

1. Photograph the N4 (front and back).
2. Photograph any envelope or note it came with.
3. Don't sign anything your landlord presents to you.
4. Call us. The first conversation is free and takes less than thirty minutes.

This is general information, not legal advice. Every tenancy is different — call us and we'll tell you specifically what your situation needs.