RentSafeTO: Apartment Building Standards (City of Toronto)

A City of Toronto bylaw enforcement program that makes apartment building owners keep their buildings in good repair. If your landlord does not fix problems like plumbing, leaky ceilings, pests, low or no heat, or problems in common areas, you can ask the City to investigate through 311. If a bylaw officer finds a violation, the City can give notices and orders to comply, charge fees, lay charges or do the repair work itself.

Program in Toronto. Housing & rent Legal help

When: Ongoing. Your landlord must respond to urgent requests (electricity, gas, heat, water, building security) within 24 hours and to other requests within 7 days. After you complain through 311, the City responds to urgent complaints within 24 hours and to other complaints within 5 to 10 days.

How to reach them

1. Go to the phone line.
2. Say who you are and what you are offering or asking.
3. Come back here and tell us if they answered.

Other ways, if that one is quiet

• EmailGo to email
  It workedNo answer

• Service request form to give your landlordService request form to give your landlord
  It workedNo answer

• Look up a building's RentSafeTO scoreLook up a building's RentSafeTO score
  It workedNo answer

• PhoneCall 311
  It workedNo answer

• EmailEmail 311@toronto.ca
  It workedNo answer

Where else they are

Their website is toronto.ca/.../rentsafeto-for-tenants.

Good to know

• For whomTenants in Toronto apartment buildings with 3 or more storeys and 10 or more units. Condo buildings, townhomes and units in a private home (basement or main floor apartments) are not part of RentSafeTO. In all Toronto rental units, landlords must keep the heat at 21 degrees Celsius or more from October 1 to May 15.
• CostFree
• LanguagesEnglish
• Their stepsTell your landlord or property manager about the problem first, in writing. You can use the City's service request form for tenants, which comes in many languages. Keep a copy. Give your landlord time to respond: 24 hours for urgent problems like no heat, electricity, gas or water, and 7 days for other repairs. If the problem is not fixed, call 311 or use the 311 mobile app to create a service request. You can also email 311@toronto.ca. A bylaw enforcement officer will contact you to get more information and may ask for documents, so keep your written requests, dates and photos.

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