Can My Landlord Stop Me from Having Guests in Ontario

If you’re renting a home or apartment in Ontario, you have the right to decide who you invite into your home. Your landlord cannot stop you from having guests, just like homeowners have the right to invite whomever they want.

However, there are some important rules and responsibilities to understand.

✅ Your Right to Have Guests

Under Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act (RTA), you have the right to:

• Invite family, friends, or other guests to visit you.

• Decide who stays with you in your unit.

If your landlord tries to control who can visit you, this could be considered harassment, which is illegal.

❌ When Guests Can Cause Problems

Even though you have the right to have guests, you are responsible for what your guests do while they are on the property.

Your landlord can take action if:

• Guests cause damage to the unit or the building.

• Guests disturb other tenants or the landlord, for example, with loud noise or unsafe behavior.

• Guests make the building unsafe for others.

In these cases, the landlord could:

• Ask you to pay for damages.

• Give you a warning.

• Try to evict you if the problems are serious or continue.

  
  

✅ Can a Landlord Charge Extra Fees for Guests?

In most cases:

• Your landlord cannot charge extra fees just because you have guests staying with you.

• Your landlord cannot raise your rent simply because someone visits or stays temporarily.

Ontario’s rent increase guideline protects most tenants from unfair rent hikes. But:

• If your unit is not covered by the guideline, the landlord might be able to raise the rent without giving a reason (but must still give you 90 days’ written notice).

  
  

✅ What About Subsidized or Income-Based Housing?

If you live in subsidized housing or rent-geared-to-income (RGI) housing, there may be different rules:

• If someone stays with you for more than a certain number of days (for example, 30 days in a 12-month period in Toronto Community Housing), you may have to report their income.

• If their income is counted, your rent could go up or your subsidy could change.

If you live in RGI housing, ask your landlord or housing provider for a copy of their guest policy, or talk to your local community legal clinic for help.

✅ Local By-Laws on Occupancy Limits

Some cities and municipalities have by-laws that limit how many people can live in a unit based on its size.

• If too many people are living in your rental unit and it violates local by-laws, the landlord could ask some people to leave.

• If you don’t comply, they might try to evict you.

You can contact your city hall or local councillor to find out about occupancy by-laws in your area.

✅ What Should You Do If Your Landlord Tries to Stop You From Having Guests?

• Remind them of your rights under the Residential Tenancies Act.

• Document everything—keep emails, letters, or texts from the landlord.

• Get legal help if your landlord continues to harass you or threatens eviction.

  
  

Conclusion

In Ontario, your landlord cannot stop you from having guests, but you are responsible for their behavior. They cannot charge you extra fees or raise your rent simply because you have visitors, unless you live in subsidized housing with special rules.

If your landlord is trying to restrict your guests or threatening eviction unfairly, Situ Legal Services can help you:

• Understand your tenant rights

• Deal with landlord harassment or illegal rent increases

• Represent you at the Landlord and Tenant Board if needed

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👉 Click here to book a confidential consultation and protect your rights as a tenant in Ontario.