Lost at the LTB? From July 1, 2026 You Have Only 15 Days to Ask for a Review
If you go through a hearing at Ontario's Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) and the order does not go your way, one of your first options is to ask the Board to review its own decision. As of July 1, 2026, the clock on that option is much shorter: the deadline to request a review has been cut from 30 days to 15 days. It is a small-sounding change with large practical consequences, and it affects tenants and landlords alike.
What a "review" is — and what it isn't
A review is the LTB's internal second look at an order. You are not arguing your case all over again. Instead, you are asking the Board to reconsider because something went wrong with the order itself — for example, a serious error, or because you were not reasonably able to participate in the hearing (say, you never received notice, or a genuine emergency kept you away).
A review is different from an appeal. An appeal goes to the Divisional Court and is limited to questions of law; it has its own separate 30-day deadline and its own process. A review stays inside the LTB and can look at both the facts and the process. For many people, a review is the faster, cheaper first step — which is exactly why the shorter deadline matters so much.
What changed on July 1, 2026
The change comes from Bill 60, the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025, which received royal assent in late November 2025. Its provisions amending the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA) came into force on July 1, 2026.
Here is the key point. The 30-day figure most people knew came from the LTB's Rules of Procedure, not the statute. Bill 60 puts a firm deadline into the Act itself: a request to review a decision or order must be made within 15 days of the order being issued, unless the Board considers it just and appropriate to extend the time. Because it now lives in the RTA, this is a harder line than a rule the Board could quietly relax.
Importantly, the new 15-day limit applies to orders made on or after July 1, 2026. If you are dealing with an order issued before that date, check which deadline applies to your file rather than assuming.
on/after July 1, 2026?} B -- "No" --> C[Older 30-day review
window may apply] B -- "Yes" --> D[15 days to file a
request to review] D --> E{Filed in time?} E -- "Yes" --> F[Board decides whether
to grant the review] E -- "No" --> G[Ask the Board to
extend time: just
and appropriate?] G -- "Granted" --> F G -- "Refused" --> H[Review route closed;
consider a Divisional
Court appeal on law] F -- "Granted" --> I[Order may be
reheard or varied] F -- "Refused" --> H
Why 15 days is tighter than it sounds
Fifteen days disappears quickly, especially for a self-represented tenant or a small landlord. In that time you may need to:
- read and understand the order,
- figure out the specific error or fairness problem you are relying on,
- possibly order a recording or transcript of the hearing,
- write clear submissions explaining why a review is warranted, and
- file the request properly with the Board.
Add a weekend, a mail delay, or the time it takes to reach a paralegal or lawyer, and the window is gone before you have started. The Board can extend time where it is "just and appropriate," but that is discretionary — you should treat the 15 days as a hard deadline and the extension as a fallback you would rather not need.
Why the government made the change
The stated goal of Bill 60 is to reduce the LTB's backlog and move cases through faster. Tightening review deadlines is part of a broader push to speed up tribunal timelines. Whether it achieves that is debated — but for anyone actually in a case, the practical message is the same: the process now moves faster, so you have to as well.
What to do if you receive an unfavourable order
- Note the date on the order immediately. Count your 15 days from the day it
was issued, and diarise the deadline.
- Act right away if you think the order is wrong or you could not take part in
the hearing — do not wait until day 14 to look for help.
- Consider whether a review or an appeal fits. A review is for serious errors
or fairness problems; a Divisional Court appeal is for questions of law. They have different deadlines and different forums.
- Get advice early. A licensed paralegal or lawyer can tell you quickly
whether you have review grounds and help you file in time.
Where to confirm the rules
- Bill 60, Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025 — full text and status:
- The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 on Ontario's e-Laws:
ontario.ca/laws/statute/06r17.
- The Landlord and Tenant Board — forms, rules and how to request a review:
Get in touch
Losing at the LTB is not always the end of the road — but the road just got shorter. If you have received an order you think is wrong, or you missed a hearing you should have been part of, the sooner you act the better. JSR Legals can help you understand whether a review or an appeal is the right move and get it filed on time. Reach us at info@jsrlegals.ca.
This article is general information about Ontario law, current as of July 2026, and is not legal advice for any specific situation. Deadlines, rules and in-force dates can change — confirm the current requirements with the LTB or a licensed professional before you act.
Immigration & paralegal practitioner at JSR Immigration & Legals, helping newcomers and Ontario residents with their cases.
This post is general information about Canadian immigration and Ontario paralegal matters and is not legal advice. Rules change and every case is different — confirm current requirements for your own situation.