How to Serve an N4 Notice: A Landlord's Step-by-Step Guide

Property Management in Ontario

The N4 is the starting point for non-payment of rent applications at the Ontario LTB — getting it right the first time prevents delays and dismissed applications.

An N4 Notice to End a Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent is a prescribed LTB form that must be completed correctly to be enforceable. It sets out the amount of rent owed, the date by which the tenant must pay or vacate, and the address of the rental unit.

Key Responsibilities and Best Practices

The N4 cannot be served until rent is late. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, rent is not technically late until the day after it was due. If rent is due on the first and not received by the second, you may serve the N4 on the third. Serving an N4 before rent is due is procedurally improper and will be voided at an LTB hearing.

The termination date on the N4 must be at least 14 days from the date the notice is served. For monthly tenants (the most common), the termination date must also be the last day of the rental period. For a monthly tenancy, you cannot set a termination date mid-month.

How D&D Property Management Helps

Service of the N4 must be done by an approved method: by hand delivery to the tenant, by posting it on the door if the tenant is not home, by mail (adding 5 days for delivery to the termination date count), or by email if the tenant has agreed in writing to receive notices by email.

If the tenant pays the full amount owing before the termination date, the N4 is void and the tenancy continues. The landlord cannot then file an L1 Application to Evict. If the tenant pays only a portion, the landlord must decide whether to accept partial payment (which may void the notice) or refuse it and proceed with the L1.