How to Handle Plumbing Emergencies in Your Ontario Rental Property

Lease and Rental Management

By Devon Moore, Operations Lead

Plumbing emergencies in rental properties require swift action to minimize damage and maintain your legal obligations as an Ontario landlord. Delayed responses can lead to LTB orders, tenant remedies, and costly water damage repairs.

The most common rental property plumbing emergencies: burst or frozen pipes, backed-up or overflowing drains, water heater failures (no hot water), sump pump failures (basement flooding), and toilet overflows.

Ontario Tenancy Law

Step 1: Locate and shut off the water. Every landlord and tenant should know where the main water shutoff valve is for the unit/building. For a burst pipe, seconds matter. Label the shutoff clearly and include its location in your tenant welcome package.

Tenant notification protocol: tenants are required to inform the landlord of needed repairs. Encourage immediate text or phone contact for emergencies, with a follow-up email for documentation. Provide after-hours emergency contact numbers.

Protecting Landlord Rights

Landlord response obligations: urgent repairs (no heat, no water, flooding) must be addressed immediately — within hours, not days. Non-urgent repairs (slow drains, dripping faucets) should be addressed within 7 days.

Have a vetted plumber you can call for emergencies. Build relationships with local licensed plumbers before you need them. Emergency plumbing calls can cost $250-500+ just for the service call after hours.

Water damage documentation: photograph all damage before repairs begin. File a claim with your property insurance if damage is significant. Ensure your rental property insurance policy covers water damage (not all policies do by default).

D&D Property Management maintains relationships with trusted licensed plumbers and coordinates emergency responses quickly, protecting our clients' properties 24/7.

Devon Moore, Operations Lead Co-Founder & Operations Lead — D&D Property Management

Devon Moore is the co-founder and Operations Lead at D&D Property Management, managing rental properties across Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph and Waterloo Region.