Description of Service / Summary
The City of Toronto enforces minimum property maintenance and safety standards for rental properties and homes. If your landlord does not address serious maintenance concerns, you can contact 311 to request an investigation. Some issues, such as rent disputes or evictions, must be handled by the Landlord and Tenant Board or a lawyer.
Can We Help With Your Property Standards Issue?
We can help if your property has maintenance or safety issues that do not meet Toronto’s minimum standards, including:
- No heat or low heat
- Pests (bed bugs, cockroaches, mice, rats)
- Plumbing or water issues
- Broken appliances in rental units
- Damaged property (stairs, windows, walls, ceilings)
- Waste or garbage buildup
- Poor ventilation
Important: Always contact your landlord first before calling 311.
Issues the City Cannot Address
The City cannot help with civil or legal matters. Please contact the Landlord and Tenant Board or a lawyer for:
- Boundary disputes with neighbours
- Fence location on property lines
- Construction materials on neighbouring land
- Water drainage onto a neighbour’s property
- Rent disputes or lease terms
- Eviction notices
- Rent increases or Above Guideline Increases (AGIs)
- Quality of repairs, if they meet minimum standards
- Police-related matters
What Are Toronto’s Property Standards?
The City enforces Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 629, which sets minimum maintenance and safety standards for all properties.
Key Requirements for All Properties
All properties must:
- Be clean and free of pests
- Have proper ventilation and lighting
- Provide safe access and exits (including stairs, guardrails and handrails)
- Be structurally sound and protected from weather
Additional Requirements for Homes
All homes must also have working:
- Heat, water and electricity
- Appliances and plumbing
How to Report a Property Standards Issue?
Step 1: Contact your landlord
Notify your landlord in writing using their proper process for maintenance requests. Keep a copy for your records.
Step 2: Document the issue
- Take photos or videos
- Record the dates you reported the issue
- Keep copies of landlord responses
Step 3: Report to 311
If the issue is not resolved within a reasonable timeframe, contact 311 or report online under:
What you will need:
- Your address
- Description of issue
- When you told your landlord
What Happens After Your Report an Issue?
1. You will get a reference number
Keep this to check the status of your service request.
2. We'll contact you based on the priority of your request
- 24 hours – Very urgent health/safety (e.g. no water, gas or power)
- 5 days - Less urgent (e.g. peeling paint or leaky faucet)
- 10 days - Non-urgent (e.g. waste on property)
Learn more about how we prioritize issues.
3. Investigation
A bylaw officer will:
- Visit the property to determine if there is a bylaw violation
- Document findings
- Communicate with the landlord to help resolve the issue
4. If a Violation is Found
The officer will work with the landlord to correct the issue. If needed, they may issue:
- An Order to Comply
- A Notice of Violation
These documents set a deadline, usually up to 30 days depending on the issue.
If the issue is not addressed by the deadline, the property owner may face fees, charges, or the cost of City-completed repairs.
Deadlines may be extended in certain situations, such as active appeals or demonstrated efforts to comply. Each case is reviewed individually.
5. Re-Inspection
After the deadline, the officer will re-inspect the property to confirm repairs meet bylaw requirements.
Your request may appear as “closed” or “cancelled” if multiple complaints were submitted for the same issue. Reports may be combined to resolve them more efficiently. If you have not been contacted, call 311.
What Bylaw Officers Can and Cannot Do?
They Can:
- Investigate property standards concerns
- Work with landlords to meet bylaw responsibilities
- Issue orders or notices with set compliance timelines
- Apply fees or charges if required
- Arrange for work to be completed and recover costs from the property owner
They Cannot:
- Resolve lease disputes
- Stop evictions
- Address rent increases
- Handle police matters
Co-operative Housing (Co-ops)
Co-ops are member-controlled, non-profit housing where residents run the building.
The City can help address issues only in the:
- Common areas (hallways, lobby, exterior)
- Individual units that are rented out to a tenant (sublet)
Heritage Properties
If you live in a City-designated heritage property, we can help with issues related to:
- Maintaining historic features
- Repairing or replacing heritage elements properly
- Keeping vacant heritage properties safe and maintained
Investigation Activity Search Tool
To search for current investigation activity in the City of Toronto, there is an online Investigation Activity search tool on the City of Toronto website.
