Ottawa's Rental Housing Property Management By-law: What Every Landlord Must Have in Place

In Ottawa, every residential landlord must follow the Rental Housing Property Management By-law (No. 2020-255): give each tenant an "information for tenants" document with the lease, run a service-request process that answers urgent requests within 24 hours and others within 7 days, keep a tenant support registry and an integrated pest management plan, and, for buildings of 3 or more storeys or 10 or more units, keep a capital maintenance plan.

Ottawa City Council approved the by-law in August 2020, and its tenant-facing requirements began in September 2021, according to the City's own landlord guide. It sits on top of the provincial Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA): the City says the by-law does not change any landlord or tenant obligation under the RTA. This guide walks through each requirement and the paperwork a by-law officer can ask to see.

What does Ottawa's Rental Housing Property Management By-law require?

Ottawa's by-law 2020-255 requires five things of landlords: an information-for-tenants document, a tenant service-request procedure with set response times, a tenant support registry, an integrated pest management plan, and a capital maintenance plan for larger buildings. The table below summarizes each one as the City's landlord guide describes it.

All property owners in Ottawa must also keep their properties to the standards in the Property Standards By-law (No. 2013-416) and the Property Maintenance By-law (No. 2005-208). The province's own repair duty still applies too; see our guide to maintenance standards in Ontario.

What goes in the Ottawa "information for tenants" document?

An Ottawa landlord must give every tenant an "information for tenants" document when the lease is signed, covering the landlord's contact details, how to make service requests, fire safety, property maintenance, waste, parking, the tenant support registry and a Residential Tenancies Act statement. The City's guide lists these categories:

• Contact information for the landlord or property manager: a mailing address, a telephone number and at least one method of electronic text communication.
• Tenant service request instructions, and how to complain to the City if a request stays unresolved.
• Site-specific information on fire safety equipment, on-site waste management and where to park legally on site or nearby.
• The tenant support registry: that it exists, what it is for, how to be added or removed, and a set statement that registry information may be collected by the City to investigate and enforce compliance.
• A Residential Tenancies Act statement and the tenant's signature.

Two copies go with the lease: one for the tenant, and one signed by the tenant that the landlord keeps with the lease. The City's guide says a copy should be kept for 6 months after the occupancy ends. If the tenant will not sign, the guide allows delivery by registered mail or courier with proof of delivery, by personal service with an affidavit or signed receipt, or by email with proof of delivery and receipt.

Three timing rules follow the document through the tenancy. A revised copy must go to the tenant within 30 days of any change. A replacement copy must be provided within 15 days of a tenant's request. And if the landlord's or property manager's contact information changes, tenants must get the new details within 24 hours.

How fast must an Ottawa landlord respond to a repair request?

Under Ottawa's by-law, a landlord must respond to an urgent service request within 24 hours and to a non-urgent request within 7 days, and must have a written procedure to decide which is which. Tenants must be able to make requests verbally, in writing and by electronic text.

The City's guide defines an urgent request as one involving:

• a loss or interruption of vital services;
• security concerns about the unit, building or property;
• problems with accessibility features and equipment; or
• any issue that can reasonably be expected to make a unit uninhabitable.

Everything else is non-urgent. The landlord must keep a record of every request: the date and time, the address or unit, the tenant's contact information, a description of the issue, the action taken and the outcome, and the date and method used to tell the tenant it was resolved. If a tenant asks for a copy of the written record when making the request, the landlord must provide it within 30 days, and a by-law officer can ask for the records at any time.

A quick response under the by-law does not finish the job. The repair itself is still governed by the RTA, and a tenant can still bring a T6 application to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) if maintenance is not done.

What is a tenant support registry in Ottawa?

A tenant support registry is a record, which every Ottawa landlord must keep, of tenants who have voluntarily asked for help in situations such as building evacuations, power or other vital-service outages, pest-control preparation, or understanding documents. The City's guide says each entry must record the tenant's name and unit, the assistance requested, and the assistance the landlord has agreed to provide.

The registry is voluntary for tenants but mandatory for landlords. Names must be added or removed when a tenant asks, and removed when a tenant moves out. When a service request comes in, the City's guide tells landlords to check the registry to see whether that tenant has registered a need for support. Requests can also cover accommodation under the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 or the RTA.

What does Ottawa require for pest control in a rental?

Every Ottawa rental property must have an integrated pest management plan, with standing treatment plans for bed bugs, cockroaches, ants, rats, mice and any species known to cause recurring infestations at the property. Tenants must get a copy of the treatment plan before their unit is treated.

When a common area accessible to tenants is treated, the plan for that area must be posted in the building lobby. After any treatment, the landlord must re-inspect the area between 15 and 30 days later and treat again if the infestation continues. For who pays and what to document under provincial law, see our guide to pest control in an Ontario rental.

Does my Ottawa building need a capital maintenance plan?

An Ottawa rental building needs a capital maintenance plan if it has 3 or more storeys or 10 or more rental units. The plan is an up-to-date record of inspections of the building's major components, the deficiencies found, and the expected timing of refurbishment or replacement.

The by-law lists the capital elements that must be included, and the City publishes templates and samples. Routine repairs need not be recorded unless an inspection triggered them. A new owner has 3 months from the date of the ownership transfer to prepare a plan, and the plan must be kept current and available to a by-law officer. Owners weighing an Ottawa purchase can read our Ottawa neighbourhood guide for rental buyers alongside this checklist.

How do I bring an Ottawa rental into compliance?

An Ottawa landlord can bring a rental into compliance with by-law 2020-255 in five steps, most of which use templates the City publishes at ottawa.ca/landlords.

1. Write the information-for-tenants document for each building, with the registry statement worded as the City requires, and have each tenant sign a copy.
2. Set up a service-request log that captures every field the by-law lists, and a short written test for urgent versus non-urgent.
3. Open a tenant support registry, even if it is empty today, and tell tenants how to use it.
4. Adopt an integrated pest management plan with standing treatment plans and a reminder to re-inspect 15 to 30 days after each treatment.
5. If the building has 3+ storeys or 10+ units, inspect the capital elements and record them in a capital maintenance plan.

Ottawa also has separate rules for landlords who end tenancies for renovations; our comparison of renoviction licensing in Toronto, Hamilton and Ottawa covers them. More provincial guides are in the Ontario Landlord Resource Center.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Ottawa by-law apply to a single rented basement apartment?

The City's guide describes the information-for-tenants document, service requests, the tenant support registry and the pest management plan as requirements for all landlords. Only the capital maintenance plan is limited to buildings with 3 or more storeys or 10 or more rental units.

Does by-law 2020-255 change my rights under the Residential Tenancies Act?

No. The City states that the by-law does not change or affect any obligation of landlords or tenants under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. Rent, notices and evictions are still governed by the RTA and decided by the Landlord and Tenant Board.

How long do I keep the signed information-for-tenants document?

The landlord keeps the tenant-signed copy with the lease, and the City's guide says a copy should be kept for 6 months after the occupancy ends.

What counts as an urgent service request in Ottawa?

An urgent request involves a loss or interruption of vital services, a security concern, a problem with accessibility features or equipment, or any issue that can reasonably be expected to make the unit uninhabitable. Urgent requests need a response within 24 hours.

Who enforces the Ottawa by-law?

City of Ottawa by-law officers. They can ask to see the service-request records, the tenant support registry and the capital maintenance plan, and tenants can complain to the City if a service request stays unresolved.