N4 — Non-Payment of Rent
About This Service
When a tenant stops paying rent, the N4 Notice to End a Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent is the first formal step — and it is also where most self-represented landlords go wrong. The arrears calculation must be exact, the rental period dates must line up, and the termination date must give the tenant the full notice period the Residential Tenancies Act requires. One error voids the notice, and you find out at the hearing, months later, when the adjudicator sends you back to square one. Carli Geist prepares the N4 correctly the first time: a clean rent ledger, accurate dates, proper service, and proof of service — so that if the tenant does not pay, your L1 application is already standing on solid ground.
What Landlords Need to Know
- Arrears must be calculated exactly — an inflated figure voids the notice
- 14 days' notice for monthly tenancies (7 for weekly)
- Tenant can void the N4 by paying in full before the termination date
- A defective N4 is discovered at the hearing — months of lost time
- The N4 alone ends nothing — an L1 application must follow
Why Landlords Use a Paralegal
The Residential Tenancies Act is unforgiving of paperwork errors. A notice with the wrong termination date, an arrears figure a few dollars off, or an application that doesn't match its notice gets dismissed at the hearing — after months in the LTB's queue — and the clock starts over. Tenants have free Tenant Duty Counsel available at every hearing; landlords who represent themselves are often the least protected person in the room.
Paralegals regulated by the Law Society of Ontario are fully authorized to represent landlords before the Landlord and Tenant Board. LTB hearings are held by video in Zoom hearing rooms, so Carli represents landlords across Ontario from her Burlington practice — professional advocacy at a fraction of the cost of a lawyer.
Get a Free Consultation
Tell Carli about your tenant situation. She'll give you straight answers about your options — no obligation.
Send a Message (289) 682-2076Don't lose months to a defective notice.
Carli reviews your situation, explains the realistic timeline, and tells you exactly what she can do — before you commit to anything.