AT A GLANCE
- The N12 is the notice a landlord gives when the landlord, a purchaser, an immediate family member or a caregiver wants to move into the unit [1].
- Minimum notice is 60 days, and the termination date must be the last day of a rental period or fixed term [1].
- Only an individual can give it. A corporation that owns a rental unit cannot [1].
- A purchaser's N12 is available only where the complex has no more than three residential units and an agreement of purchase and sale is signed [1].
- Compensation is one month's rent or another acceptable unit. For a landlord's own use, notices given on or after September 21, 2026 with at least 120 days' notice carry no compensation [1][2].
Note: Sources are cited with [x] and listed with hyperlinks at the bottom of this post. Many of the charts are interactive, so you can use them to answer questions about your own building.
WHAT IT IS
The N12 is a "no fault" notice. The tenant has done nothing wrong. Someone on a short list needs the home: the landlord or purchaser, their spouse, a child or parent of either, or a person providing care to one of them [1][3]. For a landlord's own use, that person must intend to live there for at least one year [1].
WHEN IT IS USED
A landlord can file an L2 immediately after giving the notice, and no later than 30 days after the termination date. The person moving in must file an affidavit or declaration with the application [1][3]. Since September 21, 2026, that person must normally move in within 60 days of the termination date. If not, and the tenant files a T5, the notice is presumed to have been given in bad faith unless the landlord can show otherwise [2].
DO NOT CONFUSE IT WITH
The N11, which is a mutual agreement, and the N13, which is for demolition, conversion or major renovation. The 120-day compensation exemption applies only to a landlord's own use. It does not apply to an N12 given for a purchaser [2].
Investor takeaway: the N12 is a house, condo, duplex and triplex tool. It is almost never available in an apartment building, because corporate owners cannot use it and purchasers cannot use it above three units [1]. If you are buying a fourplex or larger and counting on moving into a unit, plan on a negotiated N11 or on waiting for turnover. Penalties for getting this wrong rose on July 1, 2026, with maximum fines of $100,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations [4].
QUICK ANSWERS
Does a landlord have to pay a tenant for an N12 in Ontario?
One month's rent, or an offer of another acceptable unit, unless the notice is for the landlord's own use, was given on or after September 21, 2026, and provides at least 120 days' notice [1][2].
Can a corporation serve an N12?
No. Only a landlord who is an individual can give this notice [1].
Can the buyer of a fourplex use an N12?
No. A purchaser's N12 is limited to complexes with no more than three residential units [1].
Disclaimer: This post is for information only and is not legal advice. Confirm current forms and rules with the Landlord and Tenant Board or a licensed paralegal or lawyer before you serve or file.
This post is part of a series on Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board forms. See the full guide to the N series and L series.
About the Author: Terry Riddoch, Ontario Multi-Family and Commercial Real Estate Broker
Terry Riddoch is a licensed Ontario real estate broker with Re/Max Real Estate Centre, based in Waterloo Region and specializing in multi-family and apartment building sales across Ontario. With 19 years of experience and over $90 million in closed transactions, he advises independent landlords, private investors, and national investment groups on buying, selling, and valuing apartment buildings, investments and development land across the Province of Ontario including Waterloo Region (Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge), Guelph, Brantford, Hamilton, London, Milton, Windsor, Kingston, Belleville, Brockville and Sudbury.
Clients know Terry for candid advice, data-driven analysis, and doing the work well ahead of the deal. He writes regularly on Ontario landlord rules, rent control, the Landlord and Tenant Board, and housing policy to help property owners make informed decisions.
Thinking about selling an apartment building, or looking for your next investment property? Call Terry at (519) 591-1725, email [email protected], or visit terryriddoch.ca for a confidential, no-obligation conversation about your property.
SOURCES
- Landlord and Tenant Board. N12 Notice Instructions (updated September 21, 2026). https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Notices%20of%20Termination%20&%20Instructions/N12_Instructions.html
- Tribunals Ontario. LTB Operational Update: Legislative Changes at the Landlord and Tenant Board, Effective September 21, 2026. https://tribunalsontario.ca/2026/09/21/ltb-operational-update-legislative-changes-at-the-landlord-and-tenant-board-effective-september-21-2026/
- Landlord and Tenant Board. How a Landlord Can End a Tenancy (updated September 21, 2026). https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Brochures/How%20a%20Landlord%20Can%20End%20a%20Tenancy.html
- Tribunals Ontario. LTB Operational Update: Legislative Changes at the Landlord and Tenant Board (June 30, 2026). https://tribunalsontario.ca/2026/06/30/ltb-operational-update-legislative-changes-at-the-ltb/
- Tribunals Ontario. N12 form. https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Notices%20of%20Termination%20&%20Instructions/N12.pdf
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