You got a Notice of Hearing. Here's how the day actually goes.
An LTB hearing isn't a courtroom, and you don't need a lawyer to speak up in one. Most run by video or phone now. You'll get a chance to tell your side, show your evidence, and ask questions. What matters most is showing up prepared and on time.
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In 30 seconds, here's what's true
- Most LTB hearings are now held by video (Zoom) or by telephone. Your Notice of Hearing tells you the date, the time, and the format.
- You must share your evidence with the other side and file it with the LTB at least 7 days before the hearing. Late evidence may not be allowed.
- Tenant Duty Counsel is a free lawyer or legal worker available on your hearing day, at no charge, through Legal Aid Ontario. Ask at sign-in.
- If you don't show up, the hearing can go ahead without you and the Member can still make an order. Missing it is the most common way tenants lose.
- For an order issued on or after July 1, 2026, you have 15 days to ask the LTB to review it, or 30 days to appeal to Divisional Court on a question of law.
The steps your landlord must follow
Read your Notice of Hearing closely
It lists your hearing date, the start time, and whether it's by video or phone, plus how to join. Put the date in your phone with an alarm the day before. If you need an interpreter or a disability accommodation, tell the LTB as soon as you can, not on the morning of the hearing.
Gather and share your evidence early
Pull together your lease, receipts, texts, emails, and photos that back up your side. You have to give copies to the other party and file them with the LTB at least 7 days before the hearing, through the Tribunals Ontario Portal. Hand things in late and the Member can refuse to look at them. Number your documents so you can point to them fast.
Line up free help before the day
You don't need to hire anyone. Tenant Duty Counsel can talk to you on the hearing day for free, and a community legal clinic may help you ahead of time. Steps to Justice walks through your specific notice. Getting advice early beats scrambling once the hearing has started.
Know how the hearing runs
The Member in charge listens to both sides but can't give you legal advice. Whoever brought the application goes first, then the other side can ask them questions, and then it flips so you get your turn to explain what happened and point to your evidence. Mediation may be offered too, and it only happens if both sides agree to try it.
Wait for the order, then watch your deadlines
The Member might decide on the spot or reserve the decision and send it later. Once you get the written order, the clock starts. For an order issued on or after July 1, 2026 you have 15 days to ask for a review, or 30 days to appeal to Divisional Court, but only on a question of law. Don't sit on it.
What to do next
- Find your hearing date, time, and format (video or phone) on the Notice of Hearing.
- Put the date in your phone with a reminder the day before.
- Collect your evidence: lease, rent receipts, photos, texts, emails, and any letters.
- Share your evidence with the other party and file it with the LTB at least 7 days before the hearing.
- Submit your evidence through the Tribunals Ontario Portal, and number each item.
- Ask for an interpreter or a disability accommodation as early as possible.
- Plan to use Tenant Duty Counsel: it's free, on the day, through Legal Aid Ontario.
- Sign in and be on time. If you're not there when your case is called, it can go ahead without you.
Common myths
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| An LTB hearing is like a criminal trial and I need a lawyer. | It isn't, and you don't. Hearings are less formal than court, most run by video or phone, and free Tenant Duty Counsel can help you on the day. |
| I can bring my evidence on the hearing day. | Usually that's too late. You have to share it with the other side and file it with the LTB at least 7 days before, or the Member can refuse to consider it. |
| If I skip the hearing, nothing happens until I hear more. | The opposite is true. The hearing can run without you and the Member can make an order in your absence. Not showing up is the most common way tenants lose. |
| The Member can tell me how to argue my case. | No. The Member decides the case and stays neutral, so they can't give you legal advice. That's exactly why free Tenant Duty Counsel exists. |
| The decision is final the second the hearing ends. | Not necessarily. The Member may decide on the day or reserve and send a written order later. Either way, you then have set deadlines to ask for a review or to appeal. |
| I can't get help because I can't afford a lawyer. | You can. Tenant Duty Counsel is free on the hearing day through Legal Aid Ontario, and community legal clinics help tenants before the hearing at no cost. |
| If I need an interpreter, I have to bring my own. | No. You can ask the LTB for an interpreter and for disability accommodations. Just request it as early as you can, not on the hearing day. |
| Mediation means I'm giving up and admitting I'm wrong. | No. Mediation is voluntary and only happens if both sides agree. It's a chance to settle on your own terms instead of leaving it all to the Member. |
Last reviewed July 2026
Written and reviewed by the founder of PLAIN, checked against primary government and legal sources. How we research these guides
Sources
PLAIN gives legal information, not legal advice. It is not a substitute for a lawyer or paralegal — and we'll point you to free ones. Laws change; we review these pages regularly, but always confirm current rules with the Landlord and Tenant Board.
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