Healthy housing supports healthy living by protecting people from health hazards inside and near the home.
What kinds of health hazards could be present in my home?
Home health risks come in many forms. They can be found in the air, our water, household products, the physical structure of the home, by unwanted pests, and more.
Learn about the more common health risks that may be present in your home, how protect your health and the health of your family from hazards in your home.
When should I call my local Property Standards Department?
Towns and Cities have their own Property Standards Bylaws, which set the standards for all properties within their jurisdiction. All property owners are required to repair and maintain their property including owners of properties that are rented out.
Contact your local Property Standards department if you have issues related to the structure of the building (for example with roofs, plumbing, or molds), and for garbage concerns or pest issues not related to food premises.
Who do I call if seeking a resolution concerning a Landlord and Tenant dispute?
Before you apply to the Board, you should make sure your landlord knows about the problem and has had a reasonable amount of time to fix it:
- Notify your landlord both verbally and in writing of the issue (a letter, an email, or maintenance request form).
- Take photos of the problem. Put the date on the photos.
- If your landlord does not fix it within a reasonable timeframe make one more request. Make sure you keep copies of your written requests.
- Call your municipal property standards department- they enforce local bylaws and the Ontario Building Code. They can help advocate for you.
If your landlord does not fix the problem, you can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board. The Board is like a special court that decides disputes between tenants and landlords.
Apply to the Landlord Tenant Board for a remedy. A “remedy” is something the Board can order the landlord to do to fix the problems:
- Visit the Landlord and Tenant Board website
- Review Landlord and Tenant Board FAQs
- Call the Landlord and Tenant Board for further assistance at 1-888-332-3234