OHI | Can My Landlord? · Ontario rental question #34
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Last verified: September 15, 2026
Quick answer: A landlord generally cannot impose an automatic cleaning fee, non-refundable cleaning deposit or penalty merely because a tenancy ends. Tenants must maintain ordinary cleanliness, and a landlord may pursue proven costs caused by undue damage or a serious cleanliness breach through the proper process.
Section 33 of the RTA makes tenants responsible for ordinary cleanliness. Section 34 addresses undue damage caused wilfully or negligently by the tenant or their guests. Section 134 restricts unauthorized fees.
The landlord should distinguish ordinary turnover work and normal wear from extraordinary cleaning caused by the tenant. A pre-set fee does not eliminate the need to prove responsibility and reasonable cost.
Does the unit need to be professionally cleaned?
The RTA uses an ordinary-cleanliness standard, not a universal professional-cleaning standard. A lease clause cannot automatically turn routine turnover cleaning into a fixed debt.
Can cleaning be deducted from last month’s rent?
The rent deposit is for the last rent period, not a general security fund. Disputed cleaning costs should be addressed separately.
What evidence matters?
Move-in and move-out photographs, inspection notes, dated communications, invoices and evidence of the prior condition help distinguish ordinary use from an exceptional cleaning claim.
What should a tenant do?
- Leave the unit ordinarily clean and remove belongings and garbage.
- Photograph each room at move-out and keep key-return records.
- Ask for an itemized invoice and evidence for any claimed charge.
- Do not assume a demanded fee can lawfully be taken from the rent deposit.
What should a landlord do?
- Document the unit’s condition at both ends of the tenancy.
- Separate normal turnover costs from tenant-caused conditions.
- Use reasonable actual costs rather than an automatic penalty.
- Use the appropriate LTB process for an unresolved claim.
Example
Vacuuming and ordinary turnover cleaning are generally landlord business costs. Removing extensive abandoned garbage or remediating tenant-caused contamination may support a documented claim.
Related OHI guides and tools
Official sources
- Residential Tenancies Act, 2006
- Landlord and Tenant Board: Renting in Ontario
- Current LTB forms and instructions
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General information only: This article discusses Ontario residential tenancies and is not legal advice. Some rentals are exempt from all or part of the RTA. Outcomes depend on the facts and evidence. Rules and forms can change; verify current information with Tribunals Ontario or obtain advice from a licensed Ontario legal professional.