Landlord & property
management lawyer.

Toronto landlord lawyer for residential and commercial property owners

Jonathan Kleiman is a landlord lawyer in Toronto who represents property owners and property managers in every legal issue that arises from owning and operating rental properties.

Whether you own a single unit, manage a portfolio of commercial properties, or operate as a professional property management company, Jonathan provides practical legal advice on the lease, the paperwork, and the money: commercial leases, commercial tenant disputes, contractor disputes, arrears, and court claims.

Residential tenancies: what the RTA requires

Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA) governs almost every aspect of the relationship between residential landlords and tenants in Toronto. The rules are detailed, the penalties for non-compliance are real, and the Landlord and Tenant Board moves on its own timeline. Here is what the process demands, so you know what you are walking into. The representation itself belongs to a paralegal who practises at the Board, not to this office.

Non-payment of rent

When a residential tenant stops paying rent, the clock starts immediately. The sequence is an N4 notice, then an application to the Landlord and Tenant Board, then a hearing where the Board can order both eviction and arrears. All three steps are Board work.

Where a claim against a former tenant properly belongs in court rather than at the Board, recovery runs through the Small Claims Court or Superior Court, and that is work Jonathan does. Getting the forum right first is the whole game: see Small Claims Court vs. the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Evictions and notices

Ontario law requires landlords to follow a strict process for every type of eviction. Using the wrong notice form, missing a deadline, or failing to include required information can delay the process by months. The forms are:

• N4 — non-payment of rent
• N5 — interference with reasonable enjoyment or damage
• N7 — serious impairment of safety
• N12 — landlord's own use or purchaser's use
• N13 — demolition, conversion, or major repairs

Only the Board can order a residential eviction. No court can do it, and a self-help eviction (changing the locks, cutting utilities) is illegal and expensive. If you are at this stage with a residential tenant, call one of the paralegals named above rather than this office.

Tenant disputes short of eviction

Not every tenant problem is an eviction. Unauthorized occupants, illegal subletting, persistent late payment, damage to the unit, interference with other tenants, and refusal of reasonable entry for repairs are all live issues for a residential landlord, and in an active residential tenancy each of them is a Board application. On a commercial tenancy, the same problems are lease problems, and those are handled below.

Commercial landlord legal services

Commercial leases in Ontario are governed by the Commercial Tenancies Act and general contract law — not the RTA. This gives landlords significantly more flexibility in setting terms, but it also means that the lease itself becomes the primary source of rights and remedies.

A poorly drafted commercial lease can cost a Toronto landlord far more than a vacancy.

Property management legal support

Property managers in Toronto face legal questions daily — from tenant screening and maintenance obligations to contractor disputes and regulatory compliance. Jonathan provides ongoing legal support to property management companies and individual landlords who self-manage.

Lease agreements and documentation

Every tenancy starts with a lease, and reviewing or drafting one is document work rather than tribunal work. Jonathan drafts and reviews lease agreements that set clear expectations, protect the landlord's interests, and comply with Ontario law.

• Commercial leases: net, gross, and percentage lease structures for retail, office, and industrial properties
• Lease renewals and amendments: updated terms for existing tenancies
• Assignment and subletting agreements: protecting the landlord's approval rights and liability position
• Residential lease schedules: additional terms reviewed against the RTA framework before you sign, which is separate from acting on a Board dispute later

Legal risk management for landlords

The cost of a legal dispute is almost always higher than the cost of preventing one, and most of the prevention is paperwork. On the commercial side, Jonathan helps landlords put documentation and policies in place that reduce exposure to tenant claims and litigation:

• Notice and default procedures that match what the lease actually says
• Maintenance and repair documentation
• Additional rent and TMI reconciliation records
• Entry, inspection, and access protocols
• Deposits, guarantees, and security under the lease

Residential portfolios have their own compliance layer under the RTA (guideline rent increases, entry notice, last month's rent), and that side is best handled by a paralegal who is in front of the Board every week.

Property damage and maintenance disputes

When a tenant damages the property — whether through negligence, willful destruction, or failure to report maintenance issues — the landlord is entitled to recover the cost of repairs.

Where the tenancy is residential, that claim goes to the Landlord and Tenant Board, both for current tenants and for former tenants within a year of move-out, and that one-year window is worth treating as a hard deadline. Board claims are referred out. Where the claim is commercial, or genuinely falls outside the Board's jurisdiction, it goes to the Small Claims Court or the Superior Court, and Jonathan documents the damage, assesses the claim, and pursues it there.

Contractor and maintenance disputes

Landlords who hire contractors for repairs, renovations, or property maintenance sometimes face disputes over scope, quality, or cost. Jonathan handles these disputes — including suing contractors in Small Claims Court — and reviews contractor agreements before work begins to prevent problems.

Small Claims Court and Superior Court for landlords

Not every landlord dispute belongs at the Landlord and Tenant Board. Many claims — commercial lease disputes, unpaid invoices, contractor disputes, and claims that fall outside the Board's jurisdiction — are pursued through Ontario's civil courts.

Small Claims Court (claims up to $50,000)

The Ontario Small Claims Court handles landlord claims up to $50,000 with simplified procedures, shorter timelines, and lower costs. Common landlord claims include commercial rent arrears, contractor disputes, and former-tenant claims that fall outside the Landlord and Tenant Board's jurisdiction.

Superior Court (claims over $50,000)

For commercial lease disputes, significant property damage, or claims exceeding $50,000, Jonathan represents landlords in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice through to judgment and enforcement.

The landlord legal process

Working with Jonathan on a landlord matter is straightforward:

Many landlord matters — including lease drafting, lease review, and demand letters — are handled on a flat-fee basis. You'll know the cost before the work begins.

A tenant problem doesn't fix itself. The longer you wait, the more rent you lose, the more damage accrues, and the harder enforcement becomes. Get advice early, even if the advice is that your matter belongs somewhere else.

Why Toronto landlords choose Jonathan Kleiman

Jonathan earned his B.A. (with distinction) at McGill University and his J.D. at Queen's University. He has been a member of the Law Society of Ontario since 2010.

Your landlord lawyer should understand the business side of property ownership — not just the legal side. Jonathan advises landlords who think in terms of cash flow, vacancy costs, and long-term asset value.

Talk to a landlord lawyer in Toronto today

Bring the lease, the tenant file, and the facts. Jonathan will tell you where you stand and what it will take to resolve it, on a commercial lease, a contractor dispute, or a court claim.

Call 416-554-1639 or book a free consultation. If it turns out to be a residential Landlord and Tenant Board matter, the referrals are Merve Ozdemir at Unity Legal and Angela Makris at Arkhon.