What if someone’s landlord has given them a repayment plan?

A landlord might give your client a repayment plan and tell them that they’ll be evicted if they don’t sign it. Your client doesn’t need to sign this if they don’t want to, and their landlord will need an Eviction Order from the Landlord and Tenant Board before they can evict them. 

Your client should carefully review any repayment plan their landlord gives them and see if there are any terms that would be unaffordable to them. It’s important it is reviewed carefully before signing because a landlord can get an eviction order without notice and without a hearing if the tenant then breaches the terms of that repayment plan. 

• If your client is offered a repayment plan by their landlord, they should get legal advice before agreeing to it, either from a legal clinic or the Tenant Duty Counsel. 
• If your client and their landlord cannot agree on a repayment plan, they can go to the Landlord and Tenant Board to have the Board decide. 

How You Can Help:

• Step 1: If your client’s landlord has offered them a repayment plan, tell them that they do not need to sign anything that they do not understand or that they cannot afford. Make sure your client reviews the plan and they can meet the terms. Tell them they can be evicted without notice if they don’t meet the terms.
• Step 2: Help your client get legal advice from a legal clinic or the Tenant Duty Counsel before signing any repayment plan offered by their landlord.
• Step 3: If your client signs a repayment plan with their landlord but doesn’t meet their obligations and is sent an Eviction Order, refer them for legal advice immediately. They could be at a high risk of eviction soon and there is a short deadline to try to avoid it.