Managing your rental
Pests and bed bugs in Ontario rentals: what the landlord has to do
Who deals with bed bugs, cockroaches and mice in an Ontario rental: the Act, the provincial standard, and Toronto's and Hamilton's own rules.
By the Tenant.ca teamUpdated 3 min read
In this guide5 parts
The short answer
Keeping a rental free of pests is part of the landlord's duty to keep it in a good state of repair, fit for habitation and in line with health and maintenance standards (Residential Tenancies Act, section 20). That duty applies even if the tenant knew about the problem before moving in. The City of Hamilton puts it plainly: a landlord is responsible for paying for pest control if there are pests in the building.
The provincial standard
Where no municipal property standards by-law covers the building (Residential Tenancies Act, section 224), Ontario's maintenance standards apply and the landlord has to meet them. They require the building to be kept reasonably free of rodents, vermin and insects, extermination to follow municipal and provincial law, and openings and holes to be screened or sealed against pests (O. Reg. 517/06, section 46). Most cities have their own property standards by-law, which sets the rule there instead.
Toronto apartment buildings: RentSafeTO
For apartment buildings of three or more storeys and ten or more units, the City's RentSafeTO program says that once the landlord is made aware of pests, the landlord must:
- Take measures to eliminate the pests and prevent their spread to other parts of the property
- Inspect the common areas at least once every 30 days, and any area of the property within 72 hours of hearing about pests
- Hire a pest control company licensed by the Ministry of the Environment, if required
- Keep pest management records and post them, with the pest management plan, on the tenant notification board
- Stop renting any unit with pests to new tenants
Hamilton: a pest-free standard, bed bugs included
Hamilton's Property Standards By-law 10-221 requires dwellings and dwelling units to be pest free, including bed bugs. The City's advice to landlords: run an integrated pest management program, hire a licensed professional, encourage tenants to report pests right away (a no-blame policy helps), respond quickly, keep a record of complaints and treatments, and inspect the units beside, above and below an affected unit.
Getting into the units
To inspect or treat a unit, give the tenant at least 24 hours' written notice and enter between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. (Residential Tenancies Act, section 27). Pest control works best when tenants report early and prepare the unit as the company asks, so tell them in writing what to do before a treatment.
This page is general information, not legal advice. It reflects the Residential Tenancies Act and O. Reg. 517/06 on e-Laws and the City pages linked above as read on November 9, 2026.