London Ontario Rental Minimum Heat: 20°C Bylaws, City Complaints & LTB Rights

London rental heating rules at a glance

London, Ontario’s heating bylaw sets minimums of 20°C during the day and 18°C overnight, from September 15 to June 15. Ontario’s provincial rules also matter: they generally require 20°C from September 1 to June 15, with an exception for certain tenant-controlled heating systems.

If your rental is too cold, report it to your landlord promptly, keep temperature readings, and contact the City if the problem remains unresolved. The local overnight minimum does not, by itself, settle your rights under provincial law.

You turn up the thermostat, wait for the room to warm up, and reach for another sweater. At that point, the practical questions are simple: how cold is too cold, and who can help get the heat working?

In London, two sets of rules help answer those questions. Here is how they fit together, along with what to record and where to report a heating problem.


What is the minimum rental temperature in London, Ontario?

Section 3.4 of London’s Vital Services By-law PH-6 sets this schedule:

Heating period Hours Local minimum
September 15–June 15 6 a.m.–11 p.m. 20°C / 68°F
September 15–June 15 11 p.m.–6 a.m. 18°C / 64.4°F

The bylaw prints 65°F beside 18°C; the exact conversion is 64.4°F. It also contains an exception concerning services the tenant expressly agrees to obtain and maintain.

Why does Ontario also say 20°C?

Section 4 of Ontario Regulation 516/06 treats heat as a vital service from September 1 to June 15 and sets a 20°C standard without a lower overnight setting.

There is an important exception: that temperature requirement does not apply where the tenant can control the temperature and the primary heating system can maintain at least 20°C. Choosing a cooler setting is different from having a furnace that cannot warm the home.

Do not assume that 18°C at night is automatically acceptable in every London tenancy. Provincial obligations may still apply even when the local minimum is met. The heating arrangement and the circumstances matter; a temperature reading alone does not guarantee an LTB award.


What to do if your landlord is not providing enough heat

1. Report the problem and record the temperature

If you control the thermostat, check its normal heating settings. Keep vents and heaters clear. Leave furnace repairs, wiring and unfamiliar valves to a qualified technician.

Use a separate room thermometer if available. Ontario’s regulation specifies measurements 1.5 metres above the floor and one metre from exterior walls. Record the room, date, time, reading and thermostat setting. Photos and repeated readings can help show whether one bedroom stays cold while the rest of the home warms up.

Call the building’s emergency maintenance number when heat fails, then follow up in writing. London’s tenant guidance recommends notifying the landlord first and keeping copies; evidence of that contact may be requested. You do not need legal language to explain what is happening.

Message you can send your landlord

Hi [Name], the heating in [unit and address] is not keeping the home warm. At [time] on [date], the temperature in [room] was [temperature]°C, with the thermostat set to [setting]°C. This has been happening since [date/time]. Please arrange an urgent inspection and let me know when someone can attend and what temporary heating can be provided. I have attached the readings and photos. Please confirm receipt.

Keep subsequent replies, repair appointments and receipts together. A short timeline is easier to follow than a long collection of messages with no dates.

2. Contact the City of London if the problem continues

For an unresolved heating complaint, use the City’s rental unit concern form, call 519-661-4660, or email enforcement@london.ca. Include your unit number, current readings, the landlord’s contact details and what has happened so far.

The reporting portal says an officer will contact you within a few business days. That is not a guaranteed inspection or repair deadline. Explain clearly if there is no heat, the temperature is falling quickly, or someone in the household is especially vulnerable. Do not wait for a routine response if there is immediate danger.

City officers address bylaw compliance. Requests for rent abatements or compensation belong with the Landlord and Tenant Board; a City complaint does not automatically start an LTB case.


Stay safe while the heat is out

Never heat your home with a stove or oven, or bring a barbecue or camping stove indoors. If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, leave immediately and call 911 from outside. See Ontario’s carbon monoxide guidance.

If using a portable electric heater, follow its instructions, keep it away from bedding and curtains, and plug it directly into a wall outlet. Do not use an extension cord or power bar. The Electrical Safety Authority provides further precautions.

T6 or T2: which LTB application fits a heating problem?

The choice depends on the legal grounds and evidence. It is not simply a choice between an accidental breakdown and an intentional shutoff.

Application When it may apply
T6: Maintenance The landlord has failed to maintain or repair the heating system, or meet applicable housing standards.
T2: Tenant rights The landlord has withheld or interfered with a vital service, or substantially interfered with reasonable enjoyment of the home.

These issues can overlap. For example, a shutoff caused by the landlord’s unpaid utility bill may raise a vital-service claim even without someone physically turning off the furnace. The LTB’s tenant-rights guideline explains the distinction: section 21 concerns vital services, while section 22 concerns reasonable enjoyment.

A T6 can seek repairs, a rent abatement or reasonable expenses resulting from a proven maintenance failure. Keep evidence of extra electricity costs or necessary temporary accommodation; reimbursement is not automatic. T2 remedies depend on the claim proved. An administrative fine, if ordered, is paid to the Board, not to the tenant.

If several grounds seem relevant, a community legal clinic or licensed paralegal can help identify the appropriate application or applications.

Common questions about no heat in a rental

Can I stop paying rent until the heat is fixed?

Do not stop paying rent on your own because of a heating dispute. That can create arrears and put your tenancy at risk. The LTB’s maintenance guidance explains that a tenant filing a T6 can request permission to pay rent to the Board. Filing the request is not permission; wait for approval and follow the Board’s directions.

What if I pay my own gas or electricity bill?

Paying for energy does not normally make you responsible for repairing the landlord-supplied furnace. A service disconnected solely because you did not pay your own utility bill is a different situation: that alone is not the landlord withholding a vital service. The landlord still cannot deliberately interfere with your supply.

Does a space heater solve the landlord’s responsibility?

A portable heater may help temporarily, but its presence does not establish that the home meets heating and safety requirements or remove an outstanding repair obligation. Ask for a repair plan and discuss any extra electricity costs in writing.

Does every heating problem have to be fixed within 24 hours?

There is no blanket 24-hour repair deadline in the sources linked here. The seriousness of the problem and the landlord’s response matter. Report a complete loss of heat urgently rather than treating 24 hours as a required waiting period.

Reviewed October 3, 2026. This article provides general information for London, Ontario, and discusses LTB remedies for tenancies covered by the Residential Tenancies Act. It is not legal advice. For advice about your circumstances, contact a community legal clinic, an Ontario lawyer or a licensed paralegal.

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