There are some changes coming to the LTB which are relevant to tenants. Here is a brief overview:
- Updated Forms:
LTB forms will soon be easier to understand and fill out. You will be able to preview the updated forms on the LTB website starting March 1 but please don’t start using the new forms until April 1, 2015.
2. LTB to Start Serving the Notice of Hearings Starting July 1:
Beginning July 1, 2015, the LTB will start serving the notice of hearing and the application to both the applicant and the respondent. Currently, the applicant serves these documents to the respondent. This new process will be more streamlined:
- In most cases, applicants will no longer have to serve the notice of hearing or submit a certificate of service.
- The board will no longer send a letter to respondents confirming the information in the notice of hearing, so a step will be removed from the process.
Until July 1, applicants should continue to serve the notice of hearing and file a certificate of service.
The rule governing these new procedures will be posted for consultation in early spring.
3. Change to Scheduling of Toronto-North and Toronto-South hearings:
The LTB is making changes to the way hearings are scheduled in the Toronto South and Toronto North offices. Currently hearings are scheduled in half day hearing blocks. Starting in March 2015, cases will be scheduled in full day hearing blocks. This is how hearing blocks are scheduled in many other hearing locations in the province.
The change will create greater flexibility to accommodate parties who want to use mediation and tenant duty counsel services while still allowing enough time for matters to be heard if mediation is unsuccessful.
Full day hearing blocks help ensure that all scheduled cases are heard on the day, and not adjourned due to lack of time.