Can a Landlord and Tenant Agree to Alter Statutorily Prescribed Rights or Duties?
Terms Within A Lease or Other Form of Agreement That Are Inconsistent With the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 Are Void and Unenforceable.
Understanding the Supremacy of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 As Applicable Regardless of Agreed Lease Terms
Regardless of how adamant and willing a landlord or tenant may be in attempting to waive or to restrict various rights or duties prescribed by statutory law, with only a very rare exceptions, such rights and duties are unalterable and any terms within a lease or other agreement are void and unenforceable.
Note: Please contact Caruso Legal Services by phone at: (289) 271-0488 to discuss any specific questions that you may have.
The Law
In Ontario, most residential tenancy relationships are governed by the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, Chapter 17 which contains various statutorily prescribed rights and duties that are unalterable despite any lease or other form of agreement that may purport to do so. Specifically, the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, states:
Provisions conflicting with Act void
4 (1) Subject to subsection 12.1 (11) and section 194, a provision in a tenancy agreement that is inconsistent with this Act or the regulations is void.
Many court cases as well as decisions of the Landlord Tenant Board will confirm that any attempt to contractually alter the provisions prescribed within the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, or regulations thereto, is void. The case of White et al. v. Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, 2020 ONSC 7822, clearly states so whereas it is said:
Summary Comment
Terms within a lease, or another form of agreement, that purport to alter or forgo the statutory rights and duties as prescribed within the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, and regulations thereto, are void with only a few very rare exceptions.
NOTE: A significant volume of online inquiries featuring “lawyers near me” or “best lawyer in” typically indicate a pressing requirement for competent legal assistance, rather than a precise designation. In Ontario, licensed paralegals are overseen by the same Law Society that governs lawyers and have the authority to assist clients in specified litigation matters. Advocacy, legal interpretation, and procedural expertise are fundamental to this role. Caruso Legal Services provides legal representation within its licensed framework, focusing on strategic planning, evidence preparation, and compelling advocacy aimed at securing effective and beneficial outcomes for clients.
