Can I try to get evicted if I want to get out of my rental agreement?

Tenants who want to leave on short notice or before the end of their rental agreement sometimes think about trying to get evicted instead of giving proper notice.

For example, they might have loud parties, or stop paying rent, hoping the landlord will give them an eviction notice. They hope that if they move out by the termination date on their landlord's notice, they will not be responsible for paying rent after that date.

But there can be problems with that plan.

No eviction

Your landlord might choose not to give you an eviction notice. Your landlord could just apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for an order to make you pay the rent or pay for any damage you or your guests caused.

Getting sued

Even if your landlord evicts you, they might still want you to pay their expenses. For example, it might cost the landlord to advertise for another tenant. Or they might want you to pay the rent if they cannot find another tenant right away. Your landlord could sue you for this at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) after you move out.

The law is not clear about this kind of situation. An LTB member might decide you must pay if they think you got evicted on purpose to get out of your responsibilities. But your landlord must prove that they tried to find another tenant as quickly as possible.

Bad credit report

Your landlord could report your overdue rent to a credit reporting agency. This can affect your credit rating and make it harder for you to rent a place or get a loan in the future.

Bad reference

Your landlord could also give you a bad reference, which can make it hard to find a new place to live. Many landlords ask for previous landlord references.