My landlord evicted me so the buyer could move in. What can I do if they don’t move in?
When your landlord sells your place, they can you so that the buyer, the buyer's close family members, or a caregiver can move in. The buyer is the person who bought the rental unit. The buyer is also called the “purchaser”.
The law says your landlord can evict you if:
- the buyer, their family member, or the caregiver honestly plans to live in the rental unit, and
- your landlord honestly believes the person plans to move in.
When you're evicted for honest reasons, the law calls this acting in “good faith”. If the landlord or buyer did not act in good faith, the (LTB) could them to pay you money.
This question is about steps you can take after you have moved out. If your landlord has not yet evicted you or you have not moved out, there are different steps you can take.
When to apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board
You can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) if the person:
- takes too long to move in, or
- does not move in at all.
Before you apply to the LTB, it's a good idea to wait a few months after you're evicted to see if the person moves in. Waiting also gives you time to gather and get legal help. But you must apply within one year of moving out of the rental unit.
In some cases, the LTB might not order the landlord or the buyer to pay you money. For example, this could happen if the person planned to move in, but their life circumstances changed after you were evicted. Learn more in Step 1.
It's important to prepare for your LTB hearing. You need to find evidence that the person did not move in, took too long to move in, or never planned to move in.
If you agreed to move out
Your landlord might not have followed the formal eviction process at the LTB when they told you to move out. The two most common situations are:
- You chose to move out when they told you.
- You made an agreement with your landlord to move out.
In many situations, you can still apply to the LTB. You can apply even if your landlord or the buyer gave you money so you'd move. And you can apply even if you signed an agreement saying you would not sue them.
You should get legal help if you're not sure whether you can apply to the LTB.