1. Arrive early and get ready for the hearing to start
Question & Answer
What happens at an eviction hearing?If you have a remote hearing at the LTB, sign in early using the log-in information given on your Notice of Hearing. Be prepared to hear or see many different people in the virtual hearing room. The LTB often schedules many hearings at the same time.
The LTB might have a staff person called a moderator whose job is to take attendance. If there is no moderator, the will take attendance. It's important that you tell the moderator or LTB member that you are present. If you don't check in, the LTB member won't know you're there so they might not call for you when your hearing starts. The LTB member might you to be evicted without hearing your side.
The moderator will give you a docket number when you check in. Write this number down. The LTB member will usually call your case with your docket number and the address of your rental unit but not your name.
Until your case is called, LTB staff will ask that you stay on mute. To mute a phone, press the mute button or enter *6.
Tenant Duty Counsel and LTB mediators, called Dispute Resolution Officers (DROs), might be available at your hearing. Tell the moderator or LTB member if you want to speak to Tenant Duty Counsel or a DRO. You will be sent to a breakout room to speak with them privately.
When your case is called, the LTB member will ask if the tenant is present. Tell them that you are, and your name.
The LTB member should then ask if anyone has any preliminary issues that they want to bring up. These are things that need to be dealt with before the hearing can start. If you, or your landlord, want the hearing to be changed to another date, this is the time to ask.
Ask for things to be explained
If you are representing yourself at your hearing and you don't understand something that either the LTB member or your landlord says, ask them to explain. If you feel that they are going too fast and you find it hard to follow, ask them to slow down.
The LTB member can't give you legal advice or tell you how to present your case.
Make notes
Try to take notes about everything that your witnesses, your landlord, or your landlord's witnesses say in the hearing. Be sure to write down if the LTB member skips anything in the process or stops you from speaking or asking questions. The next Steps explain how the hearing process should go.
Taking notes is important because if you don't like the decision the LTB makes, you might want to get advice on reviewing or appealing the decision. Sometimes it can be difficult to take notes during the hearing. It might be helpful to have a friend or family member with you to take notes for you.
It's against the law to make your own recording of an LTB hearing without first getting the LTB's permission.
