3. Complain to a government agency
Question and answer
Can my landlord install a security camera on the rental property?There are government agencies that may be able to help.
The Rental Housing Enforcement Unit (RHEU)
The Ontario government's Rental Housing Enforcement Unit () tries to make sure that landlords and tenants follow the Residential Tenancies Act.
The RHEU can:
- contact your landlord to try to resolve the problem
- start a formal investigation
If charges are laid and convicted in the Ontario Court of Justice, your landlord usually has to pay a fine.
Sometimes, landlords will change their behaviour when someone from the RHEU contacts them.
You can contact the RHEU toll-free at 1-888-772-9277.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC)
If you think your landlord, a business, or a federal government institution under the federal privacy laws, has violated your privacy, you can contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) to report your concern.
OPC information officers can provide information that may help you to resolve the problem quickly.
If the problem continues, you may file a formal privacy complaint.
The OPC can investigate your complaint, recommend solutions for your landlord to follow, and make a report.
The OPC cannot issue fines or penalties to force your landlord to follow its recommendations. But sometimes landlords will change their behaviour when someone from the OPC contacts them.
You can contact the OPC toll-free at 1-800-282-1376.