(Source: Landlord and Tenant Board)

Each year the Ontario government announces the province’s rent increase guideline for the following year. The annual rent increase guideline is the maximum percentage by which a landlord can increase the rent for most sitting residential tenants without approval from the Landlord and Tenant Board.

The 2012 guideline is 3.1 per cent.

The new rent increase guideline applies to a rent increase that begins any time between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012 and applies to most residential units in Ontario.

In most cases, the rent for a unit can be increased if at least 12 months have passed since the tenant first moved in or since his or her last rent increase. The tenant must be given proper written notice of the rental increase at least 90 days before the rent increase takes effect.