What is the L4 application at the LTB?

The L4 — Application to End a Tenancy and Evict a Tenant: Tenant Failed to Meet Conditions of a Settlement or Order — is filed when a tenant breaks the conditions of an LTB-mediated settlement or a conditional order (commonly a rent repayment plan). It is made under section 78 of the Residential Tenancies Act.

When can I file an L4?

Only when a previous application (for example an L1 for arrears) ended in an LTB-mediated settlement or an order with conditions, that settlement or order contains a clause allowing a section 78 application on breach, and the tenant has failed to meet a condition tied to the original application's grounds. The L4 must be filed no later than 30 days after the breach.

Is there a hearing for an L4?

Not initially. A valid L4 proceeds ex parte — the Board can issue an eviction order without a hearing and without notice to the tenant. The tenant can then file a motion to set the order aside, which does lead to a hearing; the deadline for that motion is stated on the order itself.

What must be included with the L4?

Three things, per the LTB's instructions: the completed L4 form, a copy of the mediated settlement or order, and a declaration setting out which conditions the tenant failed to meet and how. The LTB refuses applications missing any of them.

What breaches qualify after an L1 arrears case?

For an order that came out of a non-payment application, the conditions that can trigger an L4 are the ones tied to the arrears — most commonly missing a payment under the repayment schedule. Conditions unrelated to the original grounds can't support the ex parte route.

Where do I file the L4?

On the Tribunals Ontario Portal (the same portal used for the L1 and L2), or by mail or courier to an LTB office. Check the LTB's current fee schedule when filing — and file within the 30-day window, which is not extendable.

L4 Application: Evicting After a Broken Settlement or Order

When a tenant breaks the repayment plan that settled your arrears case, you don't start over — the L4 is the fast lane. This guide covers the section 78 prerequisites, the 30-day window, the ex parte order, and the set-aside process that can follow.

No settlement or order yet? The L4 only exists downstream of a prior case. For unpaid rent the sequence starts with an N4 notice and an L1 application.

What Is the L4 Application?

The L4 — officially "Application to End a Tenancy and Evict a Tenant — Tenant Failed to Meet Conditions of a Settlement or Order" — is the LTB application under section 78 of the Residential Tenancies Act. Its point is speed: because the tenant already had their hearing (or agreed to a mediated settlement), a breach of the agreed conditions lets the landlord ask for an eviction order without a new hearing and without notice to the tenant.

The Prerequisites — All Three Must Hold

A previous LTB application (e.g. an L1 for arrears) that ended in an LTB-mediated settlement or an order with conditions.
That settlement/order contains a section 78 clause — a term allowing this application if the tenant breaches.
The breached condition relates to the original grounds — after an L1, that means the arrears/repayment conditions (a missed instalment), not unrelated terms.

The 30-Day Window

The L4 must be filed no later than 30 days after the tenant failed to meet the condition. The clock runs from the breach — the missed payment date, not from when you noticed. A ledger that flags a missed instalment the day it happens is what keeps this deadline safe; 30 days evaporates quickly.

What to File (the LTB Refuses Incomplete L4s)

The completed L4 form
A copy of the mediated settlement or order containing the s.78 clause
A declaration setting out which conditions the tenant failed to meet, and how

File on the Tribunals Ontario Portal (or by mail/courier). Check the LTB's current fee schedule when filing.

Ex Parte Order — and the Set-Aside

A valid L4 can produce an eviction order ex parte — issued on the papers, no hearing, no notice to the tenant. The balance comes afterward: the tenant can file a motion to set aside the order (the deadline appears on the order itself), which suspends enforcement and leads to a hearing on the motion. Expect to prove the breach there: the settlement terms, the payment schedule, and a ledger showing exactly which instalment was missed and when.

The Scenario That Actually Happens

The typical path: rent goes unpaid → the landlord serves an N4 → files an L1 → at (or before) the hearing, the parties sign an LTB-mediated repayment plan with a s.78 clause → the tenant misses instalment three → the landlord files the L4 within 30 days of that missed payment and obtains an ex parte eviction order. Every link in that chain is a document: the served N4, the Certificate of Service, the L1, the settlement, and the ledger rows proving the missed instalment.

Common L4 Mistakes

Missing the 30 days. The window runs from the breach and is not extendable — a late L4 means starting a fresh application instead.
No s.78 clause. If the settlement/order doesn't authorize a section 78 application, the ex parte route isn't available.
Wrong breach. Relying on a condition unrelated to the original application's grounds.
Incomplete package. No copy of the order or no breach declaration — the LTB refuses the application outright.
Thin proof at the set-aside. If the tenant moves to set aside, a vague payment history loses what the ex parte order won.

L4 Application FAQs

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Related Guides

Disclaimer: This guide is document-preparation information, not legal advice. Section 78 applications have strict technical requirements; confirm current rules and deadlines with the Landlord and Tenant Board and consult a licensed paralegal or lawyer for advice specific to your situation.