Vital Services, Discontinuance of
Protects tenants by addressing the discontinuance of vital services such as heat, water, electricity, or fuel in rental housing, and the City's ability to act.
This chapter covers a few related topics. The key practical requirements are summarized below in plain English; review the official bylaw for full details.
Plain-English Overview
Chapter 835 protects tenants by requiring landlords to provide vital services to rental units and prohibiting them from cutting those services off. 'Vital services' means fuel, hydro, gas, or hot or cold water.
Who it applies to: Landlords and owners of rental housing; affected tenants.
Key Requirements
Landlords must provide vital services
Chapter 835, §§ 835-1, 835-5Every landlord must provide adequate and suitable vital services — fuel, hydro, gas, or hot or cold water — to each of their rental units.
Compliance looks like
Keeping water, electricity, gas, and fuel available to the unit.
May be a concern
A landlord shutting off the water or electricity to a tenant's unit.
Landlords must not cut services off
Chapter 835, §§ 835-6, 835-7A landlord must not cease to provide a vital service. A landlord who is supposed to pay the supplier and fails to — causing the service to stop — is treated as having cut it off.
Compliance looks like
Paying utility bills so service continues.
May be a concern
Letting the hydro be disconnected by not paying the bill the landlord is responsible for.
Exception only for repairs
Chapter 835, § 835-8A landlord may stop a vital service only when necessary to alter or repair the unit, and only for the minimum time needed.
Compliance looks like
Briefly shutting off water to fix a pipe, then restoring it.
May be a concern
Leaving a service off well beyond what a repair requires.
Practical Compliance Guide
- 1
Tenants: document the loss of service
Record which service stopped, and the date and time it was cut off.
- 2
Notify the landlord
Tell the landlord in writing and keep a copy; ask for it to be restored.
- 3
Contact 311 if not restored
If a vital service remains cut off in a way that isn't a permitted repair, you can report it to the City.
Common Questions
My landlord shut off the water — what can I do?
Landlords generally must provide vital services and must not cease them (except briefly for repairs). A shut-off may engage this chapter.
Reference: §§ 835-5, 835-6
Document the shut-off, notify the landlord in writing, and contact 311 if not restored.
What counts as a 'vital service'?
Fuel, hydro, gas, or hot or cold water.
Reference: § 835-1
If one of these is cut off to your rental, note the details.
Who do I call if my heat or electricity is cut off in a rental?
You can report it to Toronto 311. (Heat is also addressed by the Heating bylaw, Chapter 497.)
Submit a 311 request with your unit address and the date the service stopped.
What This Chapter Generally Covers
- Vital services that landlords must maintain (heat, water, electricity, fuel)
- Process when a vital service is cut off
- Tenant protections and City intervention
Common Examples
- Heat discontinued during the heating season
- Water or electricity shut off to a rental unit
- Fuel supply interrupted by an owner
Related Topics
This page summarizes Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 835, Vital Services, Discontinuance of in plain language for general reference only — it is not legal advice. Always confirm the exact requirement, wording, and any exemptions in the official chapter or with the City of Toronto.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-14
Information on this page is summarized for general reference only and is not legal advice. Always confirm the official requirement using the City of Toronto Municipal Code or other official City sources.