Brochure: Requesting a Summons


What is a summons?

A summons is a document that requires a person to attend a hearing as a witness. It can also require the witness to bring certain documents with them.

The Landlord and Tenant Board may decide to issue a summons on its own or at the request of a party.

When should I request a summons?

If you want someone to go to a hearing as a witness, you should ask them if they are willing to go.

If the person agrees and you believe that they will go to the hearing, you do not need to request a summons. However, if the person does not want to go to the hearing, or if they need an official document in order to get time off from work, you can request a summons.

You should request a summons as soon as you become aware that one is needed.

How do I request a summons?

If you want the LTB to issue a summons, you should complete a Request for the Board to Issue a Summons form and file it with the LTB. There is no fee for this request.

You must explain in your request why it is important for that person to attend the hearing as a witness. You must also provide a brief summary of what information you expect that person to give at the hearing, and any documents you would like them to bring to the hearing.

If you are a lawyer or paralegal or a law student working at a legal clinic, you must file a completed summons with your request. You can use the LTB's Summons Form.

Will the LTB always grant a request for a summons?

When you file a request for a summons, a member of the LTB will decide whether or not to grant the request. The member will only issue a summons if they believe that what the witness will say or the documents they will bring to the hearing are relevant and necessary to decide the issues in the application.

How do I give the summons to the witness?

The summons must be handed directly to the witness. It cannot be mailed or faxed to the witness or left with any other person at the witness' address.

You can give the summons to the witness or you can have someone else give it to them. However, whoever gives the summons may be asked to prove to the LTB that it was given directly to the witness.

The summons should be given to the witness as soon as possible so that they can arrange to come to the hearing.

How do I prove that the summons was given?

If a witness does not attend a hearing, you may need to prove the summons was given directly to the witness.

The person who gave the summons to the witness should prepare an affidavit. The affidavit confirms that a copy of the summons was personally handed to the witness. A copy of the summons should be attached to the affidavit.

Once the affidavit has been completed, it must be sworn before a Commissioner of Oaths or a notary public by the person who gave the summons to the witness. You can get an affidavit form from the LTB.

A Commissioner of Oaths is available at most LTB offices to administer oaths for affidavits related to LTB applications.

Do I have to pay the witness?

If your witness agrees to come to your hearing voluntarily, then you don't need a summons and you don't have to pay them. If you think the witness may not attend the hearing and you decide to summons them, they are entitled to the same fees or allowances that would be paid to a person who was summoned in the Superior Court of Justice.

How much do I have to pay the witness?

Tariff A of the Rules of Civil Procedure requires you to pay a witness $50 a day for going to a hearing plus the travel costs listed below:


What if the witness does not show up for the hearing?

If the witness does not show up for the hearing, you can:

If the LTB is satisfied that the witness was properly served and has failed to appear without a lawful excuse, you or the LTB may ask the police to arrest the witness and require them to attend.

You may also consider filing an application with the court to force the witness to obey the summons. Before filing an application of this type, you should seek legal advice. These applications can be expensive and take a long time to resolve.


Contact the Landlord and Tenant Board


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Toll free: 1-888-332-3234
Toronto area: 416-645-8080
TTY: Bell Relay Service at 1-800-268-9242 Visit our website at tribunalsontario.ca/ltb
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Last updated: January 2017