Most ways a tenancy ends in Ontario involve one side pushing and the other side pushing back — a notice, a dispute, sometimes a hearing. The N11 Notice is the exception. It’s a mutual agreement, signed by both the landlord and tenant, to end the tenancy on a date they’ve both accepted. No fault, no reason required, no LTB hearing needed to get there. That simplicity is exactly why it’s worth understanding clearly before signing — because once both sides sign, the agreement is binding, and undoing it isn’t as simple as changing your mind.
This guide covers what the N11 actually does, when it shows up in practice, what happens if one side doesn’t follow through, and what to check before putting your signature on it.
Form N11 — Agreement to End the Tenancy — is a signed agreement between a landlord and tenant to end a tenancy on a mutually agreed date. It requires no reason and no LTB hearing, but it’s legally binding once both sides sign, and a landlord cannot make signing it a condition of renting a unit.
What Is an N11 Notice in Ontario?
Form N11 is officially titled Agreement to End the Tenancy. Unlike an N4, N5, N12, or N13 — all of which are notices one party gives to the other, often triggering a dispute — the N11 records a decision both parties have already reached together. It’s authorized under section 37 of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, which allows a landlord and tenant to end a tenancy by mutual agreement without going through any of the standard notice procedures.
The form requires:
- The full legal names of every tenant on the lease
- The landlord’s name and the rental unit’s address
- The agreed termination date
- Signatures from the landlord and from every tenant named on the lease
That last point matters more than it might seem. If a unit has joint tenants and only one of them signs the N11, the agreement doesn’t end the tenancy for the tenants who didn’t sign — the tenancy continues for everyone unless all named tenants agree.
When Does an N11 Actually Get Used?
An N11 shows up in situations such as:
- A landlord and tenant agree it’s time to part ways, without either side alleging fault
- A landlord wants to reclaim a unit and offers the tenant compensation or assistance in exchange for an earlier move-out — sometimes informally called a “cash for keys” arrangement
- A tenant needs to leave earlier than a standard N9 notice period would allow, and the landlord is willing to agree to it
- A dispute at the Board settles with both sides agreeing the tenancy should end, and the agreement gets formalized on paper
Because the N11 is genuinely voluntary, it tends to produce cleaner, faster outcomes than a contested process — provided both sides go into it with a clear, written understanding of the terms.
What the N11 Doesn't Cover on Its Own
The N11 itself is short. It records the termination date and the parties’ agreement — nothing else. It typically doesn’t spell out details like the condition the unit should be returned in, how any compensation will be paid, what happens to a security or last month’s rent deposit, or the timeline for returning keys. Landlords and tenants who rely on the N11 alone sometimes find themselves in a dispute afterward about those very details.
The safer approach is to put any side terms — compensation amounts, moving assistance, deadlines for removing belongings — in a separate short written agreement alongside the signed N11, so nothing is left to a verbal understanding that’s hard to prove later. This is exactly the kind of drafting our landlord and tenant paralegal team helps put in writing before either side signs, rather than after a disagreement starts.
A Landlord Cannot Require an N11 as a Condition of Renting
This is worth stating plainly: a landlord cannot make a tenant sign an N11 as a condition of being approved for a rental unit in the first place. Doing so would effectively force a tenant to pre-agree to their own eviction before they’ve even moved in, which the Residential Tenancies Act does not permit. An N11 is only valid when it’s signed voluntarily, in relation to an existing tenancy, without pressure or coercion.
If a tenant later argues that they were pressured or misled into signing an N11 — for example, told it was a routine part of paperwork rather than an agreement to move out — the agreement can potentially be challenged as not genuinely voluntary. Tenants who signed something they didn’t fully understand should get it reviewed quickly through our tenant paralegal services, since timing matters if the agreed date is approaching.
What Happens If the Tenant Doesn't Move Out
Once signed, the N11 is binding — but that doesn’t mean the unit automatically becomes vacant on the agreed date if the tenant doesn’t leave. If the termination date passes and the tenant hasn’t vacated, the landlord’s path forward is to file an L3 application with the Landlord and Tenant Board, based on the signed N11. Because the agreement itself is voluntary and mutual, the Board generally treats an L3 built on a properly signed N11 as a fairly straightforward matter — but the application still needs to be filed within a limited window after the termination date, typically 30 days. Missing that window can complicate what should otherwise be a simple process, which is where our eviction paralegal services come in for landlords who need the filing done correctly and on time.
What Happens to Belongings Left Behind
If a tenant moves out by the agreed termination date but leaves personal property behind, they generally lose the right to reclaim those items, and the landlord is permitted to dispose of them. This is a detail tenants sometimes overlook when they’re moving out under time pressure — anything not removed by the termination date in the agreement is treated as abandoned.
Common Mistakes With the N11
- Signing without every joint tenant’s name and signature included, leaving the agreement unenforceable against the tenants who didn’t sign
- Relying on a verbal side deal about compensation or timing instead of putting it in writing
- A tenant signing under the impression it’s a routine document rather than a binding move-out agreement
- Landlords using the N11 as a substitute for a proper eviction notice when the tenant hasn’t actually agreed
- Forgetting to file the L3 within the required window if the tenant doesn’t vacate as agreed
Frequently Asked Questions About the N11 Notice in Ontario
Does an N11 require a reason?
No. Since it’s a mutual agreement, neither the landlord nor the tenant needs to provide a reason for ending the tenancy.
Can a landlord require a tenant to sign an N11 to be approved for a rental?
No. This is specifically prohibited — the agreement must be entered into voluntarily in relation to an existing tenancy.
What happens if only one of two joint tenants signs the N11?
The tenancy does not end for the tenants who didn’t sign. All named tenants generally need to agree for the N11 to be valid.
Can a tenant back out of an N11 after signing?
Once both sides have signed, the agreement is generally binding. Backing out typically requires the other party’s consent, unless there’s a valid legal basis to challenge how the agreement was reached.
What happens if the tenant doesn’t move out by the agreed date?
The landlord can file an L3 application with the Landlord and Tenant Board, based on the signed N11, generally within 30 days of the termination date.
Should compensation or “cash for keys” terms be written into the N11 itself?
The N11 form itself is limited to the termination date and parties’ agreement. It’s safer to document compensation and other terms in a separate written agreement alongside it.
Before You Sign an N11
A mutual agreement can be the cleanest way to end a tenancy — but “clean” only happens when the terms are actually clear and properly documented. Kippel & Associates Legal Services helps landlords and tenants across Toronto and the GTA draft, review, and enforce these agreements with confidence. Book a free consultation or visit our FAQ page for more on Landlord and Tenant Board matters.
All Blogs
- N10 Notice Ontario: Agreeing to a Rent Increase Above the Guideline
- N9 Notice Ontario: How Tenants Give Legal Notice to Move Out
- N11 Notice Ontario: What You Agree to When You Sign
- N13 Notice Ontario: What “Renoviction” Actually Requires Under the Law
- N1 Notice Ontario: What Landlords and Tenants Need to Know Before the Rent Goes Up
- N2 Notice Ontario: What Partially Exempt Really Means for Your Rent Increase
- N8 Form Ontario: Notice to End Tenancy for Persistent Late Rent Payment
- N2 Form Ontario: Notice of Rent Increase for Exempt Units Explained
- Can a Landlord Enter Without Notice in Ontario?
- Tenant Rights When Landlord Sells Property in Ontario: What You Need to Know
