Getting the initial City of London rental unit licence is the hard part — or so most landlords think. The truth is, renewal is where things quietly go wrong.
Landlords miss renewal notices. They forget to update their contact information with the city after moving. They assume no news is good news and let the licence lapse. Then a tenant files a complaint, a Property Standards Officer shows up, and suddenly an expired licence becomes a municipal enforcement problem.
This guide walks you through exactly how the renewal process works, when the city requires a re-inspection, what to do if your licence has lapsed, and how to stay on top of it across multiple properties.
How the City of London Rental Licence Renewal Cycle Works
Every rental unit licence issued under the City of London's Rental Housing Licensing (RHL) program expires annually. The licence is tied to your property address and to you as the owner of record.
Your licence's expiry date is printed on the original licence document you received when the licence was first issued. If you can't find that document, you can confirm the expiry date by logging into the City of London's online property services portal at london.ca or by calling London's Property Standards department directly.
The renewal period typically opens 60 to 90 days before the expiry date. You do not need to wait until the notice arrives to start the process — you can initiate renewal proactively once the renewal window opens.
How the City Notifies You About Renewal
The City of London sends renewal notices to the contact address on file for the licence. This is almost always the mailing address you provided when you first applied.
If you've moved since then and haven't updated your contact information with the city, the renewal notice goes to your old address. You won't receive it. The licence will expire. And you won't know until something forces it to your attention.
This is one of the most common reasons London landlords end up with lapsed licences. It's not that they decided to skip renewal — it's that the notice missed them.
Update your contact information with the city any time it changes. This is also a core principle of good landlord record-keeping: your contact information needs to be current with every municipal program, every insurer, and every government body that has a file on your property.
Step-by-Step: How to Renew Your Rental Unit Licence
The renewal process is similar to the initial application, with one key difference: a clean compliance history often means no new inspection is required at renewal.
Step 1: Log in to the City of London's online property services portal
Go to london.ca and access the Rental Housing Licensing section. Use the same account you created for your original application.
Step 2: Confirm your property and contact information
Review everything on file. If anything has changed — your mailing address, phone number, email, or property details — update it now before submitting the renewal.
Step 3: Complete the renewal application
You'll confirm that the rental unit continues to meet City of London property standards. This is a declaration. If there are outstanding Orders to Comply against your property, address them before submitting — unresolved orders can delay or block your renewal.
Step 4: Pay the annual renewal fee
The renewal fee is set by the city and updated periodically. Check the current fee schedule at london.ca before submitting, as fees can change year to year. The licence fee is a legitimate business expense and tax deductible — see rental property tax deductions in Ontario for the full list of what you can claim.
Step 5: Receive confirmation
Once the application and payment are processed, you'll receive confirmation of your renewed licence. Keep a copy in your property file. If an inspection is required (see below), the licence is issued after the inspection is completed and any deficiencies are cleared.
When the City Requires a Re-Inspection at Renewal
Not every renewal triggers an inspection. Whether you need one depends on your property's compliance history.
You are more likely to face a renewal inspection if:
- Tenant complaints were filed against your property during the licence period
- A Property Standards Officer investigated your property during the year
- You have outstanding or recently resolved Orders to Comply on file
- Your property is flagged in the city's records as having a history of compliance issues
- It has been several years since the last inspection
You are less likely to face a renewal inspection if:
- Your property has a clean compliance record with no complaints or orders
- The previous inspection found no deficiencies or only minor ones
- You have been consistently renewing on time
The city does conduct periodic re-inspections even at properties with clean records — this is not something you can fully predict or control. The best approach is to maintain your property as if an inspection is always possible.
How to Prepare If a Renewal Inspection Is Required
A renewal inspection covers the same areas as the initial licence inspection: structural condition, heating and plumbing, electrical systems, and fire and life safety.
Before any inspection, walk through your property and check the following:
Fire and life safety
- Smoke alarms on every storey and outside every sleeping area
- Carbon monoxide alarms where required (attached garage, gas appliances, any unit below a unit with a gas appliance)
- Fire escape routes clear and accessible
- Fire extinguisher present and in date (if required under your licence conditions)
See our full guide to fire safety obligations for Ontario landlords for the complete checklist.
Heating and plumbing
- Heating system functional and capable of maintaining 20°C during heating season
- Hot and cold water running without significant leaks
- No visible plumbing issues
Structural and exterior
Landlord Insights
Get practical tips for Ontario landlords — delivered free.
- Doors and windows open, close, and lock properly
- Stairways and handrails secure
- No significant damage to floors, walls, or ceilings
Pest and maintenance
- No evidence of active pest infestation
- Unit clean and in reasonable repair
Your ongoing landlord maintenance responsibilities under the RTA align with what London inspectors look for — maintaining the property throughout the year means fewer surprises at inspection time.
What Happens If Your Licence Has Lapsed
An expired rental unit licence means you are operating an unlicensed rental unit in the City of London. This is a violation of the city's Property Standards By-law, and the consequences are serious.
Fines and orders. Property Standards Officers can issue Municipal Infraction Notices and Orders to Comply against unlicensed properties. Fines can run into the thousands of dollars. The longer the lapse, the higher the exposure.
Enforcement escalation. If a tenant files a complaint — including a T6 maintenance application at the Landlord and Tenant Board — and the licensing lapse comes to light, it can complicate your position in that proceeding and affect how the adjudicator reads your overall compliance as a landlord.
Insurance risk. Renting a property without the required municipal licence may give your insurer grounds to dispute a claim. Check your rental property insurance policy to understand how licensing status interacts with coverage.
If your licence has lapsed, renew it immediately. Do not wait to see if anyone notices. The city has the authority to require that units be vacated until they are brought back into compliance — and an empty unit still carries your full operating costs.
Contact London's Property Standards department to explain the lapse and ask how to reinstate your licence. In most cases, you will need to file a fresh renewal application, pay the overdue fee, and may be required to undergo a full inspection before the licence is reissued.
Keeping Your Renewal Calendar Current
The single most effective thing you can do to avoid renewal problems is to track your expiry date and set a reminder.
- Note the expiry date in your property file when the licence is issued
- Set a calendar alert 90 days before the expiry date to initiate renewal
- Set a second alert 30 days before expiry as a hard deadline backup
If you own multiple rental properties in London, each address has its own licence and its own expiry date. That means four properties can have four different expiry dates — possibly spread across the year. Managing them manually without a system is how things get missed.
This is one of the administrative tasks that compounds quickly as your portfolio grows. A property manager with London-specific experience maintains a compliance calendar for your properties, tracks renewal deadlines, and handles the paperwork — so a missed notice or a changed mailing address doesn't become an enforcement problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find out when my City of London rental licence expires?
Log in to the City of London's online property services portal at london.ca. Your licence details, including the expiry date, are on file in your account. You can also call Property Standards directly and provide your property address.
Does my licence automatically renew if I pay the fee?
No. You must actively submit a renewal application through the city's portal. Paying the fee without submitting a complete application does not renew your licence.
Do I need a new inspection every time I renew?
Not necessarily. Properties with a clean compliance history and no outstanding orders typically don't require a full inspection at every renewal. However, the city can require an inspection at any renewal — particularly if complaints were filed during the licence period.
What if I sell the property — does the licence transfer to the new owner?
No. Rental unit licences are issued to the owner of record. When a property changes hands, the new owner must apply for their own licence. If you're buying a tenanted property in London, confirm the licence status before closing. See our guide on buying property with existing tenants in Ontario for what to check.
Can I be fined if my tenant didn't tell me there was an inspection notice?
Yes. The obligation to maintain a valid licence rests with the owner, not the tenant. The city notifies you, the licensed owner — not the tenant. If you don't receive a notice, that doesn't relieve you of the renewal obligation.
What if I have an Order to Comply outstanding from a previous inspection?
Unresolved Orders to Comply will typically block or delay renewal. You'll need to address the deficiencies specified in the order, provide evidence of completion, and await city confirmation before your renewal application can proceed.
Social Caption
Caption for Instagram/Facebook:
Your City of London rental licence expires every year — and a missed renewal can cost you thousands in fines.
Here's what landlords often don't know:
- The renewal notice goes to the address on file. If you've moved and haven't updated it, you'll miss it.
- Complaints against your property during the year can trigger a full re-inspection at renewal.
- An expired licence can complicate LTB proceedings and give insurers grounds to dispute claims.
New guide on the blog: exactly how the renewal process works, when an inspection is required, and what to do if your licence has lapsed. Link in bio.
Managing Licence Renewals Across Multiple Properties
If you own two or more rental properties in London, renewal season isn't a single deadline — it's a recurring calendar of property-specific tasks spread across the year. Licence expiry dates are set from the date the original licence was issued, which means properties acquired at different times have different renewal windows.
One missed renewal at one property can set off a chain of enforcement actions right when you're trying to deal with something else. Many London landlords with small portfolios find that this kind of ongoing municipal compliance — tracking deadlines, filing applications, preparing for inspections — is where the time cost of self-managing a rental starts to outweigh the savings.
If managing renewal compliance for your London properties is taking more time than it should, Prospera Properties handles municipal licensing, property standards compliance, and property management for small landlords in London, St. Thomas, and Strathroy. Contact us to find out how we can take the administrative load off your plate.
Key Takeaways
- The City of London rental unit licence must be renewed every year — it does not automatically continue
- Renewal notices go to your address on file; update your contact information any time it changes
- A clean compliance history reduces the likelihood of a required inspection at renewal, but doesn't eliminate it
- Unresolved Orders to Comply must be addressed before renewal will be processed
- Operating with a lapsed licence risks fines, insurance issues, and complications at the LTB
- Set a 90-day renewal reminder for each property to avoid a lapse
For the current renewal fee schedule, portal access, and Property Standards contact information, visit london.ca.