Organize records for a landlord-tenant dispute
Clear records help a reader understand what happened and when. Keep original documents unchanged, separate fact from interpretation, and follow the filing and privacy directions of the relevant tribunal. The checklist below is general preparation guidance, not a ruling on what evidence a decision-maker will accept.
A practical checklist
- Create a dated chronology. For each event, note the source document and where the original is stored.
- Give each copy a short label or exhibit identifier and keep the same label in the chronology and any index.
- Preserve complete messages, notices, receipts and photographs with their surrounding context. Do not edit the original; create a clearly labelled redacted copy only when required for privacy.
- Check the current tribunal's official evidence-upload and exchange instructions before filing. Keep proof of what was submitted and when.
Related pages
- How to Format & Upload Evidence Bundles to Tribunals Ontario Portal
- Virtual Hearing Preparation Checklist for Ontario LTB Hearings
- Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB): Complete System Overview
Official starting points
These provincial authorities publish the forms, procedures and current directions for their jurisdictions. Choose the one that applies to the rental property and follow its current guidance.
- Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board — Official forms, filing, hearings and process information.
- BC Residential Tenancy Branch — Official guidance from the start to the end of a tenancy.
- Alberta Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service — Official application, evidence and document-service information.
General procedural information only — not legal advice. Jurisdictional rules and forms can change; verify the current official source before acting. Reviewed 9 October 2026 for source links.