Raising rents in Ontario with existing tenant vs vacant unit

[Graeme Ford]

My understanding of raising rents in Ontario is a percentage based system that caps how much you are able to raise rents. Does this only apply when you have an existing tenant for the purpose of preventing a landlord from forcing someone out of their property by raising rent? If a unit was to become vacant does this percentage still apply from the last rate it rented at or can you set the rent to whatever you want now that it is vacant? 

[Andrei Opal]

Hi Grame. You can rise rents only ones in 12 month. Today's cap, I believe, is 1.8%. If you want to go above that rate you should get an approval from landlord and tenan board (for example if your maintenance or property taxes go up). This all info is related to your existing tenant. If you have a vacant property you can market at any price you want.