Contact a community legal clinic
Question & Answer
Where can I get help with my landlord if I can’t afford a lawyer?Most community legal clinics (CLCs) across Ontario give free legal help or advice to tenants who have low incomes.
To get legal advice from them, you usually must live in the area the clinic serves and your income and must be below a certain level.
If a CLC can’t help you, they might be able to refer you to a private lawyer, , or other resources that can help you.
To find a CLC in your area, you can search by your postal code.
Some things that CLCs can do include:
- giving free consultation and information
- giving information to help you prepare for your case
- providing a lawyer, community legal worker, or law student, to represent you in dealing with your landlord or at a Board hearing
- giving referrals to a private lawyer, tenant duty counsel, or community agency
Student Legal Aid Services Society (SLASS)
Seven law schools in Ontario have a legal aid clinic staffed by law students who are supervised by lawyers.
You can find a SLASS at the following locations:
- Lakehead University (Thunder Bay)
- Queen’s University (Kingston)
- University of Ottawa
- University of Toronto
- University of Windsor
- Western University (London)
- York University (Toronto)
If you have a low income and live in their service area, or if you are a student, you might be able to get help from one of these clinics.