Deposit & Property Damage Claims
Deposits — on renovations, vehicles, event venues, custom orders — and property damage claims sit at the messy boundary between tribunals and small claims court. Suing in the wrong forum wastes months. We put the claim in the right place the first time and prosecute it with an evidence-first approach.
Which forum hears your claim?
In Ontario, most landlord-tenant matters belong at the Landlord and Tenant Board — but claims against former tenants after the tenancy ends, and many damage claims beyond the deposit, proceed in Small Claims Court. In BC, residential tenancy disputes go to the Residential Tenancy Branch, strata disputes to the CRT, and general deposit disputes to the CRT or Provincial Court depending on amount.
Deposits on cancelled purchases and services
Whether a deposit is refundable depends on the contract terms and what actually happened: who cancelled, whether the vendor suffered a genuine loss, and whether the deposit was a true deposit or a part-payment. Vendors keep deposits they are not entitled to every day — and most refund them when a properly framed demand arrives.
Proving property damage claims
Damage claims are won on documentation: dated photographs, inspection reports, repair invoices and quotes, and a clean timeline. We assemble the file to the standard a judge expects — before-and-after evidence, causation, and mitigation — so the hearing is about quantum, not credibility.
How We Help With This
Common Questions
My former tenant left thousands in damage. Small claims or the LTB?
In Ontario, once the tenant has moved out, damage claims are generally pursued in Small Claims Court (the LTB's jurisdiction over former tenants is limited). We confirm the right forum on the facts of your case before filing anything.
A venue kept my event deposit after I cancelled. Can I get it back?
Possibly. If the venue re-booked the date or suffered no real loss, keeping the full deposit may be an unenforceable penalty. These claims resolve quickly once the vendor is required to justify the amount retained.
How do I prove damage that has already been repaired?
Dated photographs, the repair invoice, and the tradesperson's description of what was found are usually sufficient. If you are about to repair, document everything first — it is the cheapest insurance your claim can have.
Where We Handle These Disputes
Representation across Ontario and British Columbia — virtually and in person.
All service areasOther Dispute Guides
More common small claims scenarios, explained.