The Residential Tenancies Act applies regardless of what your lease says. A clause that contradicts it is void even if both parties signed it.
Maintenance and repair
You are responsible for keeping the unit in a good state of repair, fit for habitation, and compliant with health, safety, and maintenance standards. This obligation holds even if the tenant knew about the problem when they moved in. You cannot contract out of it.
Entry
24 hours' written notice, stating the reason and a time between 8am and 8pm, for repairs, inspections, or showings to prospective tenants or buyers.
No notice needed in an emergency, or where the tenant consents at the time.
You may not enter simply because you own the place. "Just checking on the property" is not a lawful reason.
You may not change the locks without giving the tenant new keys.
Deposits and rent
You may collect a rent deposit of no more than one rental period, in practice, last month's rent. You must pay the tenant interest on it annually, at the rent increase guideline rate for that year.
You may not collect a damage deposit, a security deposit, a pet deposit, or a cleaning deposit. You may not require post-dated cheques or automatic payment. You may not charge a fee for accepting an application.
Rent increases
- Once every twelve months, no more
- 90 days' written notice, on the province's form (N1)
- Capped at the annual guideline, except for units first occupied for residential purposes after 15 November 2018, which are exempt from the cap but still bound by the notice and frequency rules
Ending a tenancy
You cannot simply decline to renew. When a fixed term ends, the tenancy continues month-to-month automatically. Ending it requires either the tenant's agreement or a specific ground under the Act (personal use by you or a close family member, demolition or major renovation, or a tenant-side breach), and in most cases an order from the Landlord and Tenant Board.
Illegal eviction. Changing the locks, removing belongings, or cutting off utilities to force a tenant out carries substantial fines and Board orders.
Bad-faith N12. Ending a tenancy for claimed personal use and then re-renting at a higher rent exposes you to significant penalties, including up to twelve months' rent in compensation.
This is an orientation, not a substitute for advice. The Landlord and Tenant Board publishes the forms and guidance, and a paralegal is worth their fee the moment a tenancy turns contentious.