Plain-English guides, provincial law updates, and practical advice for Canadian renters — covering rent increases, eviction rules, deposits, and more.
Ontario's 2027 rent increase guideline is 1.9% — the lowest since the 2021 freeze. What it means, who's exempt, the 90-day notice rule, and how to check your increase is legal.
Read the guideLandlords can end a tenancy for their own or a family member's use — but notice, compensation, and good-faith rules differ by province. Ontario N12, BC's 3-month notice, Quebec repossession, and your rights if it's bad faith.
Read moreHeat is a vital service your landlord must maintain. Minimum indoor temperatures by city — Toronto 21°C, Ottawa 20°C, Vancouver 22°C — heating-season dates, and what to do if it's too cold.
Read moreYour right to 'quiet enjoyment' means more than silence. What it covers, how to handle noisy neighbours or a disruptive landlord, how to document it, and when a breach can reduce your rent.
Read moreWhat a guarantor is actually on the hook for, how long the obligation lasts, the difference between a guarantor and a co-tenant, and how to limit your risk before you sign.
Read moreFake listings, 'send a deposit to hold it,' and landlords who won't show the unit. The red flags, how to verify a listing is real, and what to do if you've been scammed.
Read moreCan a landlord ask for your SIN, a credit check, bank statements, or a deposit before you sign? What's legal, what you can refuse, and your privacy rights as a rental applicant.
Read moreIn New Brunswick a deposit is capped (one month's rent for most leases) and must be sent to the Tenant and Landlord Relations Office to hold. Limits, holding, and refunds.
Read moreNo fixed cap, but rent rises only once a year with notice — and unreasonable increases can be challenged at the Residential Tenancies Tribunal. How the rules work.
Read moreOne month if you're leaving month-to-month; 15-day Notice to Vacate (7 days to pay) for unpaid rent. Tenant and landlord notice periods in New Brunswick.
Read moreAn eviction notice isn't an eviction. The notice types, the 15-day/7-day pay window, and how the Residential Tenancies Tribunal decides disputes.
Read moreIn PEI a deposit can't exceed one month's rent, earns interest, and must be returned within 15 days. What a landlord can deduct and how to recover it through IRAC.
Read morePEI sets an annual allowable increase through IRAC — 2% for 2026, capped at 3% by law — once a year with three months' notice. How the cap works and how to respond.
Read moreOne month if you're leaving month-to-month; Form 4A 10-day notice for unpaid rent. Tenant and landlord notice periods and what makes a notice valid in PEI.
Read moreAn eviction notice isn't an eviction. The notice types, the Form 4A 10-day pay-and-stay window, and how to dispute through IRAC's Residential Tenancy Office.
Read moreIn Newfoundland & Labrador a deposit is capped at three-quarters of a month's rent for monthly tenancies and must be returned within 10 days. Limits and refunds.
Read moreNo rent control — no percentage cap — but rent rises only once a year, with long notice (8 weeks month-to-month, 6 months yearly). How the rules protect you.
Read moreOne month if you're leaving month-to-month; the landlord's no-fault notice is 3 months. Tenant and landlord notice periods and what makes a notice valid.
Read moreAn eviction notice isn't an eviction. The notice types, the 10-day pay-and-stay window for unpaid rent, and how Residential Tenancies (Service NL) decides disputes.
Read moreIn Nova Scotia a deposit can't exceed half a month's rent, must earn interest, and has to be returned within 10 days. What a landlord can deduct and how to get it back.
Read moreNova Scotia caps annual rent increases at 5% through the end of 2027, once a year, with four months' notice. How the cap works and what to do if a landlord exceeds it.
Read moreOne month on Form C if you're leaving month-to-month; 15 days (Form D) for unpaid rent. Tenant and landlord notice periods and what makes a notice valid in Nova Scotia.
Read moreAn eviction notice isn't an eviction. The notice types, the 15-day pay-and-stay window for unpaid rent, and how to dispute through the Residential Tenancies Program.
Read moreIn Saskatchewan a damage deposit can't exceed one month's rent, can be paid in instalments, and must be returned within 7 business days. Deductions and how to get it back.
Read moreSaskatchewan has no rent control — no percentage cap — but rent can still rise only once a year, never during a fixed term, and only with proper notice. How the rules protect you.
Read moreOne month if you're leaving month-to-month; two months for owner occupancy. Tenant and landlord notice periods and what makes a notice valid in Saskatchewan.
Read moreAn eviction notice isn't an eviction. The notice types, how to remedy unpaid rent (15 days late), and how the Office of Residential Tenancies process works.
Read moreIn Manitoba a deposit can't exceed half a month's rent, must earn interest, and has to be returned within 14 days. What a landlord can deduct and how to recover your deposit.
Read moreManitoba's 2026 rent guideline is 1.8%, with increases limited to once a year and three months' notice. How the guideline works, what's exempt, and how to object.
Read moreOne month if you're leaving; three months for owner-occupation; about five days for unpaid rent. Tenant and landlord notice periods and what makes a notice valid in Manitoba.
Read moreAn eviction notice isn't an eviction. The notice types, how to dispute one through the Residential Tenancies Branch, and why only the proper process can force you out.
Read moreIn Quebec, security deposits are illegal — no damage deposit, last month's rent, pet deposit, or required post-dated cheques. Only the first month's rent. Your rights under article 1904 of the Civil Code.
Read moreQuebec has no fixed rent cap, but you can refuse an increase and stay in your home. How notice works, the one-month window to refuse, and how the TAL fixes a fair rent.
Read moreQuebec leases renew automatically, so to leave you must give notice in a set window. The 3-to-6-month non-renewal rule, why you usually can't break a fixed lease, and the limited early-exit grounds.
Read moreA Quebec landlord can repossess for family use or evict for major work — but only with long notice, compensation, and your right to contest at the TAL. How reprise de logement really works.
Read moreQuebec gives tenants a strong right to assign (cession de bail) or sublet — the landlord can only refuse for a serious reason, and silence for 15 days means consent. Which option releases you.
Read moreYour Quebec landlord must deliver and maintain a habitable dwelling. What they must repair, your right to make urgent repairs and be reimbursed, and how to force action through the TAL.
Read moreMould from a leak or poor ventilation is almost always the landlord's job to fix in Ontario. How to report it, escalate to the city, claim a rent abatement — and why you shouldn't just stop paying rent.
Read moreA verbal or handshake tenancy is fully covered by the RTA. Your rights without a written lease, the Ontario Standard Lease rule, and the one-month-rent remedy when a landlord won't provide one.
Read moreRenting a room usually gives you full RTA rights — with one key exception when you share a kitchen or bathroom with the owner. What you're entitled to, and the illegal-rooming-house trap.
Read moreFalling behind doesn't have to mean eviction. Rent banks, the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit, emergency assistance, and LTB payment plans — how to act before an N4 becomes an eviction order.
Read moreMany increases are invalid — wrong notice, wrong timing, or above the guideline. How to check validity, respond to an N1 or AGI, keep your tenancy safe, and recover money you were wrongly charged.
Read moreBC lets landlords collect a real deposit — capped at half a month's rent (plus a pet damage deposit). The deduction rules, the 15-day return deadline, and when the landlord owes you double.
Read moreOne month if you're leaving; four months (plus compensation) if the landlord wants the unit. Tenant notice, landlord's use, the four-month notice, and what makes a notice invalid in British Columbia.
Read moreAn eviction notice isn't an eviction. The notice types, the short deadlines to dispute at the Residential Tenancy Branch, and why only an order of possession can remove you.
Read moreIn BC rent can rise only once a year, up to the province's annual limit, with three full months' notice. How the cap works, why there's no vacancy control, and how to fight an illegal increase.
Read moreYou can't just give notice on a fixed term — but you can assign, sublet, agree to end, or rely on the landlord's duty to re-rent. Plus the special exits BC law allows.
Read moreYour BC landlord must keep the unit repaired, heated, and pest-free — it can't be waived by a lease. Emergency repairs, how to demand fixes, and how to get a rent reduction if they don't act.
Read moreIn Alberta a damage deposit can't exceed one month's rent, must earn interest in a trust account, and has to be returned within 10 days. Deductions, inspections, and how to dispute unfair claims.
Read moreAlberta has no rent control — no percentage cap — but rent can still rise only once a year, never in the first year, and only with proper notice. How the timing rules protect you.
Read moreHow much notice you must give to move out, and how much your landlord must give you. Periodic notice, the 90-day landlord notice, fixed-term rules, and what makes a notice valid in Alberta.
Read moreThe notice types (14-day, 24-hour, 90-day), how to respond, the RTDRS vs court, and why only a civil enforcement bailiff — never the landlord — can actually remove you.
Read moreYou can't just walk away from a fixed term — but you can assign, sublet, agree to end, or rely on the landlord's duty to re-rent. Plus the situations that end a tenancy early.
Read moreAlberta landlords must meet Minimum Housing and Health Standards — heat and essential services included. What they must maintain, how to escalate to public health, and how to get repairs done.
Read moreYour landlord is offering money to move out. It's legal in Ontario and can be worth it — but only on your terms. How much to ask for, what to get in writing, and when to just say no.
Read moreYou can't just give notice and walk away from a fixed term. The real legal exits — assignment, subletting, an N11 agreement, and the landlord's duty to mitigate — plus what a lease break can actually cost you.
Read moreBed bugs, cockroaches, mice — dealing with pests is almost always the landlord's job in Ontario, even if nobody knows how they got in. Your rights, how to report it, and how to force action with a T6.
Read moreIf your roommate stops paying or moves out, are you on the hook? It hinges on whether you're co-tenants on one lease or a tenant with a roommate. Joint liability, deposits, and how to leave cleanly.
Read moreAn unregistered basement unit doesn't strip you of tenant rights. The Residential Tenancies Act protects you regardless — you can't be evicted just because the unit is 'illegal.' The real risks to weigh.
Read moreSurprise visits, shut-off utilities, threats, pressure to leave — that's illegal in Ontario, and you can be compensated. What counts as harassment, how to document it, and how to file a T2.
Read moreNo law requires it — but your landlord can, and often does, in the lease. What tenant insurance covers, why the landlord's policy won't save your belongings, and whether the clause is enforceable.
Read moreAn N4 is not an eviction — and it doesn't mean you have to leave. How the 14-day window works, how to void the notice, your 'pay and stay' right, and how to ask for a payment plan at the LTB.
Read moreHeat is a vital service your landlord must provide and can never shut off. Air conditioning is treated very differently. The minimum-temperature rules, your right to install a unit, and what to do if the heat fails.
Read moreIf your unit was first occupied after November 15, 2018, it's exempt from Ontario's rent increase guideline — the landlord can raise rent by any amount. How the exemption and vacancy decontrol work, and what still protects you.
Read moreWithholding rent over repairs can get you evicted in Ontario. Here's the route that actually works — the T6 application and rent abatement — which can even get you money back, without risking your tenancy.
Read moreEvicted for a landlord's 'own use' but they re-rented instead? The T5 application can win you rent-difference, moving costs, and more. How the one-year rule and the bad-faith presumption work in your favour.
Read moreOntario's Landlord and Tenant Board backlog shapes how long every dispute takes — including tenant T2 and T6 applications. Here's what wait times look like in 2026 and how to keep your case moving.
Read moreThe answer is 60 days — but when those days end matters just as much, and fixed-term leases carry a trap that catches renters every year. How to give notice on Form N9 that actually holds up.
Read moreNeed to leave early or fill your unit while away? Ontario gives tenants a real right to sublet or assign — and limits what a landlord can do to block it. The key differences and how to do each properly.
Read moreIn Ontario, a "no pets" clause in your lease is void — legally meaningless — even if you signed it. But that's not a blank cheque. Here's exactly where the line sits, including the condo exception.
Read moreYour Ontario landlord can only collect a last month's rent deposit — never a damage or cleaning deposit. What it can be used for, the interest you're owed every year, and how to recover what you're owed.
Read moreLandlords cannot refuse you housing based on race, citizenship, family status, disability, or receiving public assistance. Here is what is illegal in tenant screening — and what to do if you are turned away.
Read moreNo Canadian credit file? Landlords cannot treat that as bad credit. How newcomers and students can prove reliability — and which landlord demands (12 months upfront, your SIN, immigration papers) are illegal.
Read more"Right to rent" means opposite things in the UK and Canada. In England, landlords must verify immigration status by law. In Canada, demanding immigration documents is illegal discrimination.
Read moreCanadian landlords must maintain the rental unit — but tenants are legally responsible for damage they cause. Here is a province-by-province breakdown of what falls on you versus your landlord.
Read moreLandlords cannot charge tenants for normal wear and tear — ever. Learn exactly which marks, scuffs, and deterioration count as wear and tear vs. chargeable damage, with a room-by-room guide.
Read moreOntario's RTA s.33 and s.34 require tenants to keep the unit ordinarily clean and pay for damage they — or their guests — cause. Failing either obligation can result in an N5 notice and eviction proceedings.
Read moreYour landlord is legally required to maintain your rental unit. Here's exactly how to escalate a repair request in Ontario, BC, Alberta, and Quebec — and what to do if they won't act.
Read moreYour fixed-term lease expiring does NOT mean you have to move out. Here's how Ontario's RTA s.38 auto-conversion works, what notice tenants need to give, and which lease type is better for you.
Read moreOntario's mandatory standard lease has 17 sections. Here's a plain-English breakdown of each one — including what landlords can add in Section 15 and what happens if they don't use the form.
Read moreIn Ontario, BC, Alberta, and Quebec, landlords must give 24 hours written notice before entering your unit — except in genuine emergencies. Here's what counts and what to do if they don't comply.
Read moreMoving into your first apartment in Canada? This complete checklist covers what to verify before signing, what to document at move-in, and your key rights as a new tenant.
Read moreOntario landlords can apply to the LTB to raise rent above the annual guideline — but only for specific reasons. Here's how AGIs work and how tenants can dispute them.
Read moreYour lease survives a property sale in almost every Canadian province. Here's exactly what your rights are in Ontario, BC, and Alberta when your landlord sells.
Read moreReceived an N12 notice? You are entitled to one month's compensation, 60 days notice, and the right to dispute at the LTB. Here's everything you need to know.
Read moreN13 notices (Ontario) and Four Month Notices (BC) can be challenged. Learn your right of first refusal, what makes a renoviction valid, and how to spot bad-faith evictions.
Read moreOntario's rent increase guideline for 2026 is 2.1%. Here's what that means for your rent, who is exempt from rent control, and what to do if your landlord exceeds the limit.
Read moreBC's 2026 allowable rent increase is 2.3%. Learn the rules, the required 3-month notice period using RTB-7, and how the Residential Tenancy Branch enforces limits.
Read moreNot every eviction notice in Ontario is valid. Learn what makes a notice invalid, what your rights are at the LTB, and how to file a T2 application for bad-faith eviction.
Read moreDeposit rules vary dramatically across Canada — from no deposits at all in Quebec to one month's rent in Alberta. Here's a province-by-province breakdown of what landlords can and cannot charge.
Read moreSome lease clauses look official but are actually unenforceable — or even illegal. Here are seven red flags to spot before you put pen to paper.
Read moreMoving out in Ontario involves more steps than most tenants realize. Follow this checklist to serve proper notice, document the unit, and protect your last month's rent deposit.
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