May 14, 2012
Proposed amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act would require landlords to provide tenants with an estimate of rent increases prior to doing extensive renovations, Healthy Living, Seniors and Consumer Affairs Minister Jim Rondeau announced today.
“This will bring more clarity and fairness to the landlord-tenant relationship,” Rondeau said. “Tenants need to have full information so they can decide what to do when a landlord renovates their buildings.”
If the estimated rent is artificial and causes the tenant to move or discourages the tenant from exercising a right of first refusal, the landlord could be required to compensate the tenant for moving and other expenses, Rondeau said.
Under the proposed amendments and resulting regulations:
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES ACT WOULD CLARIFY LANDLORD-TENANT RELATIONHIP: RONDEAU
“This will bring more clarity and fairness to the landlord-tenant relationship,” Rondeau said. “Tenants need to have full information so they can decide what to do when a landlord renovates their buildings.”
If the estimated rent is artificial and causes the tenant to move or discourages the tenant from exercising a right of first refusal, the landlord could be required to compensate the tenant for moving and other expenses, Rondeau said.
Under the proposed amendments and resulting regulations:
- landlords would have to use prescribed forms when terminating tenancies so that tenants receive important information about their rights;
- tenants who wish to object to a rent increase that is at, or below, the guideline increase would have a new framework to explain their reasons;
- the director of Residential Tenancies and the Residential Tenancies Commission would have the right to waive filing fees in certain situations; and
- tenants would not have to pay late payment fees in some cases.
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