Intimidation & Harassment
Tenants have the right to quiet enjoyment of their rental unit. This clause of the Statutory Conditions says that landlords and tenants can’t act in a way that interferes with anyone’s occupancy or disrupts their right to use the unit as stated in the lease.
The right to quiet enjoyment can refer to many things, including disruptions due to construction, but generally this covers the right of a tenant to live free from intimidation and harassment – either from the landlord or other tenants.
This is also referred to as the “good behaviour” clause of the RTA. Violations of this clause by a tenant can result in a “good behaviour eviction”, which is detailed in Ending a Tenancy. Violations of this clause by a landlord can result in a rent abatement and orders against the landlord to allow the tenant quiet enjoyment of the property.
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It’s hard to know why some people result to harassment and intimidation, but no matter the reason, landlord harassment is both common and difficult to fight. Because of the inherit power imbalance between landlords and tenants, tenants don’t feel like they can stand up for themselves. Many landlords who use harassment and intimidation do so to force tenants to comply with illegal rules or “toe the line”. Others use this as an eviction tactic, making it so unpleasant for a tenant to live somewhere that they look for another place to rent.
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Landlords count on tenants not standing up for themselves. If your landlord is harassing you, document everything! Let them know you know your rights and are willing to enforce them.
If your landlord is behaving in a way that makes you feel unsafe, call the police or RCMP and file a complaint. Creating a paper trail helps in case you need to go to court or get an order against the landlord. If you ever feel like you or others are in danger, try to remove yourself from the situation and contact the police.
