Rent Increases
As of September 2022, there is a rent cap – meaning a landlord cannot raise the rent more than a certain percentage of your existing rent. From September 2022-December 2023 there was a 2% cap on rents. From January 2024 to December 2027 there will be a rent cap of 5%.
The rent cap applies to all tenants, including people on fixed term leases who sign another fixed term lease for the same unit. The rent cap does not apply in the following situations:
New tenants who sign a new lease for a new rental unit.
Increases for rented land in mobile home parks (these rents are capped using a different calculation. See our Manufactured Home Parks Guide for more information).
Tenants living in public housing with rent geared towards income.
Rent cannot increase more than one time in a 12-month period, and rent can’t increase during the first year of your tenancy. In order to raise your rent on a year-to-year or month-to-month lease, the landlord needs to give you 4 month’s written notice. A landlord does not need to give notice of a rent increase on a Fixed Term Lease.
If a landlord gives you notice of rent increase, even if it’s not 4 months before the anniversary date, a tenant can issue a 3 months’ notice to quit if they do not want to accept the rent increase. More information on Ending a Tenancy here.
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Landlords want to make money. Some landlords will try raising your rent whenever possible to make more money, and this includes using loopholes and pressuring tenants in order to force rent increases above the rent cap.
When tenants rent on a fixed term lease, sometimes landlords pressure them into accepting rent increases above the cap in order to renew their lease.
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If a landlord tries to raise your rent more than once a year, doesn’t give you proper notice, or tries to raise your rent above the rent cap – make an application to Residential Tenancies and refuse to pay the extra rent.
If your landlord is raising rent unfairly, or beyond what you can pay, organize with other tenants to fight back. More information in Tenant Organizing.
Pressure the Ministry of Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services to make the rent cap a permanent form of rent control with vacancy control. See Advocacy & Organizing for more ideas.
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A rent increase in retaliation for a rent abatement ordered by a residential tenancies officer will not be allowed to stand. (Wallace v. Blue Shed Consulting Inc., 2016 NSSM 57)
