Some leases include services like heat, electricity, parking spaces, or appliances. If your landlord decides to stop providing this service but does not lower your rent, it’s considered to be a rent increase. Even if you paid extra for the service, a change in the service may be treated like a rent increase.

If your landlord wants to stop providing a service, they have to follow the rules for increasing rent (including adhering to the rent cap). The landlord has to choose between taking away a service or increasing the rent – they can’t do both.

If your landlord either raises your rent or removes a service more than once a year, you can’t just refuse to pay the extra rent. You must file a complaint with Residential Tenancies and ask for your rent to be lowered or for your service to be restored. For more on filing at Residential Tenancies, see Disputes & Resolutions.