One of the most essential tasks as an immigrant is to find a rent to stay. What is more important is that you as a newcomer should know your tenant’s rights, the eviction process, landlord-tenant laws, all about the residential lease, and the rights and responsibilities that you are expected to showcase as a tenant in Nova Scotia. In this article, we will give you a brief idea about all that is important while finding a home in the province of Nova Scotia.
Paperwork needed to rent in Nova Scotia
To rent a house, an apartment, a duplex, a dorm, or any type of residential space in Nova Scotia the potential tenant has to produce certain documentation as legal assistance and other security reasons while going to the property owner. You have to present these documentations in the process of the application. The documents must have the information of your finances, a history of rent, and a list of other things that are to be verified before the occupancy of the rental space. You have to submit the following things as a tenant:
- Income Proof: You will be requested by the property owner or by the landlord to present your income proof just to make sure that you are capable of paying the amount of rent.
- Financial statement from the bank: Your recent bank statement shall be required by your potential landlord to see the stability of your finances and whether you shall be able to afford the rent or not.
- References: While applying for jobs you are asked for a reference, similarly you will be asked for a reference who can be your colleague, the previous landlord, your manager, or a trusted friend. A reference check is important to see if you are reliable as a tenant or not and whether some can trust you with their house. Your landlord can also ask you for the contact information of your previous owner to check if you are sustainable or not. You always ask your reference before sharing their number with others. Consent should prevail.
- Report of the Credit: While filling a rental application, you will have to give a credit report. A credit report is an instrument that measures your financial health. You will be issued a three-digit number that will determine if you are in debt or bankruptcy. A landlord can also demand a full credit check on your behalf but they will first have to take your consent before doing this.
Rules of eviction in Nova Scotia
According to the RTA (Residential Tenancies Act), a landlord and tenant law, a tenant may be evicted by a landlord on the reasonable ground under the landlord and tenant board of judgment. The tenant may be subjected to a detainer action under a given period of time a notice of termination shall be given to both parties beforehand if breaking a lease.
Following are the guidelines of the eviction rules in Nova Scotia.
1. Rental Arrears
If a rental due to certain circumstances fails to pay the rent, then the landlord by law can send a legal notice to the evicted after the 15th day of the due date of rent. The tenant will have a time frame of 15 days to pay the rent before the eviction case goes to the court hearing.
2. Breaking a lease
If there is a breach in the agreement the lease may also be terminated. If such is the case there is a period of fifteen days of termination. The breach can be resolved by negotiation or the notice of eviction shall comply with action. Breaking a lease by a residential tenant can add to the tribunal landlord notice.
3. Other cases
If the tenant has damaged property, or if there is non-payment of rent by the tenant there will be eviction notices between the landlords and tenants. If the rent is not paid by the tenant and is failing to abide by the lease or if the tenant has been unemployed recently cases like these will have a weekly periodic tenancy.
4. Personal Usage
If the landlord has a close relative or a family member who wishes to move into the house then the landlord will evict you provided that as a tenant you have a periodic tenancy agreement.
5. Selling the property
A tenant may also be evicted if the rental property is being sold by the landlord and a new person will own the property. In this case scenario, the landlord notice is supposed to be given to the tenant before two months for the termination of the tenancy. If the term of the tenancy is fixed then the date should be effective but not before the date of the lease agreement.
Tenant’s responsibilities in Nova Scotia
Many responsibilities are needed to be covered by a landlord in Canada. Similarly, a tenant is also expected to follow certain norms while living as a tenant in Nova Scotia. There are conditions that are kept between landlords and tenants. They are:
- Payment of the rent timely and in full at the date of payment.
- Be respectful around neighbors and do not cause a nuisance in the building.
- No illegal activity or business should be carried out on the property.
- The rental premises should be kept clean always
- If you damaged property and violated it as a tenant, get it fixed.
- If the rental lease has been terminated prepare yourself to move out
Rental increase limits
A landlord has the right to increase the rent legally only after one year of completing the rental lease. The agreed-upon rent as the landlord-tenant law suggests. 12 months is enough to get a lease renewed. If the rent is being increased then it should notify the tenant with a pepper legal notice:
If the periodic lease is a month or yearly or based on four months
- If the lease is fixed-term and longer than 12 months.
There is no limit to the amount that a landlord can increase but they can only do it once every 12 months.
Tenant rights in Nova Scotia
We have answered all the questions that every tenant should know before renting a property in Nova Scotia.
- You can invite guests overnight and have them stay at your residence. Your landlord cannot put any kind of restrictions on this. They do not even have the right to impose a threat on you or charge an extra amount for the same.
- It is advised that a landlord and a tenant complete a Rental Unit Condition report before making the move or getting transferred.
- You can break the lease legally when the period of your stay finishes or you can also wait for the renewal of the lease.
Can you terminate your lease before the time of completion?
You have the right to end a lease before lease termination if you have any one of the following reasons:
- If you as a tenant have certain health conditions that are barring you to live on the property.
- If you are fleeing from domestic harassment and violence
- If you assigned your lease to a different tenant.
- If the landlord and the tenant agree to terminate the tenancy at will with
- Lease termination is also possible if the landlord doesn’t abide by their responsibilities as a landlord and provides basic utilities.
Mandatory tenant insurance in Nova Scotia
Liability insurance can be asked by a landlord from his tenant before giving the property on rent. Tenant insurance shall give you protection to the personal belongings of the tenant from theft, damage from fire, or flood. However, a renter may not have tenant’s insurance because it is not compulsory in the province of Nova Scotia.
