Effective February 3, 2023, landlords in Nova Scotia can raise rents on any day of the year and not just on the anniversary of the day the lease began. Additionally, they cannot raise rent more than once in a 12-month period and must continue to give at least four months notice before rent can be raised.
On the privacy front, Nova Scotia landlords are now required to give a tenant 24 hours notice before entering the unit, even if the tenant has given notice to end the lease. Landlords can only enter a unit without notice if there is an emergency.
“We listened to feedback from tenants and landlords and are making changes to the program that will provide flexibility and more clarity to processes,” said Colton LeBlanc, Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services. “With any change, we consider the needs of both tenants and landlords – and we continue to look for ways to help them know and understand their rights and responsibilities.”
Other changes include:
- landlords cannot charge tenants different amounts for different rental terms. For example, they can’t charge different amounts for a year-to-year, month-to-month or fixed-term lease.
- a lease can be terminated if a tenant sublets a unit without the landlord’s permission.
More information on Nova Scotia residential tenancy laws, rights, responsibilities, and other information can be found at: https://beta.novascotia.ca/programs-and-services/residential-tenancies-program.
