When it comes to moving to a new country, the first thing one needs to make sure of is that they have a place to stay. So, imagine you are moving to Canada but you cannot stay at your relatives’ or friends’ place for much longer, what would you do? Well, the best option in this case is to rent a home, no? It is totally understandable if you do not have enough money to buy your own place right away. The reason why many people prefer renting a flat. But, before you rent a home or apartment, you must first understand what are the rights of tenants in Canada, right? Let’s know then!
Responsibilities of a Tenant
Though it is quite clear that the responsibilities and rights of tenants in Canada would differ according to the province and territory one is living in, still, we are about to list down some of the general responsibilities of tenants.
- The very thing that a tenant must understand is that they need to pay the whole rent. It should go without saying that the rent should be paid on time.
- In case something needs repairing or servicing, then the tenant must contact the landlord. The landlord will look over the repairing process.
- The apartment or the home that the tenant is living in must be clean and tidy. Since the tenant is living in that house, they should treat it like their place so that they would feel more at home and the house would be well taken care of.
- When something needs repairing, the landlord would visit the house but they must provide a notice before entering the house. The tenant must allow the landlord to enter the house in that case.
- When the lease ends, the tenant must vacate the property.
What Tenants Cannot Do:-
- They cannot, without the permission of the landlord, renovate the place.
- If the apartment has negligent repairs, the tenant cannot withhold rent because of that.
- Since the tenant is already on a lease, they cannot sublet the property to someone else without the landlord’s permission.
- Without the acknowledgment and permission of the landlord, the tenant cannot change locks.
Responsibilities of a Landlord
- They are the ones responsible for the safety of the home or building. They have to make sure that everything is in good condition and if things need to be repaired, the landlord must do it.
- A landlord would collect the rent from the tenant. Sometimes, landlords also hire a manager to manage the apartment on their behalf. So, managers may also come to collect rent.
- Everything that is included in the tenant’s rent, such as stove, refrigerator, heating, should be provided by the landlord.
- If something breaks in the apartment, the landlord should be the one to pay for it.
- They must provide you with electricity, cold/hot water, however, they might charge extra for that.
- The landlord does not pay for the internet services and cable TV services, the tenant needs to pay those bills themselves.
- The landlord cannot stop any tenant from using the place for their enjoyment, if everything is done in a reasonable way.
What Landlords Cannot Ask:-
- They cannot inquire about your Social Insurance Number (SIN).
- A landlord cannot ask what is the ethnic background of a tenant, their religion, gender, or sexual orientations.
- Whether a tenant is married or not is not the concern of a landlord.
- In case the tenant’s family is visiting them, the landlord should not inquire about that either.
- It should not matter whether the tenant is planning for a family or to have children or not.
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