Renting in Nova Scotia: Tenant Rights, Deposits, Rent Increases, and Evictions

Residential Tenancies in Nova Scotia: A Guide for Tenants and Landlords

The Residential Tenancies program in Nova Scotia is managed by the Government of Nova Scotia. The official page provides information, services, and rights and responsibilities for both landlords and tenants.

Starting a Tenancy

• Residential Tenancies Guides: Detailed guides on renting.
• Rental Unit Condition Report: To document the condition of the unit.
• Standard Form of Lease (Form P): The official lease form.

During a Tenancy

• Temporary Rent Cap and Increases (PDF): Information on temporary limits on rent increases.
• Renovictions factsheet: Explains terminations due to renovations.
• Resolving Disputes Guide: How to resolve disputes.
• Serving tenancy documents factsheet: How to serve documents.

Forms include:

• Form DR1: Change year-to-year lease to month-to-month.
• Form DR9: Request an emergency hearing.
• Form J: Application to Director to resolve a dispute.
• Form L1: Certificate of Service.
• Form DR3: Convert mediated settlement into order.

Ending a Tenancy

• Policy 7: Compensation for loss after termination.
• Evictions from a Housing Co-operative
• Security Deposit Claims (PDF)
• Form DR2: Tenant's notice to quit (purchaser to occupy).
• Form G and H: Early termination.
• Form C: Leave at end of lease.
• Form C1: Leave after rent increase notice.

Landlord forms include:

• Form B: Accounting for sale of abandoned property.
• Form DR5: Agreement to terminate for demolition/repairs.
• Form K: Application for rental arrears.
• Form A: Inventory of abandoned property.
• Form F: Additional circumstances.
• Form E: Breach of statutory condition.
• Form D: Failure to pay rent.
• Form R: Security deposit claim.

Additional Services

• Annual Allowable Rent Increase Amount (AARIA): For calculating rent increase caps.
• Form N: Application for rent increase greater than AARIA.
• Land-lease communities: Rules for manufactured homes.
• Security deposit interest calculator
• Access Nova Scotia: Service locations.

Official Source

• Residential tenancies: tenants and landlords - Government of Nova Scotia, Canada