THE FEDERATION OF METRO TENANTS' ASSOCIATIONSTenant Survival Manual
Chapters
Are You Covered by the Law?
Above Guideline Rent Increases
Conversion, Demolition or Renovation
Rent Increases
How Often Can My Rent be Increased?
A property owner can only increase your rent once every 12 or more months. The date that your rent increases is called your anniversary date. See Section 119. (1) of the RTA for more information about how often your rent can increase.
In order for a rent increase to be legal, a property owner must give you 90 days written notice before your rent is to increase. You do not have to pay any increase until you have been given 90 days written notice, even if it means that your anniversary date will change. Usually, property owners use a form called an N1 to notify tenants that their rent will increase. A letter can be legal notice if it includes your name, the date, the date of the increase, your address, the name of the property owner, and the new amount. See Section 116.(1) of the RTA for more information about how often your rent can increase.
How Much Can My Rent Increase?
Your rent can only increase by a certain amount. This amount, called the annual guideline amount, is announced by the provincial government every August.
The annual guideline amount is equal to the increase in the consumer price index. For example, the annual guideline amount for 2007 is 2.6% and for 2008 it is 1.4%.
Agreement to Increase the Rent
You can agree to pay a larger increase if a property owner adds a new service to your unit (like an air conditioner or a washer and dryer), or if a property owner makes certain improvements to your unit.
If you agree to an increase, the maximum amount that your rent can increase is 3% plus the annual guideline amount. It might be worthwhile to calculate how much that amount is before agreeing to it – for example, if you are increasing your rent because the property owner is giving you an air conditioner, it might just be cheaper to buy your own.
If you agree to the increase but change your mind, you must give the property owner written notice that you do not want the increase within five days of agreeing. Keep in mind that once the five days are up, the new amount stays on your rent, but the property owner must also continue to provide the new service. See Section 121 of the RTA for more information on agreements to increase the rent.We are currently testing this online version of the Tenant Survival Manual: If you notice something that needs to be clarified; if you want more information on a particular subject; or if you simply would like to comment on the Tenant Survival Manual, please click here to send us an email.
