Need to know
- The Residential Tenancies Act does not deal specifically with repairs and maintenance.
- However, landlords have a responsibility under public health laws to make sure their properties are sanitary and safe to live in.
- Both landlords and tenants should refer to the lease for who’s responsible for repairs.
- Some repairs are the tenant’s responsibility.
Landlord responsibilities
Landlords must make sure that:
- the living space is safe and meets minimum housing, fire, building, and health standards
- the heating, wiring, and plumbing work
- they maintain the building structure including windows, doors, walls, roofs, ceilings, floors, and stairs
- the fridge and stove work and
- the common areas are clean (common areas are spaces tenants share including hallways, stairs, and parking lots).
The Residential Tenancies Act says that to enter a tenant’s unit to do repairs, the landlord must give notice except when there is an emergency.
Tenant responsibilities
Sometimes the tenant will be responsible for making repairs or maintaining the rental property. The tenant should review the lease for what they are responsible for. The tenant usually is responsible for:
- keeping the property clean
- informing the landlord of any needed repairs
- repairing any damage they caused to the property and
- making small repairs (for example, changing light bulbs or unplugging drains)
Requesting repairs
If there are repairs that need to be done to the property, then the tenant should make that request in writing (see sample request for repairs below) to their landlord.
Sample request for repairs
Below is a template request for repairs that have to do with minimum housing and health standards. To use it, copy the text into a typeable document and insert your words in place of the prompt words in the square brackets. You can change the template wording to suit your situation.
[Date]
[Landlord’s name]
[Landlord’s address]
To [Landlord’s name]:
I am writing this letter to request that you make some repairs to my rental property.
[Describe your problems here:
what needs fixing? where is it? what’s the extent of the problems? when did you start having the problems? how have they impacted you?
e.g., the bannister between the main and upper floor is very loose and needs to be fixed.
The oven stopped working yesterday, and I need the oven to cook most of my meals.
There is black mold growing in my bathroom, and it’s making my asthma flare up.]
I would appreciate you contacting me as soon as possible to let me know when the repairs will be done.
If I do not hear from you by [deadline for landlord’s response], I will contact Environmental Public Heath to request a health inspector visit my suite.
Thank you,
[Your signature]
[Your name]
Explore more
FAQs
What are the Minimum Housing and Health Standards?
What can a tenant do if the landlord won’t do any repairs?
Can a tenant stop paying rent while waiting for repairs to be done?
If a tenant completes repairs, can he or she bill the landlord?
Does a landlord have to give the tenant notice before making repairs?
Can a repair person enter the property without the tenant being present?
Is a landlord allowed to make frequent and disruptive repairs?
Who is responsible for getting rid of bugs in a rental property?
November 2023
