As the sun sets on 2017, renters throughout the Capital Region could see their monthly rents increased by upwards of 4% in 2018. Citified.ca
2018 will usher in highest government-controlled rental rate increase since 2012
CITIFIED.CA STAFF
Published December 27, 2017
Updated December 29, 2017
The highest government-controlled rental rate increase since 2012 will come into effect this January.
The provincial government will allow landlords to raise rents for existing tenants by a maximum of 4%, or $60 per month for an apartment rented at $1,200 in 2017. Since 2004 the average annual maximum rental increase has been 3.5%.
Rental rate increases are permitted once per annum, are typically applied at the start of a subsequent year of tenancy and landlords must provide tenants with written notice indicating a rental rate increase at least three months in advance.
Earlier this year the province moved to end fixed-term rental agreements without an automatic transition to a month-to-month agreement following a spurt of complaints alleging landlords were using fixed-term agreements to circumvent rent controls.
Although the practice affected only a small portion of rental scenarios in the province, landlords utilizing fixed-term leases could evict a tenant at the end of the lease or re-rent the apartment to the same tenant at any rate.
New regulations now require fixed-term rental agreements to automatically revert to a month-to-month scenario that ensures any rental rate increases are in-keeping with rent controls and tenants can only be evicted through due process.
The provincial government sets annual maximum rental rate increases at inflation plus two percent. Subsidized housing, where rents are directly related to a tenant's income, is not subject to rental increase laws. C
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