Nunavut Landlord-Tenant Laws: Complete Guide for Property Owners

Nunavut's landlord-tenant laws are governed primarily by the Residential Tenancies Act, RSNWT (Nu) 1988, c R-5 (inherited upon the territory's creation on 1 April 1999), which sets out the rights and responsibilities of both property owners and renters in the territory. Understanding these regulations is essential for running a compliant and successful rental business in Nunavut.

Key Nunavut Rental Laws at a Glance

Security Deposits

In Nunavut, landlords may charge a security deposit of up to one month's rent. Tenants have the unique option to pay half of this deposit upfront and the remaining half within three months of moving in. If pets are allowed, landlords can charge an additional pet deposit of up to 50% of a month's rent for new tenants.

Landlords must hold the deposit in trust, pay interest on it at the prescribed rate, and return it within 10 days of the end of the tenancy along with an itemized list of any deductions. If an estimate is provided within 10 days, a final statement and any balance must be provided within 30 days.

For more detail, see our Security DepositsPreview unavailable guide.

Rent Increases

Nunavut does not have a formal rent control policy capping the amount rent can be increased. However, the Residential Tenancies Act heavily regulates the process:

• Rent can only be increased once every 12 months.
• Landlords must provide at least 3 months' written notice before the increase takes effect.
• The first rent increase cannot occur until 12 months after the tenancy begins.

For more detail, see our Rent IncreasesPreview unavailable guide.

Eviction Procedures

Evicting a tenant in Nunavut requires strict adherence to legal notice periods:

• Non-payment of Rent: If rent remains unpaid for 10 days, a landlord may serve a notice to terminate the tenancy effective at least 10 days after the notice is given. Alternatively, if rent is 5 days late, the landlord may apply directly to the Rental Officer for a termination order.
• Breach of Lease: For breaches of statutory conditions, the landlord must first provide written notice to remedy the breach within a reasonable time. If uncorrected, the landlord can apply to the Rental Officer for an order terminating the tenancy (s. 38).

Note that only a Sheriff, authorized by the Rental Officer or the courts, can forcibly remove a tenant.

For more detail, see our Eviction ProcessPreview unavailable guide.

Required Disclosures

While Nunavut may not have as exhaustive a list of specific disclosures as some other jurisdictions, the lease agreement itself must clearly outline the terms, the legal name and address of the landlord, and explicitly detail any rules or additional charges.

For more detail, see our Required DisclosuresPreview unavailable guide.

Maintenance and Habitability

Under the Residential Tenancies Act, landlords have a fundamental duty to provide and maintain the rental premises in a good state of repair, fit for habitation, and complying with all health, safety, and housing standards. This duty applies even if the tenant knew of the lack of repair before entering into the tenancy agreement.

For more detail, see our Maintenance ObligationsPreview unavailable guide.

Lease Agreements

A tenancy agreement in Nunavut can be written, oral, or implied, but standard terms defined by the Act apply to all. It is highly recommended to use clear, written agreements that specify rent, deposit terms, utility responsibilities, and any other rules that do not conflict with the Act.

For more detail, see our Lease RequirementsPreview unavailable guide.

Late Fees

The Residential Tenancies Act and its Regulations strictly limit late fees. Landlords cannot unilaterally charge late fees unless authorized by a Rental Officer. The statutory penalty is $5.00 for the first day and $1.00 for each additional day the rent remains unpaid, up to a maximum of $65.00 per instance.

For more detail, see our Late FeesPreview unavailable guide.

Getting Started with Compliance

Managing a rental property in Nunavut requires careful attention to the Residential Tenancies Act. Landager helps property owners automate lease management, ensure accurate rent increase notices, and securely track deposit accounting.

How Landager Helps

Operating a rental property in Nunavut requires navigating a distinct regulatory environment under the Nunavut Rental Office. From adhering to the unique rule that allows tenants to pay security deposits across three months, to calculating heavily restricted late payment penalties that demand an official Rental Officer order, manual compliance tracking is error-prone. Landager’s platform fully automates these localized schedules. We instantly track partial deposit payments, flag the legally required 12-month spacing for rent increases, and enforce the mandatory three-month notice period before rent jumps take effect. By storing rigorous documentation of property conditions and notices, Landager ensures that you have perfectly organized evidence ready for any fast-tracked rental hearing, keeping your portfolio compliant, organized, and out of the territorial courts.

Explore more Nunavut compliance topics:

• Security DepositsPreview unavailable
• Eviction ProcessPreview unavailable
• Required DisclosuresPreview unavailable
• Rent IncreasesPreview unavailable
• Lease RequirementsPreview unavailable
• Maintenance ObligationsPreview unavailable
• Late FeesPreview unavailable