Tenant Rights & Responsibilities
The Residential Tenancy Branch administers the Life Leases Act.
Their web site sets out its responsibilities as follows:
- Are you a landlord or tenant? Do you know your rights and responsibilities as a landlord or tenant? Do you have a problem you need to solve? We may be able to help.
- The Residential Tenancies Branch administers or is responsible for The Residential Tenancies Act, The Life Leases Act and The Condominium Act in Manitoba.
- Our staff offer presentations on landlord and tenant issues, to community groups, social service agencies, schools and universities. If you'd like someone to come and speak to your group, just call us to arrange a time.
We also investigate, mediate and make decisions on disputes between landlords and tenants over:
- security deposits
- repairs
- the terms and conditions of a tenancy agreement
- notices to move, including notice for non-payment of rent and noise
- privacy
- payment of utility bills
The authority of the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) is not disputed, especially as it pertains to rent increases and other such issues. However, how far that authority goes, or is carried out by the RTB is unclear, both in written form and in practice. Certainly not all disputes between landlords and tenants are considered appropriate for the RTB.
Most of the rights and responsibilities of Tenants are, in practice, determined by the Landlord and/or the Management Company that manages the facility. Many differences exist between the rights and responsibilities of Tenants in different facilities, For example:
- Do tenants have the right to access financial information about the on-going management of the facility?
- Do tenants have the right to participate in Board Meetings? Most Life Lease complexes have a Board of Directors.
- Who is responsible for replacement of flooring, common area furniture, appliances, etc.?
- How are maintenance requirements within individual suites handled and who is responsible for financial expenditures in relation to these requirements.
these are but a few of the issues to understand when entering into a specific Life Lease agreement. One thing of which you can be sure: not all Life Lease agreements are the same! What you hear from one facility may not be the same as what you would hear from another facility. If you are considering a Life Lease, do not be afraid to ask questions. The answers you get will help you decide on the appropriateness of a particular Life Lease for you.
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