Renting out property in Nunavut
Nunavut has no rent cap. Rent can rise once every 12 months with three months' written notice. Security deposits of up to one month's rent must be held in trust and earn interest, and no other deposits (including first or last month's rent) may be taken. The Nunavut Rental Office mediates disputes, and the Rental Officer holds hearings and issues orders.
Rent increases
- Rent control
- No rent control: no limit on the amount of an increase
- How often
- Not until 12 months after the last increase took effect (or after rent was first charged for new premises)
- Written notice
- Written notice at least three months before the increase. The tenant may treat the notice as a termination effective the day before the increase. Subsidized public housing is excluded.
Security deposits
- Maximum
- One month's rent (one week's rent for weekly tenancies). For non-weekly tenancies the tenant may pay 50% at the start and the rest within three months.
- Who holds it
- The landlord, in trust and separate from the landlord's money, either invested as the Trustee Act directs or in a trust account at a bank in Nunavut
- Interest
- Credited annually at the Bank of Canada 30-day deposit receipt rate in effect on January 1, up to the date the tenant leaves
- Returning it
- Within 10 days after the tenant vacates or abandons the unit, return the deposit with interest and an itemized statement. If withholding, notify the tenant and a Rental Officer within 10 days; if repair costs are not yet known, give estimates and a final statement within 30 days.
- Pet deposits
- Not provided for. The Act bars landlords from taking any deposit beyond the security deposit.
Other essentials in Nunavut
- Entry: written notice at least 24 hours before the first entry, stating the purpose and days and hours. Entry only between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. No notice is needed in an emergency, with the tenant's consent at the time, or if the unit appears abandoned.
- Condition and contents document: sign one with the tenant at the start of the tenancy and give them a signed copy.
- Written agreements: give the tenant a copy signed by both parties within 60 days. Any added terms must be consistent with the Act.
- Own use, sale or major renovation: requires a Rental Officer order, ending the tenancy no earlier than 90 days after the application.
- Applications must generally be made within six months, and orders can be appealed to the Nunavut Court of Justice within 14 days.
How Propvara helps NU landlords
- Record each deposit and the trust account holding it in tenancies and deposits, with alerts for any deposit that has no holder recorded.
- Track housing agency subsidies with agency and tenant portions that change over time.
- Timestamped photos and history on each repair case give the Rental Officer clear evidence.
- A tenant portal with large text and family viewer consent, plus notice-of-entry scheduling that notifies tenants.Coming soon
Nunavut landlord questions
Is there rent control in Nunavut?
No. Rent can rise once every 12 months with at least three months' written notice, and there is no cap on the amount.
Can I ask for first and last month's rent?
No. The only deposit allowed is a security deposit of up to one month's rent.
What interest is owed on deposits?
Interest is credited annually at the Bank of Canada 30-day deposit receipt rate in effect on January 1 of that year.
How long do I have to return a deposit?
10 days after the tenant leaves, with an itemized statement. If you are withholding money, notify both the tenant and a Rental Officer within that time.
Official sources
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the Nunavut Rental Office (Rental Officer) or a lawyer before acting.
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