Province Announces Rent Guideline for 2008
Manitoba News Release
September 5, 2007
Finance Minister Greg Selinger announced today the 2008 guideline
for rent increases has been set at two per cent effective Jan. 1.
"The guideline is determined annually and takes into account cost
increases including utilities, property taxes, maintenance and
other expenses in the operation of a residential complex,"
Selinger said.
The guideline applies to most residential rental properties
including apartments, single rooms, houses and duplexes. The
guideline does not apply to:
· rental units renting for
$1,070 or more per month as of Dec. 31, 2007;
· personal-care homes;
· non-profit housing with
subsidized rent;
· approved rehabilitated rental
units; and
· new buildings that are:
- less than 15 years old, where an
occupancy permit was
first issued or a unit first occupied after April 9, 2001, or;
- less than 20 years old, where an
occupancy permit was
first issued or a unit first occupied after March 7, 2005.
Landlords can apply for an increase above the guideline if they
can show the guideline will not cover cost increases they have
incurred. Tenants can object to any rent increase, whether it is
at, below or above the guideline, by writing to the Residential
Tenancies Branch at least 60 days before the date of the rent
increase.
Tenants must receive written notice of a rent increase at least
three months before the increase takes effect. For example, for a
rent increase to take effect Jan. 1, 2008, tenants must receive
notice by Sept. 30, 2007. With few exceptions, rent can only be
increased once a year.
Selinger noted that, recently, there has been a significant
increase in new rental construction in Winnipeg. In the past five
and a half years (2002 to June 2007) there have been 2,545 new
starts of various forms of rental housing in Winnipeg. This is
more than the number (1,244) of rental starts that occurred in
Winnipeg over the entire previous 10 years (1992 to 2001).
The minister also noted that, in recent years, landlords have
been making capital improvements and rehabilitations to many
rental properties. From 2001 to June 2007, landlords have
rehabilitated over 4,000 units and reinvested more than $160
million into rental stock.
Landlords and tenants can contact the branch to find out more
about rent increases and other rights and
responsibilities. Information is available on the website at
http://www.manitoba.ca/rtb
or by calling 945-2476 in Winnipeg or
toll-free 1-800-782-8403.