New online process aims to settle N.S. rental disputes

The Province of Nova Scotia is hoping to streamline the process of returning rental security deposits.

Right now, both tenants and landlords complete the same form when the rental provider wants to keep some or all of the deposit or when the tenant doesn’t get back what they feel is a fair amount. This then goes to a hearing.

Soon, both parties will have their own forms and a hearing won’t be needed to make a decision.

“We’re quite confident that this will make a big difference in the lives of tenants because anything that helps tenants is a step in the right direction,” says Lisa Hayhurst, chair of the Dartmouth chapter of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN).

Kevin Russell, executive director of the Investment Property Owners Association of Nova Scotia is looking forward to the changes, but he’s taking a wait-and-see approach.

“Anything that’s introduced that could help speed up the process and it’s fair and it’s balanced between the landlord and tenant is a good initiative,” Russell says. “Like anything, we have to see the execution of it and see how it unfolds and it lives up to the expectations of what they told us it would be.”

Russell says a security deposit in Nova Scotia is half-a-month’s rent, which is the lowest in Canada.

The rule is an apartment must be left in the same condition when a tenant moves out as it was when they moved in.

“I would say it’s one of the highest conflicts that exist between tenants and rental housing providers,” he says.

Marcus Wells recently found himself in this situation.

“I paid my security deposit and I kept my room clean and I kept my place clean and they just wrote a bunch of stuff when we left like cleaning fee this, damage fee that and they took more than half of my security deposit. I think my security deposit was $350-$400 and I got about $100 back,” Wells says.

Under this new initiative from the province, Wells would have had an easier route to possibly get more of his deposit back.

The new online forms are available starting Aug. 1.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.