New Brunswick renting guide
Accessibility and disability accommodations in New Brunswick
A landlord has a legal duty to accommodate a tenant's disability, up to the point of undue hardship. That can mean a ramp, grab bars, a designated parking spot, or a move to a more suitable unit.
Can I ask for accessibility changes to my New Brunswick rental?
For tenants
Under the Human Rights Act your landlord has to accommodate your disability unless it would cause them real undue hardship, not just cost or inconvenience. That can include a ramp, wider doorways, grab bars, visual alarms, lever door handles, an accessible parking spot, or a move to a better-suited unit, and a service animal must be allowed even with a no-pet rule. Ask in writing, explain what you need and why, and provide a note from a healthcare professional if you have one. As a rule the landlord covers the cost, and only genuine, proven hardship lets them say no. If they refuse a reasonable request, complain to the NB Human Rights Commission at 1-888-471-2233.
For landlords
You have a duty to accommodate a tenant's disability to the point of undue hardship, and the law puts the cost on you unless it would cause severe financial strain or a serious safety risk that you can prove with real evidence. Engage with the request promptly, since delay itself can breach the Act, and if you cannot do exactly what is asked, offer the next-best option. Meeting the building code is not automatically a full defence.
The key facts
- Duty to accommodate
- Up to undue hardship
- Can include
- Ramp, grab bars, accessible parking, unit move
- Who pays
- The landlord, as a rule
- Tenant should
- Ask in writing, with documentation
- Refused unfairly?
- NB Human Rights Commission, 1-888-471-2233
Common questions
I need a grab bar or ramp for my disability. Does my landlord have to allow it?
Yes, as part of the duty to accommodate, unless your landlord can prove real undue hardship. Put the request in writing, explain the need, and include a note from a healthcare provider if you can. As a rule the landlord covers the cost, and only genuine, evidenced hardship lets them refuse.
Can my landlord refuse an accessibility change because of the cost?
Only if the cost is so high it would put them under severe financial strain, which they have to prove with real evidence, not just say it is inconvenient. Mere cost or speculation is not enough. If they refuse a reasonable request, you can complain to the NB Human Rights Commission.
Sources
This is general information, not legal advice. For a decision on your situation, contact Tenant and Landlord Relations Office (formerly the Residential Tenancies Tribunal).
Have a specific question? Ask the rental assistant for a plain answer with a source.
