New Brunswick renting guide
Eviction and ending a tenancy in New Brunswick
A landlord cannot evict you on their own, and lockouts are illegal. Since 2022 a landlord needs a real reason to end a tenancy without cause, and unpaid rent has its own faster timeline.
How do evictions and ending a tenancy work in New Brunswick?
For tenants
If a landlord changes the locks or removes your things without going through the process, that is illegal. To end a tenancy without cause, a landlord now needs a specific reason and has to state it in the notice: that the landlord or close family will move in for at least three months, that the place will be used for something other than housing, or that there will be a major renovation, which needs an officer's approval first. When a landlord ends your tenancy for one of these reasons, you can ask an officer to review that notice within 15 days. Unpaid rent works differently. You get a Notice to Vacate, and paying everything you owe within seven days cancels it, otherwise the move-out date must be at least 15 days away. For unpaid rent there is no separate form you file by a deadline. The landlord cannot evict you on their own, they have to apply for an eviction order and an officer investigates, which is where you explain your side and show any proof of payment.
For landlords
Self-help eviction is not allowed. To end a tenancy without cause you need one of the grounds in the Act and must state it in the notice: you or close family occupying the unit for at least three months, a change of use, or a major renovation, which needs an officer's approval before you serve the notice. The amount of notice goes by the tenancy type, not the reason: at least one month for month-to-month, three months for year-to-year, and one week for week-to-week. The tenant can ask an officer to review the notice within 15 days. For a tenant breach, you serve a Notice of Complaint, then a residential tenancies officer can step in and issue a Notice to Quit. For unpaid rent, a Notice to Vacate gives the tenant seven days to pay before a move-out date that is at least 15 days out.
The key facts
- Eviction requires
- The proper process, never a lockout
- No-cause ending
- Needs a stated reason (since 2022)
- Unpaid rent
- 7 days to pay, then a 15-day notice
- Landlord notice to end
- By tenancy type: 1 month, 3 months, or 1 week
- Review a with-reason notice
- Ask an officer within 15 days (not for non-payment)
Common questions
Can my landlord just kick me out?
No. A lockout or removing your belongings is illegal. A landlord has to follow the process, and to end a tenancy without cause they now need a specific reason and must state it in the notice.
What happens if I am late on rent?
Your landlord can serve a Notice to Vacate. If you pay everything you owe within seven days, it is cancelled. Otherwise you have to move out by the date on the notice, which must be at least 15 days away.
How do I dispute a non-payment eviction notice?
There is no separate form to file by a deadline. A landlord cannot evict you on their own for unpaid rent. They have to apply for an eviction order, and a residential tenancies officer investigates, which is where you explain your side and show any proof of payment. Paying everything you owe within seven days of the notice also cancels it. The 15-day review window applies to notices given for a reason like a landlord move-in, not to non-payment.
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).
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