New Brunswick renting guide
Security deposits in New Brunswick
A security deposit in New Brunswick is capped at one month's rent for most leases. The money is held by the Tenant and Landlord Relations Office, not by your landlord.
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in New Brunswick?
For tenants
Your deposit is capped at one month's rent, or one week's rent for a week-to-week tenancy. You can pay it to your landlord, who must hand it to the Office within 15 days, or pay the Office directly at a Service New Brunswick centre. Either way the Office holds it, not your landlord. Once it has your deposit, the Office mails you a Certificate of Deposit with a tenancy number. If you do not receive one within about four weeks, your landlord may not have sent it in, so contact the Office to check. A landlord cannot take anything out of your deposit without an order from the Office.
For landlords
Collect no more than one month's rent (a week for week-to-week, three months for a mobile-home site). Remit it to the Office within 15 days. After move-out you have seven days to file a claim against the deposit, or it goes back to the tenant.
The key facts
- Maximum deposit
- 1 month's rent (most leases)
- Week-to-week
- 1 week's rent
- Mobile-home site
- 3 months' rent
- Held by
- The Office, not the landlord
- Landlord must remit within
- 15 days
- Your proof
- A Certificate of Deposit, mailed by the Office
Common questions
Who holds my deposit?
The Tenant and Landlord Relations Office holds it, not your landlord. The landlord must remit it within 15 days of receiving it.
How do I know my landlord actually sent in my deposit?
Once the Office has it, it mails you a Certificate of Deposit with a tenancy number. If you have not received one within about four weeks, contact the Office, since it may mean your landlord did not remit it.
Can a landlord keep my deposit for damage?
Not on their own. A landlord cannot deduct from your deposit without an order from the Office, and they have seven days after you move out to file a claim.
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).
Calculate your maximum deposit with our free calculator.
Have a specific question? Ask the rental assistant for a plain answer with a source.
