Release:

The Halifax Regional Municipality is advising residents that, under the recently passed By-law R-400, Respecting Registration of Residential Rental Properties, property owners must register their rental properties on halifax.ca/rentalregistry by April 1, 2024.

Rental properties include large and small apartment buildings, income properties, single room occupancies, secondary and backyard suites and short-term rentals.

The Residential Rental Registry will provide the municipality with a clearer picture of the rental landscape in the Halifax region. Currently, the accuracy and detail of available building information is limited. A complete record of rental properties is expected to provide significant benefits for residents occupying these buildings, by enhancing the municipality’s ability to provide services where needed. Over time, the registry will help the municipality proactively identify maintenance issues, reduce complaints and non-compliance, and improve the safety and overall living conditions for renters across the region.

The Residential Rental Registry process includes:

1.    Registration: rental property owners to complete an online form to register their property(ies) by April 1, 2024 (there is no application fee)

2.    Review: municipal staff to review the registration and contact the applicant if further information is required

3.    Confirmation: municipality to provide registration number to rental property owner

After April 1, 2024, owners of any unregistered rental properties may face fines of up to $10,000.

It is important to note that registration of a rental property under By-law R-400 is not a permit to run a rental property and does not confirm legal use of the property.

In addition, By-law R-400 requires rental property owners to have, and keep current, a maintenance plan for their rental property(ies). A maintenance plan includes a list of all elements of the rental housing that are regulated by By-law M-200, Respecting Standards for Residential Occupancies, noting scheduled repairs and replacements. A maintenance plan template is provided online at: halifax.ca/rentalregistry

For further information, please visit: halifax.ca/rentalregistry