Can I withhold rent from my landlord?

No. Alberta tenants cannot hold back rent because they believe the landlord is not meeting their obligations, and repair costs cannot come off the rent unless the landlord agrees or the RTDRS or a court orders it. The one exception in the Act: if the landlord has not given you a copy of the signed lease (due within 21 days), you may withhold rent until it is served.

For repairs, ask in writing, then contact Alberta Health Services Environmental Public Health; inspectors do not reveal who complained. You can apply to the RTDRS or a court for a rent reduction, compensation for doing the landlord's work, damages or an end to the tenancy. If the landlord does not obey a public health order, you can end the tenancy on 14 days' notice, and a landlord cannot evict you for using your rights.

Not on your own decision: rent is due even if the landlord is breaking the Act, unless the Act gives you a right to deduct. You can deduct an illegal rent increase, a deposit overpayment, emergency repair costs the landlord did not repay, or an amount the landlord agreed to in writing.

Emergency repairs cover major leaks, damaged or blocked water or sewer pipes or plumbing fixtures, the primary heating system, defective locks and the electrical system. Call the landlord's emergency contact at least twice and allow reasonable time, then you may have the repair done and give the landlord a written account with receipts. For other problems, apply to the RTB, which can order repairs, reduce rent or order rent paid to the director in trust; urgent safety and security repairs can get an expedited hearing.

No. The Residential Tenancies Branch says a tenant should not hold back rent over repairs. Rent is suspended only while a provincial or municipal authority's order requires you to leave because the unit fails health, building or maintenance standards.

Ask the landlord in writing, then file a Tenant's Request for Repairs with the Branch, which can order the repairs by a set date. If the landlord ignores the order, the Branch can hire a contractor and have you send your rent to the Branch to pay for it; send money to the Branch only when it asks. You can also claim compensation for an unreasonable delay ($50 filing fee), which can be set off against your rent.

No. Rent is due even if the landlord breaks the Act or the lease, and the standard conditions tell tenants to apply to the Office of Residential Tenancies instead of withholding. The only deduction the Act spells out is getting back a deposit overpayment, and there is no right to repair and deduct, even for emergencies. Your duty to pay is suspended if the landlord did not give you a copy of the written agreement.

Apply to the ORT ($50). A hearing officer can order the landlord to comply, order your rent paid to the director and used to fix the problem, award damages, or reduce rent where a service or facility was cut. The Act also protects tenants against a notice given because of a good-faith complaint to a municipality about health or safety standards.

No. The Landlord and Tenant Board says a tenant should not withhold rent for repairs and could be evicted for doing so. Ask the landlord in writing, then file a T6 (Tenant Application about Maintenance) within one year, and with it use the Request to Pay Rent to the Board form. Rent paid into the Board is not a default.

The Board can order repairs, reduce rent, approve a repair you made and have the landlord pay for it, cover your out-of-pocket costs, stop rent increases until the work is done or end the tenancy. The only statutory right to withhold is about the lease: if the landlord does not give you the Ontario standard lease within 21 days of your written request, you may withhold up to one month's rent, and you keep it if the landlord still has not complied 30 days after the first withheld payment.

No. The Act gives tenants no right to stop paying or to deduct repair costs. Serve the landlord a dated and signed written notice of the complaint and allow 7 days, then notify a residential tenancies officer in writing. For an emergency, such as losing heat, water or electricity, you can go straight to the officer.

The officer can order the landlord to comply and, if the landlord still does not, do the work and have tenants pay rent to the officer, who pays for the repairs and sends the rest to the landlord. Rent paid to the officer this way cannot be used against you as non-payment. If you were not given a copy of the Standard Form of Lease, you can pay rent to the officer until the landlord complies.

No. Nova Scotia's guide says tenants cannot withhold rent to push the landlord to make repairs. Apply to the Director of Residential Tenancies on Form J ($31.15, which can be waived). The Director can order the repair, compensation for your loss, or that your rent be paid in trust to the Director until the landlord does what the law requires.

For an urgent problem, you can request an emergency hearing on Form DR9 after filing Form J and before serving the landlord; it is free and the review takes 2 to 3 days. If you were never given a signed lease and a copy of the Act, you can apply to pay your rent in trust to the Director until you get them.

No. The Rental Office says a tenant who withholds rent for any reason may be served a Form 4(A) eviction notice and evicted. Apply on Form 2(A) for failure to repair; the Director can order the landlord to do the work, reduce past or future rent, award compensation you can offset against future rent, or have you pay rent to the Director.

Emergency repairs (leaks, plumbing, the heating system, damaged stairs or entrances, locks or the electrical system) have their own process. Make reasonable attempts to reach the landlord's emergency contact and allow reasonable time; then you may have the repair done. The landlord must repay you within 7 days of a written claim with receipts, and if not, you apply to the Director.

Only in one case: if the landlord did not give you a copy of the signed agreement (or the written notice for an oral agreement) within 10 days, your duty to pay is suspended until the landlord does, and you then pay the withheld rent. Holding back rent over repairs is not allowed and exposes you to a notice for unpaid rent.

Serve a Tenant's Request for Repairs with a date, allow reasonable time, then apply to the Residential Tenancies Office ($20). Your rent must be paid up to date or the application will not be accepted. The Office can order the repairs, a rent reduction until they are done, a rebate for costs or loss of use, rent paid to the Office in trust, or compensation you can offset against future rent.