My landlord threw away all my belongings, what can I do?

In Alberta, a landlord may never physically remove a tenant who stays after a notice, or the tenant's belongings, without a civil enforcement agency acting on an order. The offences carry a fine of up to $5,000, and changing the locks to keep you out while you still live there is one of them. If you really left, the landlord may dispose of items it reasonably believes are worth under $2,000, and must otherwise store them for 30 days after abandonment before a public auction. The Act does not define abandonment; the government's handbook lists signs such as unpaid rent, uncollected mail and disconnected utilities, and says a tenant who is simply away for a while has not abandoned. We found no rule requiring notice to the tenant before disposal.

To claim compensation, apply to the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS), which accepts claims up to $100,000 (the fee is $75 for claims of $7,500 or less and $150 above that), or to the Alberta Court of Justice.

In BC, a landlord cannot take possession of your unit without a writ of possession carried out by a court bailiff, and an illegal eviction can bring a penalty of up to $5,000 plus repayment of your costs. The rules for belongings changed on April 9, 2025 (Residential Tenancy Regulation, sections 30.1 to 30.95). The Residential Tenancy Branch treats a unit as abandoned when the tenant leaves without notice, has said they do not plan to return, or has moved out all their possessions. The landlord must store the property safely for at least 30 days and keep an inventory and disposal records for 2 years.

You can reclaim your property by paying reasonable removal and storage costs and any other amounts owed, and the landlord must tell you on request what happened to it. Medical equipment, framed or personal photographs and items you identified in writing as having personal value must be stored for the full 30 days. To claim compensation, apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch for dispute resolution (the fee is $100, and a fee waiver is possible for hardship).

In Manitoba, a landlord who changes a lock to push a tenant out, or who seizes a tenant's property, can face an administrative penalty from the Residential Tenancies Branch: $1,000 for the first, $3,000 for the second and $5,000 for the third or later. A landlord cannot hold belongings for unpaid rent or damages, and seizing property for rent is banned. A landlord who substantially complies with the abandoned-property rules is not liable, so the way the landlord handled the items matters.

If the unit really was abandoned, the landlord must make an inventory and store the belongings for at least 60 days before selling or disposing of them as the director directs. Items with no monetary value, or that are unsanitary or unsafe to store, can be disposed of sooner. Contact the Residential Tenancies Branch to make a complaint or an application.

In Saskatchewan, a landlord must not seize your property or block your access to it, except under a court or Office of Residential Tenancies order or the abandoned-goods rules. A tenant who is locked out without justification can be awarded punitive damages. The abandoned-goods rules apply only where the unit was vacated or abandoned. For belongings the landlord reasonably estimates at $1,500 or less no order is needed, but the landlord must make reasonable efforts to find you and be satisfied that you cannot be found or have not made reasonable arrangements for the goods. For belongings worth more, the landlord needs a Property Disposition Order.

A landlord who disposes of goods improperly is liable. We found no minimum storage period and no required written notice to the tenant, so apply to the Office of Residential Tenancies promptly and ask about your claim.

In Ontario, only the Sheriff can enforce an eviction, and changing the locks without giving you a key is illegal. A tenant who is not behind on rent has not abandoned the unit. Where a unit really was abandoned, the landlord needs a Landlord and Tenant Board order or must give notice of its intention to dispose of the property to both you and the Board. Unsafe or unhygienic items can be disposed of at once, and the rest can be sold, kept or disposed of once 30 days have passed. If you say within those 30 days that you will remove the property, the landlord must make it available, though it may first require payment of arrears and reasonable moving and storage costs. After a Sheriff eviction the landlord must wait 72 hours and make the property available between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

If you are locked out, you can apply to the Board; for harassment or interference the limit is one year after the conduct. Offences under the Act carry fines of up to $100,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a corporation.

In New Brunswick, a landlord cannot withhold a tenant's belongings and can dispose of them only with a residential tenancies officer's decision. The government says the landlord must release your belongings to you even if money is owing. Disposing of belongings in a way the Act does not allow, or blocking you from getting them, is an offence with a fine of $240 to $5,200.

If your things were wrongly disposed of, you can apply to a residential tenancies officer at the Tenant and Landlord Relations Office for compensation within three months after the belongings were left on the premises. That is a short deadline, so apply promptly.

In Nova Scotia, a landlord may not hold or dispose of a tenant's property except under a Director's order (section 5(1)), and may not bar a tenant from access to the home (section 5A). Both are offences, with a fine of up to $1,000 on summary conviction. For belongings left behind, the landlord files an inventory with the Director and sends you a copy, and disposal is allowed only after 30 days and with the Director's authorization (property that is unsafe to store, or that has no monetary value, can be dealt with sooner).

The government's Ending a Tenancy guide warns that a landlord who disposes of property against the rules risks being liable to the tenant for its value. You can apply to the Director of Residential Tenancies (the fee is $31.15).

In PEI, a landlord cannot seize a tenant's property or interfere with access to it, and cannot seize abandoned property to cover unpaid rent. A tenant is considered to have abandoned a unit only if they have moved out, the tenancy was not properly ended, and rent is overdue. Left-behind property must be stored safely for at least one month unless the Director orders a shorter period, and the landlord may sell it only on the Director's terms. You can reclaim it within that month by paying reasonable removal and storage costs. Money from a sale is held in trust by the Director.

A tenant application to the Rental Office can be made during the tenancy or within six months after it ends.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, a landlord cannot take a tenant's belongings to make up for a contravention such as unpaid rent, and a landlord may not keep or sell belongings to cover unpaid rent. A unit is abandoned only if the tenant has moved out, the tenancy was not properly ended and rent is overdue; late rent alone is not enough, and a tenant who is in hospital, in jail or on a long holiday has not abandoned. The landlord must post a notice at least 24 hours before entering, and cannot enter if you say the unit is not abandoned.

Belongings must be stored for at least 30 days from the day they go into storage. A sale or disposal needs the director's permission, except for items that are obviously garbage. You can reclaim your things within the 30 days by paying removal and storage costs. Apply to the Residential Tenancies Office if your things were disposed of improperly.