Raising Rent in Manitoba

Three things decide whether a Manitoba rent increase is lawful: the amount, the notice and the timing. Rent can go up by no more than the guideline unless the unit is exempt or the RTB has approved a larger increase. You must give written notice at least 3 months before the increase takes effect. And the rent cannot be increased more than once in any 12-month period.

The rules are in Part 9 of the Residential Tenancies Act. The RTB sets out the yearly figure on its rent increase guideline page.

Tenants see the same rules in the Manitoba rent increases guide. For a quick answer to a common question, see the Ask page on how much a landlord can increase rent.

As an illustration, 1.8% of $1,200 a month is $21.60, so the highest rent under that figure is $1,221.60. At 3.0%, the increase on $1,200 is $36, for $1,236. Confirm the figure on the RTB page before you serve a notice, because it is set each year.

The guideline does not apply to every unit. Exempt units include:

• units renting for $1,670 or more per month in 2026, and $2,000 or more per month from 2027;
• units in buildings first occupied after March 2005, where the exemption is time-limited (the province's news release says 20 years); and
• various types of social housing.

Exempt units still need 3 months' written notice.

1. Check the 12-month rule. Rent cannot be increased earlier than 12 months after the unit is first occupied as a rental unit, or more than once in any 12-month period.
2. Work out the amount. Stay within the guideline unless your unit is exempt.
3. Prepare the written notice. Use the RTB's Notice of Increase in Rent form. The RTB's landlord guide says you can use your own form if it has all the same information.
4. Give it at least 3 months before the effective date. Count from the day the tenant receives it, and set an effective date that leaves a full 3 months.
5. Keep a copy and a record of how and when you delivered it.

A notice that is short, late or missing information puts the whole increase at risk. When in doubt, serve a fresh notice with a later effective date instead of defending a weak one.

A fixed term does not switch the rules off. The 3-month notice rule and the once-in-12-months rule apply to every tenancy. For a fixed-term agreement, treat any increase as subject to the same notice and 12-month rules.

At the end of a written fixed term you must give the tenant a new tenancy agreement at least 3 months before the end date. It must be for the same term, with the same benefits and obligations, subject only to a rent increase that complies with Part 9. A different term or different conditions are allowed only if both sides agreed to them. If you fail to offer a renewal and the tenant stays, the agreement is deemed renewed for the same term or 12 months, whichever is less.

A tenant who signs a fixed-term agreement that raises the rent above the maximum permitted by the regulations may terminate the tenancy. The Act sets that tenant's notice at two full rental payment periods. Because a renewal is also the usual time to raise rent, line up the renewal offer and the rent increase notice together. See the Manitoba landlord guide to ending a tenancy for the rest of the fixed-term rules.

A landlord who wants to increase rent by more than the maximum permitted by the regulations must apply to the RTB director for an order permitting the increase. You may not simply serve a notice for a larger amount. The RTB explains the process on its above-guideline application page. Check the current RTB fee schedule for the application cost before you file.

For tenants asking whether a landlord can raise the rent at any time, the short answer is in the Ask page on raising the rent anytime.

• Too little notice. The written notice must be given at least 3 months before the effective date.
• Not in writing. A text or a conversation is not the written notice the Act requires.
• Too soon. Rent cannot be increased more than once in any 12-month period, or earlier than 12 months after the unit is first occupied as a rental unit.
• Over the guideline without an order. Above-guideline increases need an RTB order unless the unit is exempt.

A sale of the building does not by itself create a new start. The 12-month rule is written around the rent charged for the unit, not the owner, so a new owner takes over the existing rent and the same increase rules. Check with the RTB if you are in this position.

There is one separate case. When a landlord lawfully regains possession of a unit, the rent for the next tenant can be reset. In a complex of 3 rental units or fewer, you may set the rent. In a complex of 4 or more units, the new rent must be not more than the average of the rents for similar units in the complex, and a tenant may apply to the RTB within 30 days.

This guide explains the rules in general terms; for a specific case, ask the tribunal or a licensed legal professional.