Landlord Notice to End a Tenancy in Manitoba
Which notice fits which reason, how long it must be, and how it differs for fixed terms.
Last updated: October 2026
Short answer
In Manitoba the notice depends on the reason: unpaid rent once rent is 3 days late, a written warning then one rental payment period for cause, and 1 to 5 months for own use, sale or renovation. The notice goes on the prescribed form, and the Residential Tenancies Branch (RTB) rules on disputes.
Which notice applies in Manitoba
A Manitoba tenancy can be ended by a landlord only in the ways Part 6 of the Residential Tenancies Act allows, and the notice must be in the prescribed form. You cannot end a tenancy just because the fixed term is over. The right notice depends on the reason: unpaid rent, cause, or one of the no-fault reasons (your own use or family use, a buyer who will live there, demolition, renovation or change of use).
Tenants read their side of the same rules in the Manitoba ending a tenancy guide. If the notice has run out and the tenant stays, move on to the landlord eviction guide for Manitoba.
Manitoba notice periods by reason
| Reason | Notice period |
|---|---|
| Unpaid rent | Notice may be given once rent is 3 days late. The tenant can avoid termination by paying in full by the date on the notice. |
| Cause, after a written warning | At least one rental payment period, effective on the last day of a rental payment period |
| Serious cause (health or safety risk, extraordinary damage, extraordinary disturbance) | Effective not earlier than 5 days after the notice is given |
| You, your spouse, parent or adult child will live there | Vacancy rate under 2%: 5 months. From 2% to 2.9%: 4 months. 3% or higher: 3 months. |
| Demolition, renovation needing vacant possession, change of use | Same scale: 5, 4 or 3 months by vacancy rate |
| A buyer who will live there (periodic tenancy) | 1 month if the vacancy rate is 3% or higher, 3 months if under 3% |
| A buyer who will live there (fixed term) | 3 months |
The scales come from the Residential Tenancies Regulation. The RTB's fact sheet on landlord use explains them in plain language.
Unpaid rent and cause: when you can act quickly
Unpaid rent. When the tenant has not paid within 3 days after the due date, you may give a notice terminating the tenancy. It must tell the tenant they can dispute it. Accepting the full amount owing waives the notice unless you confirm in writing at that time that you still treat the agreement as terminated. Accepting part of it does not waive the notice unless you tell the tenant in writing they may stay. A bounced security deposit cheque has its own five-day written notice. The detail is in the Manitoba guide for tenants not paying rent.
Cause. For most breaches you must first give the tenant a written warning to correct the problem within a reasonable time. If it is not corrected, you may give notice of at least one rental payment period, ending on the last day of a rental payment period. For serious problems, notice can take effect not earlier than 5 days after it is given. These include a significant risk to health or safety, extraordinary damage and extraordinary disturbance. Drug trafficking and the unlawful sale of cannabis are treated as safety risks. Unlawful activity is a ground too, after a written warning or on 5 days' notice if it posed a significant risk or substantially interfered, and a conviction is not needed. The RTB's fact sheet on other notices covers cause in detail.
Own use, sale and renovation notices in Manitoba
No-fault notices require good faith. You must truly intend to use the unit for the stated purpose.
- Own or family use. You, your spouse, a parent or an adult child intends to occupy the unit.
- Sale. A buyer who intends to occupy the unit requests the notice.
- Demolition, renovation or change of use. Demolition within 6 months, renovation so extensive that vacant possession is necessary, conversion to a non-residential use within 6 months, or conversion to a housing co-op.
Moving expenses. You must pay the tenant's reasonable moving expenses to new accommodation, up to a maximum of $500.
School year. In some of these cases a tenant living with a school-age child cannot be required to leave before the end of the school year, which runs from September 1 to June 30. Read section 99 of the Act before you choose a date.
After renovation. A tenant who asks in writing before moving out, and keeps you informed of their address, has a right of first refusal to rent the unit at the lowest rent charged to any other tenant for it. Denying that right can draw an administrative penalty.
If you do not follow through. If you do not use the unit for the stated purpose within the required time, the RTB can order you to compensate the tenant for reasonable additional expenses, and that can include higher rent for up to 12 months. For a related Ask page, see when a landlord wants to move back in.
Fixed term versus periodic tenancies in Manitoba
Fixed term tenancies are protected. For no-fault reasons (own use, sale, renovation), the termination is not effective before the end date. For unpaid rent or cause, notice can be given during the term.
At the end of a written fixed term, the landlord must give the tenant a new tenancy agreement at least 3 months before the end date, for the same term and with the same benefits and obligations, subject to a lawful rent increase. The tenant must sign and return it at least 2 months before the end date, or the tenancy ends on the end date. 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. So you cannot simply decline to renew. The tenancy ends at the end of the term only if it was ended under Part 6, or the tenant does not sign and return the renewal in time.
An oral fixed term is deemed renewed for the same term or 12 months, whichever is less. For a periodic tenancy, the notice length is the one in the table, applied in full rental payment periods where the table says so. If you are raising the rent at the same time, see the Manitoba rent increase guide for landlords.
Serving the notice and what happens next
Use the prescribed form for the reason you are relying on and keep a copy. The sources reviewed for this guide do not set out service rules in detail. If you cannot serve the tenant in the usual way, you can ask the RTB to approve substitutional service, and the regulation sets that fee at $20.
The tenant has no form to file and no deadline to dispute your notice. They dispute it by staying and contesting it at the hearing after you apply for an order of possession. The RTB will not grant an order of possession if the notice is not valid, so check the ground, the form and the period before you apply.
For general guidance, the Ask pages explain how much notice a landlord has to give. The RTB's landlord guide lists the forms.
This guide explains the rules in general terms; for a specific case, ask the tribunal or a licensed legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much notice does a Manitoba landlord have to give to end a tenancy?
It depends on the reason. Unpaid rent: a notice may be given once rent is 3 days late. Cause: a written warning, then at least one rental payment period. Own use or renovation: 3, 4 or 5 months by vacancy rate. A buyer who will occupy: 1 month or 3 months for a periodic tenancy, and 3 months for a fixed term.
Can I end a fixed-term tenancy early to move in myself?
No. For no-fault reasons the termination is not effective before the end date of the fixed term.
Do I have to pay the tenant anything if I give a no-fault notice?
Yes. You must pay the tenant's reasonable moving expenses to new accommodation, up to a maximum of $500.
Do I need to warn the tenant before giving notice for cause?
In most cases yes. You must first give a written warning telling the tenant to correct the problem within a reasonable time. For very serious problems, such as a threat to health or safety, notice can take effect 5 days after it is given without a warning.
Can I refuse to renew a fixed-term lease in Manitoba?
Not without a ground. You must offer a renewal at least 3 months before the end date unless the tenancy has been terminated under the Act. If you fail to and the tenant stays, the agreement is deemed renewed for the same term or 12 months, whichever is less.
What if my buyer wants to live in the unit?
A buyer who intends to occupy the unit can request the notice. For a periodic tenancy the period is 1 month if the vacancy rate is 3% or higher and 3 months if under 3%. For a fixed term it is 3 months.
Can a tenant in Manitoba dispute my notice?
Yes. There is no form or deadline for the tenant. They dispute it by staying and contesting it at the RTB hearing that follows your application for an order of possession.
Is there a winter restriction on ending a tenancy in Manitoba?
The Act has no winter restriction. The only seasonal rule found is the school-year protection, from September 1 to June 30, for a tenant living with a school-age child under certain no-fault notices.
Sources
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