Repairs & Maintenance in a Nova Scotia Rental

Nova Scotia's Residential Tenancies Act requires a landlord to keep the rental property in a good state of repair and fit for habitation, and to comply with health, safety, and housing standards required by law. This covers things like a working heating system, safe electrical wiring, and a building free of significant pest infestation.

Put repair requests in writing (email or text is fine) and keep a copy, noting the date and the issue. This creates a record if the repair is delayed and you need to escalate. Give the landlord a reasonable amount of time to respond given the severity of the issue -- an emergency like no heat in winter demands much faster action than a cosmetic issue.

If a landlord doesn't make a needed repair within a reasonable time, a tenant can apply to the Residential Tenancies Program for an order requiring the repair, and in some cases for compensation. A tenant should not simply stop paying rent to force a repair -- that risks the tenant's own standing in a dispute, and rent withholding isn't a legally protected remedy in Nova Scotia the way it is in some other provinces.