Selling a Rented Property in Manitoba

Selling a rented home or building does not cancel the tenancy. Under The Residential Tenancies Act, the word "landlord" includes the owner's heirs, assigns, personal representatives and successors in title. When the landlord changes, all benefits and obligations under the Act, and any extra ones in a written tenancy agreement, bind the new landlord (s. 40).

The same rule covers the death of a landlord. The tenancy carries on, and the owner's heirs or personal representatives step into the landlord's position. The Act has no separate section on a landlord's death beyond that definition.

In practice this means a buyer who wants a vacant property cannot assume the tenant will leave at closing. The tenant has the same rights after the sale as before it. A fixed-term tenant can stay to the end of the term, and a month-to-month tenant stays unless a valid notice is given.

The buyer takes the lease as it stands. That includes the rent, the term, any extra written terms and the house rules the tenant was given. Written tenancy terms that go beyond the Act bind the new landlord (s. 40). See the Manitoba lease agreements guide for how those terms work.

Rent. The Act says the rent charged for a rental unit cannot be raised earlier than 12 months after the unit is first occupied as a rental, or more than once in any 12-month period (s. 118(1)). That rule attaches to the rent charged for the unit, not to the owner. So a sale on its own does not restart the clock or open a new right to raise rent. An increase after a sale follows the normal notice and guideline rules. Your rent increase guide covers those.

Deposit. A new landlord is liable to pay a tenant any deposit and interest the former landlord did not pay (s. 52(3)). A landlord who takes a deposit must hold it under the Act or send it to the director (s. 30(1)). The research for this guide did not find a rule on how a held deposit is handed from seller to buyer at closing, so settle that in your sale paperwork. The tenant's right to the deposit and interest does not depend on it. Interest is set by regulation at 0.5% per year, and the RTB's 2026 table also shows 0.5%.

The new landlord must give the tenant written notice of the change, in the prescribed form (s. 51(1)). Until the tenant receives that notice, the tenant can keep paying rent to the old landlord without prejudice (s. 51(4)). That protects a tenant who has not heard about the sale. It also means a buyer who skips the notice may find rent still going to you.

1. Agree with your buyer who will send the notice and when. The duty is on the new landlord.
2. Use the prescribed form. The research did not find a form number, so get the current form from the Residential Tenancies Branch (RTB) website.
3. Give the tenant the new landlord's name, address and phone number. A landlord must give this information in writing when first entering a tenancy agreement, or post it in a conspicuous place in the complex (s. 13).
4. Tell the tenant where to pay rent from then on.

If rent keeps arriving at your address after closing, deal with it in your sale paperwork rather than leaving it to the tenant to sort out.

The Act allows one no-fault notice route tied to a sale: the purchaser intends to occupy the unit and requests the notice (s. 98(1)(a)). The notice must be in the prescribed form (s. 84(1)). The notice period depends on the tenancy type and, for periodic tenancies, on the vacancy rate (Reg 71/2010 s. 12).

The older RTB fact sheet only mentions the three-month case for sales. The regulation is more detailed, so check which row fits before you set a date. The RTB fact sheet also says a landlord who gives a no-fault notice must pay the tenant's reasonable moving costs up to $500. The regulation caps moving expenses a landlord is liable for under the Act at $500 (Reg 71/2010 s. 17).

If the tenant does not leave by the notice date, you cannot remove them yourself. The landlord applies to the RTB for an order of possession. The filing fee is $60. The RTB will not grant possession on an invalid notice. See ending a tenancy in Manitoba and how much notice a landlord must give.

You may enter to show the unit or complex to prospective purchasers, but only after giving written notice (s. 54(1)(f)). The notice must state the purpose of entry and the time or times, which must be reasonable. It must be given at least 24 hours and no more than 2 weeks before entry (s. 54(3)). The Act sets no clock hours.

The tenant can object to the days and hours and propose reasonable alternatives. If they do, you can no longer rely on the original times (s. 54(4)). So the tenant can push back on timing, but cannot simply refuse. No notice is needed in an emergency or when the tenant agrees to the entry.

Showing the unit to prospective tenants is a separate ground. It is allowed after a notice of termination has been given and before the tenant leaves (s. 54(1)(c)). It does not apply to a sale. More detail is in the Manitoba landlord entry guide and when landlords may enter.

• End the tenancy only because you are selling. A sale alone is not a ground. The route in the Act is the purchaser-occupancy notice above.
• Cut a fixed term short. A tenancy may not be ended except as the Act allows (s. 80(1)). A no-fault notice cannot take effect before a fixed term ends.
• Change the locks or remove belongings to move a tenant out. Unless the tenant has vacated or abandoned the unit, you can only regain possession through a writ of possession (s. 80(2)). A lock change is also barred by s. 53(2).
• Ask the tenant to waive their rights. An agreement that waives or restricts the Act is void (s. 6(1)). A "move out at closing" clause signed in advance does not change that.

Penalties can follow lock changes, unlawful entry and seizing property. Administrative penalties are $1,000 for the first, $3,000 for the second and $5,000 for the third or later (Reg 71/2010 s. 9(2)), capped at $5,000. A tenant who disputes your notice does so at the RTB hearing. This guide explains the rules in general terms; for a specific case, ask the tribunal or a licensed legal professional.