Tenant Refuses Entry in Nova Scotia: What a Landlord Can Do

Not if your written notice is proper. The Act lets a landlord enter after notice, and it gives the tenant no right to refuse an entry that was properly noticed. A tenant can still turn away a visit where the notice is missing or has a defect, because the notice is what makes the visit lawful.

Proper notice is set out in Statutory Condition 7 of the Residential Tenancies Act. It must be in writing, state a reasonable purpose, and give the date and time of the visit. The tenant must receive it at least 24 hours, and no more than 30 days, before the day of entry. The visit must fall between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. unless the tenant agrees to a different time.

You deliver the notice by a method the Act allows, or by text message to a phone number the tenant gave you for that purpose. Keep proof of when and how you delivered it.

The tenant-side rules are in our Nova Scotia landlord entry guide. This page is about your next steps when the answer is no. For short answers, see can a tenant refuse entry to a landlord.

Statutory Condition 7A lists the cases where you may come in without written notice. They are narrow, so use them only when they clearly apply.

• Emergency: the entry is necessary to protect life or property.
• Consent at the time: the tenant agrees to the entry when you arrive.
• Earlier consent: the tenant gave consent within the previous 30 days.
• Apparent abandonment: the tenant reasonably appears to have abandoned the unit.

Abandonment does not let you clear the unit. A landlord may not hold or dispose of a tenant's personal property except as the Act or an order allows, and the Act sets its own inventory process for belongings left behind.

One wording trap: the April 2025 Renting Guide still says "24 hours' written notice" and "daylight hours". The Act's Statutory Condition 7, with its 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. window, is the current text, so plan visits inside that window.

1. Pick a reasonable purpose, such as an inspection, a repair, a pest treatment or a showing.
2. Choose a date and a start time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. If the tenant wants another time, get that agreement in writing.
3. Write the notice with the purpose, the date and the time.
4. Deliver it so the tenant receives it at least 24 hours, and no more than 30 days, before the visit.
5. Keep a copy and a note of how and when you delivered it.
6. Arrive at the stated time and do not go beyond the stated purpose.

Repairs and pest treatment follow the same notice rules as any other visit. You have a duty under Statutory Condition 1 to keep the unit in good repair and fit to live in, so you will sometimes need access. A clear written notice is how you get it.

If the tenant has asked you to change the date, agree in writing and issue a fresh notice if the new time falls outside the 30-day window.

When you are selling or re-renting, the Renting Guide says a real estate agent must be allowed in, and the agent may be asked for proof of authorization from the owner. Give the 24 hours' notice and keep to the 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. window.

An open house is different. The guide says a landlord or agent can hold one only with the tenant's consent, so a tenant may refuse it without breaking any rule.

You may keep a key to the unit. Having a key does not give you a right to use it without notice. Locks can only be changed if both the tenant and the landlord agree, and you may not bar the tenant from free access to the unit during the tenancy. See the Ask page on landlord keys for a short answer.

A refused entry feels urgent, but several moves make your position worse.

• Changing the locks. Statutory Condition 8 bars either side from altering the lock or locking system on an entry door during occupancy, except by mutual consent. Section 5A also bars you from keeping a tenant from free access.
• Entering anyway. A visit outside the notice rules is a breach, even if you have a key.
• Moving or holding belongings. Section 5(1) says a landlord shall not hold or dispose of a tenant's personal property except under an order or as otherwise authorized by law.
• Cutting services. Statutory Condition 2 stops you discontinuing a service such as heat, water or power without proper notice of a rent increase or the Director's permission. The Renting Guide adds that heat cannot be turned off even if rent is owed or there is a dispute.
• Retaliating. The Director or the Small Claims Court can set aside a notice to quit given in retaliation against a tenant who is trying to enforce their rights (section 20).

Breaking the Act is an offence with a fine of up to $1,000, and a prosecution needs the Attorney General's consent. The tenant can also apply to the Director for an order that you comply and for compensation. Your own rules for ending a tenancy are covered in how to evict a tenant in Nova Scotia.

1. Ask why and offer another time. Many refusals are about timing. The tenant can agree to a different time, and a written agreement protects you both.
2. Send a fresh written notice that meets every rule above, and keep proof of delivery.
3. Keep a record of each refusal: dates, times, messages and what you said.
4. Apply to the Director if the refusal continues and you believe it breaks the lease or the Act. Use Form J, the Application to Director to resolve a dispute between landlord and tenant, at an Access Nova Scotia centre or online. The fee is $31.15 and may be waived for people on income assistance or the guaranteed income supplement.
5. Serve the tenant with Form J and the Notice of Hearing, and return a Certificate of Service to the Residential Tenancies Program within 7 days of applying.
6. Expect mediation first. The Director must try to mediate. A mediated settlement is binding and cannot be appealed.
7. Prepare for a telephone hearing. Your evidence must reach the other party and the Director at least 5 days before the hearing, and the order comes within 14 days of the hearing.

The Director can order a landlord or tenant to comply with the lease or the Act and not to breach it again, and can order compensation for a loss that results from the breach. Either side has 10 days to appeal to the Small Claims Court. If no one appeals, an order can be made a Small Claims Court order at no charge and enforced like any judgment of that court.

Refusing entry is not listed on its own as a ground for a notice to quit. Whether a particular refusal counts as a breach is for the Director to decide, so avoid serving a notice just to pressure the tenant.

If a refusal blocks an urgent problem that cannot wait for a regular hearing, you can ask for an emergency hearing with Form DR9. It is free, it is only available after Form J is filed and before the other party is served, and review takes 2 to 3 days. For help with the rest of the process, read the Resolving Disputes guide.

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