New Brunswick renting guide
Heat, utilities, and services in New Brunswick
Who pays for heat, power, and water is set by your lease, so get it in writing. Whatever the lease says, a landlord can never cut off essential services to push you out.
Who pays for heat and utilities in a New Brunswick rental?
For tenants
The law does not set a default for who pays utilities, your lease does, so confirm what is included before you sign. A landlord cannot deliberately cut off your heat, water, or electricity, except for a real emergency or to do repairs. There is no province-wide minimum temperature in the Act, some towns set one in a local by-law, so check with your municipality.
For landlords
Spell out in the lease who pays for heat, power, and water. You cannot interfere with the supply of heat, water, or electricity to a tenant, except in an emergency or for necessary repairs. Cutting off services to force a tenant out is illegal.
The key facts
- Who pays utilities
- Set by the lease
- Essential services
- Cannot be cut off
- Minimum heat
- No province-wide rule; check the local by-law
Common questions
Can my landlord shut off my heat or power?
No. A landlord cannot deliberately cut off heat, water, or electricity, except in an emergency or to make repairs. Who pays for them, though, depends on what your lease says.
Sources
This is general information, not legal advice. For a decision on your situation, contact Tenant and Landlord Relations Office (formerly the Residential Tenancies Tribunal).
Have a specific question? Ask the rental assistant for a plain answer with a source.
