Houston government must protect renters, close fixed-term lease loophole

HALIFAX –Today, NDP MLA for Halifax Citadel-Sable Island Lisa Lachance called on the Minister for Residential Tenancies to close the fixed-term lease loophole and protect renters across Nova Scotia. Residents at The Scotian apartment building in Halifax have been without power since August 27 and are worried they’ll lose their homes if they complain about unsafe living conditions because many are on fixed-term leases.

“No one in Nova Scotia should feel so powerless that they’re forced to stay quiet in unsafe living conditions. Renters I’ve spoken to are scared to speak up because they don’t have protection under the law on a fixed-term lease,” said Lachance. “The Houston government has created an environment where renters are forced to pay sky-high rents with little recourse when they’re left without power for weeks. The Minister must act now to help these tenants and ensure renters across Nova Scotia are protected.”

While the minister has said that they’ll “fast-track” complaints, tenants are still worried about what that will mean when their lease is up. The Houston government must close the fixed-term lease loophole, create real rent control, and establish a residential tenancies enforcement unit so that renters have options to resolve issues quickly.

“I’ve been at the building speaking with residents and they cannot believe this has been allowed to go on,” said Lachance. “It should not be possible in Nova Scotia for renters to be treated this way. They need help now.”

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