A new residential landlord and tenant bill was tabled this month in the Yukon legislature.
During a public review this summer, more than 200 Yukoners provided online and written input, demonstrating overwhelming support for the principles that have been included in the bill.
“The Yukon government is pleased to put forward modern residential tenancy legislation that reflects best practices from across the country and balances the interests of both landlords and tenants in a fair and measured approach,” says Community Services Minister Elaine Taylor.
The proposed legislation does not contain rent controls or caps, but does limit rent increases to once per year.
Landlords will be able to charge security deposits, capped at one month’s rent, and tenants will not be allowed to apply those deposit funds to last month’s rent.
Move-in and move-out condition reports will be required, and must be performed as a condition for dispute resolution concerning security deposits.
Additionally, the bill requires that tenancy agreements be in writing.
A key provision of the bill is the establishment of a new Residential Tenancies Office that will administer the legislation, provide public information and support to clients, hear and settle disputes outside of the courts, and have the ability to make binding decisions on those disputes.
The new office will also lead the development of minimum rental standards, such as the requirement for carbon monoxide and smoke detectors in all rental units. These regulations will be developed with input from Yukoners in the coming months.
Pending approval, the new act will come into force in 2013, once the associated regulations have been developed and approved.
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Disclaimer: The information provided in this post in not intended to be construed as legal advice, nor should it be considered a substitute for obtaining individual legal counsel or consulting your local, state, federal or provincial tenancy laws.
