When renting a room, it can be confusing to fully know what your legal rights are. So, what exactly are your rights when renting a room?
There is the Residential Tenancies Act, but there are also plenty of exceptions to this based on the living arrangement or which province or territory you live in. There was a great report done by the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario in 2016 that can help understand the differences in laws in your province and territory. To understand all the nuances takes time and expertise, but here are some of the key laws to be aware of as a renter.
Does Residential Tenancies Act Apply If I Rent A Room?
The Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) are laws that govern how renters and landlords interact. Many who rent will immediately assume the RTA applies to them, but there are exceptions to this. The following are situations that fall outside the RTA:
- University Residences
- Emergency Shelters
- Hospitals, Care Facilities or Nursing Homes
- Correctional Facilities
- Hotels, Motels
- Instances where the renter shares a bathroom or kitchen with owner or owner’s immediate family (Every province/territory EXCEPT Nova Scotia)
The last point means that, if you rent a room and you share a kitchen or bathroom with the owner, you are NOT protected by the RTA outside of Nova Scotia.
How does Happipad Help Room Renters?
This is undoubtedly something that will scare some of those interested in renting a room. However, Happipad is able to provide support to make the idea of room renting feel much more comfortable.
Happipad generates a contract for a renter and a host to outline the rules, rental cost etc before ever moving in with one another. This helps communicate clearly for both parties exactly what is expected of them, which minimizes any future misunderstandings.
But, say there does come an issue that a renter and host can’t solve themselves. Happipad is able to provide solutions. By being a third party to help moderate and mediate between the two parties, Happiad helps to create a more fair balance of equality between renters and hosts.
Of course, when creating a Happipad account, you have the luxury of creating a profile to help you find a compatible roommate. That process helps minimize conflict in the future, as you have already found someone that you should match well with.
