Hitchhiker's guide to landlord and tenant law, part 1

Abstract

The residential tenancy contract is more than an ordinary contract because the landlord gives the tenant an exclusive estate in the land; that is,the tenant is given exclusive rights, advantages, duties, and responsibilities relating to the residence. The residential tenancy, then, is governed by the Residential Tenancies Act.

C. Withholding Rent for Non-Delivery of Copy of the Lease If there is a written agreement, the landlord must give a copy of it to the tenant within 21 days of receiving it, signed, back from the tenant. Until the tenant gets the copy, s/he can withhold or defer the rent payment. It is not a rent-free period.

D. Agreements Implied by the Act The Act implies certain agreements between the landlord and tenant in every residential tenancy, whether mentioned or not. Landlord's Implied Covenants: