Manitoba rent and deposit checklist for tenants
Use this checklist to identify which Manitoba RTB rules apply before you respond or file a claim.
At the start of the tenancy
- Check the written agreement, initial rent, existing services and whether special housing rules apply.
- Keep a receipt for the security deposit and a signed move-in condition report.
- If a pet deposit is requested, confirm its cap and whether a service-animal exemption applies.
When rent goes up
- Record the effective date and date the notice was received, and check the correct guideline year.
- Check exemptions and possible above-guideline orders before calculating a maximum.
- Compare against the guideline illustration and the notice checklist.
When leaving
- Take photos, complete a condition report and save the forwarding-address communication.
- Track the 14-day no-claim and 28-day written-claim benchmarks.
- If money is withheld, request the itemized claim and check the appropriate Branch process. A tenant normally can ask for a no-fee deposit decision by contacting the Branch within two years of tenancy end; an ordinary compensation claim can have a separate $50 fee.
Worked deposit example
If monthly rent is $1,800, Manitoba's ordinary security deposit cap is generally half a month's rent, or $900. A separate pet damage deposit collected under the post-August 2014 rules may be as high as one month's rent, depending on the tenancy; landlords cannot require a pet damage deposit for a service animal. Tenant-services deposits have different rules. Do not combine these caps or assume every charge is permitted.
What happens to the deposit?
The Manitoba RTB explains that if the landlord has no claim, the deposit should be returned within 14 days of the end of the tenancy. If there is a disagreement about deductions, the Branch's deposit-claim process and other deadlines need separate review. A forwarding-address record, move-in and move-out condition reports, dated photos and receipts are especially useful.
For rent increases, compare the notice against the applicable guideline year, exemptions and any special Branch order. A calculator's general guideline percentage is not proof that a particular rent increase is lawful.