Laws govern renting your condo

Article from Volume 12, Issue Number 1, 2025

By Kirsten Bishop | Other articles by Kirsten Bishop | Feature

How do condominium owners ensure they are doing the right thing if they want to rent out a unit they own? The Condominium Act of Manitoba speaks to this very clearly.

Unit owners can choose to rent out their unit. Condo corporation declarations and bylaws cannot stop unit owners from doing this. There are, however, requirements for doing so.

A unit owner may be required to pay a levy, with a maximum amount of $1,500. Check your declaration to see if it contains a clause with respect to a Leasing Levy, then check the bylaws to see if it specifies an amount.

The corporation may take action if unit owners or tenants are not following its declaration, bylaws and rules. This action may include redirecting rent if the unit owner has arrears; notices of contravention; notice of termination; and eviction.

When unit owners rent out their units, they become a landlord, and their relationship with their renter is governed by the Residential Tenancies Act.

The unit owner is required to advise the tenant in writing that the rental unit is a unit in a property governed by The Condominium Act. If this does not happen, the tenant is entitled to occupy the unit for at least two years from the date the unit owner provides the required written notice to the tenant.

The unit owner must provide the tenant with documents, including declaration, bylaws, and rules at the time of entering the lease and must also provide copies of any amendments to the tenant within 21 days of receiving the same. The corporation must provide the tenant with documents upon written request and may charge a reasonable fee to provide the same.

Unit owners must notify the corporation in writing within 30 days of entering a tenancy agreement, including the tenant’s name, unit owner’s address, and, if the unit owner is not managing the unit, the name of the unit owner’s representative. The corporation also needs to be notified when the tenancy agreement has ended.

While this is not governed by The Condominium Act, the unit owner should hold a damage deposit for the rented unit and decide whether the tenant will be required to have tenants’ insurance, including a provision for the corporation’s insurance deductible if the tenant is found to be negligent in causing damage beyond the unit. Speak to your insurance provider to learn more about coverage available and recommended.

Tenants must live up to responsibilities and tenancy agreement and follow the declaration, bylaws and rules.

The corporation may fine a unit owner when a bylaw or rule is broken if this provision is included in the bylaws. A unit owner can appeal a fine by filing a notice of appeal with the director of the Residential Tenancies Branch.

If you are renting out your unit or thinking about it, I encourage you to visit the link below. The site contains more detailed information and references to sections of the Condominium Act, Condominium Regulations and The Residential Tenancies Act.

Province of Manitoba | The Condominium Act & Information

To learn more about the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants in Manitoba or to access forms and fact sheets for landlords or tenants, visit the Residential Tenancies Branch website at www.manitoba.ca/rtb, or call the branch toll free at 1-800-782-8403.

Kirsten Bishop has more than 30 years experience in the property management business, is an individual member of CCI Manitoba and is on its board of directors.

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