Tenant advocates are hoping to make further reforms as New Brunswick’s three per cent rent cap takes effect this Saturday.
Nichola Taylor, the chair of NB ACORN, expressed relief at the upcoming implementation of the rent cap, highlighting the hardships many tenants have faced due to steep rent increases in recent years.
“It is a sense of relief and a breath of fresh air that we finally have this rent cap in place,” Taylor said.
RELATED: 3% rent cap in N.B. takes effect on Feb. 1
However, Taylor explained the rent cap is just the beginning, and more needs to be done to address various issues tenants continue to encounter.
She said NB ACORN is troubled by the widespread use of fixed-term leases, which they argue can be exploited by landlords to bypass rent control measures.
Taylor stated that while fixed-term leases may benefit short-term tenants like students, they pose significant challenges for long-term renters.
The organization is advocating for a ban on fixed-term leases in most cases.
The chair of NB ACORN added the need to close loopholes in the rent control system, particularly concerning the renovation ban.
“Landlords must prove that substantial renovations are necessary, meaning tenants cannot live there during the work. Cosmetic renovations should not qualify,” she said.
Taylor pointed out that the current system is reactive rather than proactive, allowing landlords to exploit it.
The group is also advocating for anti-tenant harassment legislation, standardized leases, and the creation of a tenant-landlord relations office to ensure fair treatment and compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA).
Taylor highlighted the need for a rental registry to track rents across the province and move towards a vacancy control system.
“We want to create a province-wide standardized lease that ensures that clauses in rental agreements as well as fees are following the RTA,” she said.
The chair of NB ACORN and her team aim to maintain close collaboration with the Liberal government to ensure tenants’ voices are heard and key reforms are implemented.
“We would like to sit down with them and discuss our recommendations because the [RTA] has been in place since the 1970s,” Taylor said.
“There have been updates to it, but it’s not reflecting the times that we’re living in.”
She expressed optimism to keep working with Housing Minister David Hickey, who has shown to listen to tenant concerns and seek balanced solutions.
NB ACORN is rallying in Moncton and Fredericton on Friday to celebrate the return of rent control laws and to petition the government for further changes to the RTA.
