Loophole: Housing advocate calls for elimination of fixed-term leases in Nova Scotia
KJIPUKTUK (Halifax) – David Comeau had the ideal home, across the street from his children’s school, and in his affordability range. The only problem: he was living on a fixed-term lease. Rather than opting to renew, like a year-to-year or month-to-month lease, the landlord is the sole decision maker for lease extensions.
For Comeau, that meant waiting each year in hopes that his landlord would renew his lease. With absolutely no rights to stay after the end date of the fixed-term lease, Comeau’s landlord was under no legal obligation to renew his lease.
The first lease extension was no problem, but after some maintenance requests issued to the landlord resulted in animosity, Comeau said, his request for another lease extension was rejected.
Comeau says he was given a series of excuses including the landlord wanting the unit to be vacant or having a family member needing a place to stay. Ultimately, the unit was rented to someone else entirely.“.. [Read More]