Key Licence Requirements for Landlords
- Maintain adequate insurance (minimum $2M liability).
- Follow occupancy limits and only provide rooms for sleeping if they have been approved under a building permit.
- Provide legal parking only (no parking on grass, roadways, walkways or unapproved areas).
- Maintain the property, including lawn care, snow removal and waste storage.
- Provide tenants with fire safety instructions, emergency contact information, parking rules and waste guidelines.
Key Fire Safety Requirements
- Install and maintain smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms as required.
- Test smoke and CO alarms regularly, including after tenant changeover.
- Ensure fire doors self-close and latch properly.
- Keep exits, fire doors and exit signs (where required) clear and unobstructed.
- Keep signs and emergency lighting operational during power outages,
as required.
- Maintain clear space around heating equipment and do not use mechanical rooms and furnaces for storage.
- Use approved fire-rated materials where required to maintain fire separations. Do not use household foams or sealants.
- Tenants must not disable or tamper with fire safety equipment and must report concerns, including non-working alarms to the landlord promptly.
Compliance & Enforcement
Operating without a licence or having an unregistered ARU is a serious offence that poses risks to tenants and the community. Non-compliance can prevent obtaining or renewing a licence, meaning the property cannot legally be rented.
- Unregistered ARU: minimum $1,000 fine
- Non-compliant licence: minimum $750 fine
- Fire Safety Inspection Orders: starting at $3,000
- Building Code Act offences: up to $50,000+