What landlord harassment can look like
Harassment is not limited to one type of behaviour. A pattern of conduct may be especially important, but a single serious incident can also require prompt action. Examples may include:
- Repeated calls, messages, or visits that are unwanted and unreasonable.
- Entering your rental unit without proper notice or a lawful reason, except where an emergency applies.
- Threats of illegal eviction, retaliation, discrimination, or loss of services because you raised a legitimate concern.
- Withholding essential repairs or services to pressure you to move out.
- Insults, intimidation, or conduct that interferes substantially with your reasonable enjoyment of the home.
Protections under Northwest Territories tenancy law
The Residential Tenancies Act sets out the rights and duties of landlords and tenants in the Northwest Territories.[1] It addresses matters such as entry, maintenance, rent, notices, termination, and dispute resolution. A landlord generally must follow the Act and the rental agreement rather than using threats, repeated pressure, or self-help measures to force a tenant out.
Tenants should also understand their own responsibilities. Paying rent when due, following reasonable tenancy rules, reporting repairs clearly, and avoiding damage can help separate a legitimate tenancy dispute from harassment. The guide to Obligations of Landlords and Tenants: Rights, Responsibilities, and Best Practices provides broader information about those shared responsibilities.
Privacy, entry, and reasonable enjoyment
Landlords may have lawful reasons to enter, such as repairs, inspections, or showing the unit, but entry requirements and notice rules matter. Keep records of entry notices, actual visits, the reason given, and whether the timing appeared reasonable. If you are unsure whether an entry was lawful, ask the Rental Officer for information before refusing access or changing locks.
Repairs, health, and safety
Harassment can overlap with unsafe or poorly maintained housing. Report repair concerns in writing and give the landlord a reasonable opportunity to respond, unless there is an urgent danger. Keep copies of messages and photographs. For related guidance, see Health and Safety Issues Every Tenant Should Know When Renting.
What to do if a landlord is harassing you
1. Make a clear record
Start a dated incident log. Record what happened, who was present, how the landlord contacted you, and whether there were witnesses. Save emails, texts, letters, notices, photographs, videos, rent receipts, and repair requests in a secure place. Do not secretly record conversations unless you understand the applicable privacy rules and risks.
- Write the date, time, location, people involved, and exact words used when possible.
- Keep copies of entry notices, termination notices, receipts, and repair communications.
- Tell a trusted person about serious incidents and identify potential witnesses.
2. Communicate in writing
Use a calm written message to describe the conduct, explain the effect on your tenancy, and state what you want to stop or change. Keep the message focused on facts. If direct communication feels unsafe, consider communicating through a representative or another safe method.
3. Protect your position as a tenant
Continue meeting your legal obligations unless an official decision or qualified adviser tells you otherwise. Do not withhold rent, abandon the unit, or ignore a notice simply because the landlord has behaved badly. Those actions can create a separate dispute. If you receive a notice, check its date, reason, and deadline promptly.
For practical help with a difficult rental dispute, you can also review How to Handle Complaints in Your Rental: A Tenant's Guide. If you are looking for a different home because the situation cannot be resolved, Explore Houseme for nationwide rental listings may help you compare available rental options.
Reporting harassment to the NWT Rental Officer
The NWT Rental Officer is the official dispute-resolution body for residential tenancy matters in the territory.[2] The Rental Officer may be able to address issues within the Residential Tenancies Act, including disputes about tenancy rights, obligations, rent, repairs, notices, and interference with a tenant's use of a home. The process is not a substitute for police assistance where there is violence, stalking, or an immediate threat.
Application to a Rental Officer
The official Application to a Rental Officer is used when you want the Rental Officer to decide a residential tenancy dispute; the current government page does not identify a form number. For example, a tenant could use it to ask for a remedy after documenting repeated unlawful entries or conduct that interferes with the tenancy. Read the instructions, provide the tenancy agreement and supporting records, and follow the service and response directions on the official forms page.[3]
Responding to an application or notice
If your landlord starts a Rental Officer matter, read the application carefully and respond by the stated deadline. Organize your evidence in date order and identify the outcome you want, such as an order addressing conduct, repairs, or another tenancy issue. Attend any scheduled hearing or conference and tell the Rental Officer if you need an accommodation or cannot safely communicate with the other party.
When harassment may involve discrimination or threats
Harassment connected to a protected personal characteristic may raise a separate human rights concern. Threats, assault, stalking, property damage, or forced entry may also be criminal or emergency matters. Keep tenancy evidence, but prioritize personal safety and contact the police or an emergency service when appropriate. A tenant-support worker or legal clinic may help you decide which process fits the conduct.
- Call emergency services if you face immediate danger or violence.
- Preserve threatening messages, photographs, witness details, and medical or incident records.
- Ask an official support service which agency can address the specific problem.
FAQ
- What counts as landlord harassment in the Northwest Territories?
- Harassment may include repeated unwanted contact, threats, intimidation, discriminatory conduct, improper entry, or other unreasonable behaviour that interferes with your tenancy.
- Can my landlord enter my rental unit whenever they want?
- No. Landlord entry is subject to the Residential Tenancies Act, the rental agreement, notice requirements, lawful reasons, and emergency exceptions.
- Should I stop paying rent if my landlord harasses me?
- Usually, you should not stop paying rent without specific legal advice or an official order because non-payment can create a separate tenancy dispute.
- Where can I file a residential tenancy complaint in the NWT?
- The NWT Rental Officer handles residential tenancy disputes and provides the official application and process information.
- What evidence should I collect?
- Keep a dated incident log, messages, notices, photographs, videos, receipts, repair requests, witness details, and other records connected to the conduct.
How-To
- Record each incident with its date, time, location, people involved, and exact words used when possible.
- Send a calm written message describing the conduct and the change you want.
- Gather your rental agreement, notices, communications, receipts, photographs, and witness information.
- Review the Application to a Rental Officer and official instructions before filing.
- Attend the Rental Officer process and respond to deadlines, requests, and scheduled hearings.
Help and Support / Resources
- NWT Rental Officer for residential tenancy information and dispute resolution.
- NWT Rental Officer forms for applications and process instructions.
- Northwest Territories Residential Tenancies Act for the governing tenancy rules.
