How long must a landlord keep rent records?
Short answer
The Act sets no retention period. In Newfoundland and Labrador a landlord must keep a complete, up-to-date record of rent and deposits (s.17), and either side may apply to the Director up to one year after the tenancy ends.
The Act does not set a period. Section 17 requires a landlord to maintain a complete and up-to-date record of rent and other money received from a tenant, and of the receipt and disbursement of a security deposit and its interest, identifying the tenant and premises each relates to, and to give a receipt for rent or other money on request. It says nothing about how long the record must be kept. Two points bear on it: a landlord or tenant may apply to the director within one year after the rental agreement ends (s.42(1)), and a claim about rent or a deposit turns on that record. Records may also be needed for other purposes, such as income tax, which have their own rules; ask your accountant about those.
- Where this comes from
- Section 17(1)–(3); Section 42(1), Residential Tenancies Act, 2018 (Newfoundland and Labrador)
- Last reviewed
- Official sources
- Residential Tenancies Act, 2018 (official text)