My tenant has not paid the rent this month. Can I change the locks?
You
cannot change the locks without giving notice to the tenant. Doing
so is an offence under the Residential Tenancies Act for
which you can be fined. Changing the locks might also be viewed
as an eviction of the tenant without going through the proper procedures.
If
your tenant has not paid rent this month, you can apply to court
to either end the tenancy or to recover the unpaid rent. Alternatively,
you can serve him with a notice to pay within 14 days or the tenancy
is ended. If you serve the 14-day notice on the tenant, the notice
must state that if the rent is paid within the 14-day period, the
notice will have no effect.
WARNING:
The contents of these FAQs are intended as general legal information
only.
If
you have a personal problem, please consult a lawyer.
March
2006
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