Fixed-Term Lease Rent Increase in Saskatchewan: The Two-Month Notice Process

A fixed-term lease in Saskatchewan locks the rent for the entire term — no exceptions unless the original agreement explicitly stated an increase amount and date. The standard periodic Notice of Rent Increase does not work on a fixed-term tenancy. If you want a higher rent when the lease ends, there's a separate process, a separate form, and a tight two-month window.

During the Term: Rent Is Locked

Section 53.1 of the RTA is clear: a landlord cannot raise rent mid-lease unless the exact dollar amount (or percentage) and the exact effective date were written into the tenancy agreement at signing. A clause that says "rent may increase annually at the landlord's discretion" is not specific enough — the law requires actual numbers.

Without those explicit terms, the rent stays at whatever the tenant signed for until the lease expires. No notice, no negotiation, and no workaround changes that.

At Lease End: The Two-Month Notice of Intention

When the lease is approaching its end date and the landlord wants to offer a renewal at a higher rent, the process is:

1. Serve the Term Lease — Two Month Notice of Intention Form at least 2 full months before the lease expiry date
2. The form states whether the landlord is offering a new fixed-term agreement and, if so, the proposed rent, term length, and any other changed conditions
3. The tenant has 30 days from receipt to accept the new terms in writing or reject the offer and vacate by the end of the current term

If the tenant accepts, a new fixed-term agreement begins at the stated rent. If the tenant declines (or doesn't respond), they're expected to vacate by the end of the current term.

What Happens If Nobody Acts

If no new tenancy agreement is entered into, the fixed term ends on its specified date. A fixed-term tenancy does not automatically convert to month-to-month by operation of law. If the landlord fails to give the required notice, a hearing officer may, on an application, continue the tenancy as periodic or end it.

Once the tenancy is periodic, the standard Section 54 rent increase rules kick in immediately. That means:

• 12 months' written notice (or 6 for SKLA/NPHPS members) before the first periodic increase
• The 18-month first-increase waiting period (or 12 for members) counts from the original tenancy commencement date, not the conversion date

So a landlord who misses the two-month notice window may face a 12-month wait before a periodic increase, subject to the outcome of any application about the missed notice.

Stepped Rent in Fixed-Term Leases

The one scenario where rent can change during a fixed term: stepped increases written into the original agreement. For example, a two-year lease might specify $1,400/month for the first year and $1,500/month for the second, with the increase taking effect on a stated date.

These are valid under Section 53.1 because both the amount and the date are explicit. But they must be negotiated at signing — the landlord cannot add stepped-rent clauses to an existing lease through an amendment.

Note that stepped rent in a periodic (month-to-month) tenancy is void. Pre-agreed escalation clauses only work within fixed-term agreements.

The Form You Need

The Term Lease — Two Month Notice of Intention Form is available through the ORT online portal at saskatchewan.ca/ort. It's distinct from the periodic Notice of Rent Increase forms. The Regulations require the approved form for a fixed-term tenancy notice.

For a complete walkthrough of the fixed-term renewal process and how it connects to the periodic increase rules, see our Saskatchewan Rent Increase Guide.

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