Manitoba Rent Increase Mid-Lease: Can a Landlord Raise Rent During a Fixed Term?

Manitoba landlords often assume rent can only change at lease renewal. That is not quite right — and the actual rule catches people from both directions.

The Rule: 12 Months, Not Lease Expiry

Under Section 118 of the Residential Tenancies Act, subject to its exceptions, rent cannot be increased earlier than 12 months after a unit is first occupied as a rental unit, or more than once in any 12-month period. The notice requirements in Sections 25 to 27 still apply, and an increase does not have to coincide with a lease expiry or renewal date.

A mid-lease increase can take effect if the Section 118 timing rule and notice requirements are met. If a unit was first occupied as a rental unit on April 1, 2025, and no increase has taken effect, the landlord may give notice for an increase effective April 1, 2026 — even if the current lease runs to September 30, 2026.

Lease Expiry Does Not Reset the Clock

The expiration of a fixed-term lease does not grant a fresh right to increase. If rent was last raised on June 1, 2025, the next increase cannot take effect before June 1, 2026 — regardless of whether the lease expires on February 28 or December 31.

At renewal, the landlord must give the tenant a new tenancy agreement at least three months before the fixed term ends. If the renewal includes a proposed rent increase, it must comply with the Section 118 timing rule and the three-month notice requirement.

Automatic Escalation Clauses Are Void

A lease clause alone does not exempt a rent increase from the Act's timing, notice, and amount requirements. The RTB recognizes step leases that state an increase date and rent amount in the tenancy agreement, but the landlord must still give three months' written notice once the amount is known.

A tenant's written consent to an invalid or premature increase does not cure the defect. The consent is void, and any excess rent collected is recoverable by the tenant.

Vacancy Control

When a unit changes tenants, the rules depend on building size:

• 4+ unit complexes: the landlord can set the new rent up to the average rent for comparable units in the same complex. Form 2 (Notice to New Tenant) must be given when entering the new tenancy agreement and sent to the RTB within 14 days. It records the previous, present, and proposed rent and, when Section 132 applies, the average rent for comparable units.
• Fewer than 4 units: the initial rent can be set by market agreement. Once set, it becomes the locked base rent, and the standard 12-month rule and guideline cap apply to every subsequent increase.

A lease assignment or sublet does not allow a rent increase. The replacement tenant steps into the existing contract at the existing rent.

The Manitoba Rent Increase Landlord's Guide walks through the timing for mid-lease increases, renewal increases, and vacancy resets — with a calendar tool that maps the 12-month and three-month windows for any scenario.

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