New Brunswick Rent Increase Notice Period: The 6-Month Rule Explained

Why Six Months, and Why It Matters

Since June 2023, New Brunswick has required landlords to give tenants six full calendar months of written notice before a rent increase takes effect. This replaced the older, shorter notice periods that some landlords and commercial template services still reference.

The six-month period is uniform across all tenancy types — month-to-month, year-to-year, fixed-term, and even week-to-week. There are no shorter alternatives for any lease structure.

Getting the timing wrong is one of the most common reasons rent increases get challenged. A notice that provides five months and three weeks instead of six full months is deficient, and a Residential Tenancies Officer can set it aside.

How to Count Full Calendar Months

For a notice period expressed in months, the Act treats notice as sufficiently served on the first day of the first month in the notice period. The count is based on calendar months, not the tenant's next rental payment period.

Example 1: You serve the notice on January 15. The six-month clock starts February 1. Count February, March, April, May, June, July — six full months. The earliest effective date is August 1.

Example 2: You serve the notice on August 31. The clock starts September 1. Count September through February — six months. Earliest effective date: March 1.

Example 3: You serve on February 28. The clock starts March 1. Count March through August. Earliest effective date: September 1.

The key rule: notice served mid-month doesn't count that partial month. The first full month is always the one that begins after service.

Deemed Receipt Rules Add Extra Days

How the notice is delivered affects when the clock starts:

Personal delivery is effective immediately. Hand the notice to the tenant on January 10 and the six months start from February 1.

Ordinary mail is deemed served on the third day after mailing under Section 25(5). If you mail the notice on January 10, it is deemed served on January 13, and the six-month notice period can begin February 1. If you mail it on January 29, it is deemed served February 1, so the notice period can also begin that day.

Electronic transmission to the tenant's electronic address given in the lease is permitted under Section 25(1)(c)(ii) and is deemed served on the date sent under Section 25(6).

The 90-Day Myth

Some landlords still believe New Brunswick requires only 90 days' notice. This comes from regulations that were repealed during the 2023 legislative overhaul. The correct period since June 16, 2023, is six full calendar months — roughly 180 days, not 90.

Any template, website, or property management guide citing 90 days or 3 months for a standard residential tenancy in New Brunswick is outdated.

Practical Planning Tips

Build in a buffer. If you want an August 1 effective date, serve the notice no later than January 31 — and preferably in the first half of January, to account for mail delivery time if you're using registered post.

Track the dates. Record the service date, the delivery method, the deemed receipt date (if applicable), and the effective date. If a tenant files a review, you'll need to demonstrate that six full months elapsed.

Remember the default 12-month frequency limit. For tenancies governed by Section 11.1, the six-month notice period can run concurrently with the default 12-month limit. The parties may agree otherwise in writing under Section 11.1(2.01).

The complete notice procedure, including content requirements, service methods, and proof-of-service documentation, is covered in our Rent Increases in New Brunswick guide.

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