NWT Rental Officer Application and Hearing Process for Landlords

The Rental Officer Is the NWT's Tenancy Tribunal

The NWT Rental Office operates under the Department of Justice in Yellowknife. Rental Officers — appointed by the Minister of Justice — function as an independent quasi-judicial tribunal with authority to investigate disputes, hold hearings, issue binding orders, terminate tenancies, and grant eviction orders.

For most tenancy termination grounds (non-payment, damage, personal use, demolition), this is the only lawful route. Written notice can end a tenancy without a Rental Officer termination order only under the specific single-residence or subsidized public housing provisions in sections 51 and 52.

How to File an Application

Step 1: Complete the form. Use the official Application to a Rental Officer — Landlord (the current edition, form NWT9489/0326, from the GNWT Justice portal). Do not use forms from other provinces.

Step 2: Prepare your evidence package. For a paper filing, GNWT instructions call for three copies of the form and supporting documents; the current form also allows secure-file submission. Include:

• Signed application form
• Copy of the tenancy agreement
• Entry and exit inspection reports
• Rent ledger or payment records
• Photographs, repair invoices, or disturbance logs (depending on your ground)
• Warning letters previously sent to the tenant
• Affidavit of Service for any notices already served

Step 3: Pay the $100 filing fee. Payment options:

• In-person at GNWT Financial Shared Services offices (Yellowknife, Hay River, Inuvik, Fort Smith, Fort Simpson, or Norman Wells)
• Phone credit card: 867-767-9174 ext. 15208
• e-Transfer to the Government of Northwest Territories

Step 4: Submit. Deliver the complete package to the Rental Office in Yellowknife by mail (PO Box 1920, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2P4), in person, or via the GNWT Secure File Transfer portal. The $100 filing fee must also be paid.

The Six-Month Filing Window

Under section 68(1), an application must generally be filed within six months after the breach or the situation referred to in the application arose. Under section 68(3), the Rental Officer may extend that time, even after it has expired, if the Rental Officer considers an extension not unfair.

What Happens at the Hearing

The landlord must serve the filed application package on the respondent and return the completed Proof of Service of Documents to the Rental Office no later than five business days before the hearing. The Rental Office reports that three-way teleconference is the default hearing method; in-person hearings are scheduled in limited cases.

Come prepared to present your facts clearly. The Rental Officer hears both sides, asks questions, and may request additional documentation. If the tenant fails to attend after proper service, the Rental Officer can proceed in their absence under section 80(2).

After the hearing, the Rental Officer issues a written Reasons for Decision and Order — a formal binding decision that may:

• Order the tenant to pay arrears on a schedule
• Set a conditional termination date
• Order immediate termination and eviction
• Dismiss the application if the evidence is insufficient

Appeals

Either party can appeal a Rental Officer's order to the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories under section 87. Filing an appeal does not itself stay the order; under section 88, a judge of the Supreme Court may order a stay. Section 86(1) allows the order to be filed with the Clerk only after the appeal period has expired and no appeal has been made.

Orders Carry Supreme Court Weight

Once registered with the Supreme Court, a Rental Officer's order has the same enforceability as a court order. This is what makes the Sheriff's Office available for physical enforcement if the tenant refuses to comply.

For a complete walkthrough of every filing step, evidence checklist, and the post-order enforcement pipeline, see our NWT ending a tenancy guide.

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