PEI Form 4A vs Form 4B Eviction Notice: Which Form Do You Need?
Why PEI Has Two Eviction Notice Forms
Before the Residential Tenancy Act took effect on April 8, 2023, PEI landlords used a single notice form. The new law split eviction notices into Form 4A and Form 4B, each tied to different grounds and giving tenants different dispute windows. Using a form that does not match the ground can create a validity issue, but the Director decides whether a notice is valid and may set aside or amend one that does not comply with the Act.
The forms are grouped by the grounds and response periods printed on them: Form 4A gives tenants 10 days to dispute and covers non-payment, cause, and end-of-employment grounds; Form 4B gives tenants one month to dispute and covers personal use, purchaser use, demolition, conversion, renovations, and loss of subsidy eligibility.
Form 4A — Eviction Notice (Tenant Has 10 Days to Dispute)
Use Form 4A for non-payment, the cause grounds in Section 61, or an end-of-employment ground under Section 66:
Non-payment of rent (Section 60): The tenant hasn't paid rent on the due date. Minimum 20-day notice. The tenant can void the notice by paying all arrears within 10 days of receiving it.
Cause — damage, disturbance, or illegal activity (Section 61): The tenant or a person they permitted on the property has significantly interfered with or unreasonably disturbed others, seriously jeopardized health or safety, put the landlord's property at significant risk, engaged in qualifying illegal activity, or caused unreasonable damage. Minimum 1-month notice, effective the day before rent is payable. You'll need documented evidence: incident logs, written warnings, police reports, photos.
Other Section 61 grounds: Repeated late rent payment, unreasonable occupancy, and failure to pay the security deposit within 10 days after it is due.
End of employment (Section 66): The tenancy was provided for the employment term and that employment has ended. The notice period is at least one month and cannot end before the last day of employment.
The defining feature of Form 4A is the 10-day dispute window — tenants have 10 days from receiving the notice to file Form 2A with the Rental Office.
Form 4B — Eviction Notice (Tenant Has 1 Month to Dispute)
Use Form 4B for personal-use, purchaser-use, demolition, conversion, renovation, or subsidy grounds:
Landlord or family personal use (Section 62): You or a qualifying family member genuinely intends to occupy the unit. 4-month notice.
Purchaser personal use (Section 63): A buyer under a binding purchase agreement needs the unit for themselves or family. 2 months for the purchaser, 4 months for their family. Requires a sworn purchaser affidavit.
Demolition or conversion (Section 64): You're permanently demolishing the building or converting it to non-residential use. 6-month notice (12 months for mobile homes).
Major renovations (Section 64, with Form 6): Renovations so extensive the unit must be vacant. You must get Director approval via Form 6 before serving Form 4B. 6-month notice.
Loss of subsidy eligibility: The tenant no longer qualifies for subsidized housing criteria. 4-month notice.
Form 4B carries a 1-month dispute window. For the personal-use, purchaser-use, demolition, conversion, and renovation grounds, the landlord must provide the compensation set by the Act or another acceptable unit where permitted; loss of subsidy eligibility does not trigger that compensation.
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Quick Reference
| Your Situation | Form | Minimum Notice | Dispute Window | Compensation? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rent unpaid | 4A | 20 days | 10 days | No |
| Damage or disturbance | 4A | 1 month | 10 days | No |
| End of employment | 4A | 1 month and not before employment ends | 10 days | No |
| You or family moving in | 4B | 4 months | 1 month | Yes |
| Buyer moving in | 4B | 2 or 4 months | 1 month | Yes |
| Demolition or conversion | 4B | 6 months | 1 month | Yes |
| Major renovations | 4B | 6 months | 1 month | Yes |
| Loss of subsidy eligibility | 4B | 4 months | 1 month | No |
Common Mistakes
The biggest error is using a form that does not match the statutory ground. The Director can determine whether a notice is valid and may set aside or amend a notice that does not comply with the Act. Form 4B lists a one-month dispute window, but it is not the approved form for non-payment under Section 60.
Another trap: using old forms from the repealed Rental of Residential Property Act. The Rental Office website still hosts archived legacy forms. Use the current forms listed under Rental Forms at peirentaloffice.ca.
Getting the Form Right
Our Ending a Tenancy in PEI guide includes a ground-to-form decision matrix that walks you from your specific situation directly to the correct form, notice period, and dispute timeline — so there's no guesswork when you're filling out the paperwork.
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Download the Prince Edward Island Ending a Tenancy Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.