Week-to-Week Tenancy Notice in Newfoundland: Periods, Forms, and Process

Week-to-week tenancies in Newfoundland and Labrador follow the same statutory framework as monthly and fixed-term agreements, but the notice periods are shorter across the board. Any premises rented for less than one week is automatically classified as a week-to-week rental agreement under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2018.

Standard Termination (Section 18)

A landlord ending a week-to-week tenancy without alleging fault uses Form RT-2018-00039 (Landlord's Notice to Terminate — Standard). The required notice period is not less than 4 weeks before the end of a rental period.

The "end of a rental period" is key. If rent is paid weekly starting on Mondays, the termination date must fall on a Sunday (the last day of a weekly rental period). The notice must be given no later than the first day of a rental period, and early enough that 4 full weeks elapse before that termination date.

Rent Arrears (Section 19)

For week-to-week tenancies, the rent must be overdue for at least 3 days before the landlord can serve a termination notice. Once that threshold is met, the notice must give at least 3 clear days before the termination date. The form is RT-2018-00040 (Landlord's Notice to Terminate Early — Cause), citing section 19.

The tenant can void the notice by paying the full arrears plus any applicable late fees before the termination date. This cure right does not apply when the landlord has given the tenant more than two such notices in a 12-month period.

Material Breach (Section 20)

The two-step process applies to weekly tenancies just as it does to monthly ones:

1. Serve a written breach notice giving the tenant a reasonable time to remedy the issue.
2. If unresolved, serve Form RT-2018-00040 citing section 20. The termination date must be the last day of a rental period, and the notice must be given no later than the first day of a rental period. It must be given at least 7 days before the end of the period for week-to-week tenancies, or one month before the end for monthly and fixed-term tenancies.

Faster Cause-Based Grounds

Sections 21, 22, and 24 apply to all tenancy types with the same notice periods regardless of whether the agreement is weekly, monthly, or fixed-term:

• Section 21 (uninhabitability): Immediate termination if the tenant's action or failure to act makes the premises unfit for habitation.
• Section 22 (damage/cleanliness): At least 5 clear days, after the preliminary notice to comply.
• Section 24 (peaceful enjoyment): At least 5 clear days.

Security Deposit Cap

For week-to-week tenancies, the maximum security deposit is two weeks' rent, compared to three-quarters of one month's rent for monthly or fixed-term agreements. The 10-day return deadline after vacating applies equally.

Practical Notes

Week-to-week tenancies are common in Newfoundland and Labrador for furnished units, rooms in shared houses, and short-term accommodations that do not qualify as hotel-style transient lodging (which is exempt from the Act). The shorter notice periods mean the process moves faster, but the same rules apply: prescribed forms only, proper service under section 35, clear-days counting, and an application to the Residential Tenancies Tribunal if the tenant stays.

The Ending a Tenancy in Newfoundland and Labrador guide covers all three tenancy types with notice-period tables, date calculators, and service worksheets.

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