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Minimum Housing and Health Standards for Landlords

Minimum Housing and Health Standards are the basic requirements landlords must follow for the upkeep of a rental property. The standards are enforced by Alberta Health Services, Environmental Public Health. Before diving into the weeds of housing and health standards, it’s important to note that building codes are different from housing standards, and both apply to your rental property.

What’s the difference between building codes and minimum housing and health standards?

Building codes regulate construction and set the minimum guidelines for public health, fire safety, and structure sufficiency. Whereas minimum housing and health standards regulate the housing maintenance and conditions, supplied utilities, sanitation, use, and occupancy. This article covers a general overview of the minimum housing and health standards; for a detailed description, please refer to https://open.alberta.ca/publications/minimum-housing-and-health-standards.

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What are the minimum housing and health standards required for landlords?

The minimum housing standards state “the owner shall ensure that the housing premises is structurally sound, in a safe condition, in good repair, and maintained in a waterproof, windproof, and weatherproof condition.” For example, if your tenants have discovered black mould on a wall in your basement suite, you are responsible for repairing the leak and getting rid of the mould. The foundation is part of the house’s structure, and it must be sound.

The act also states that housing occupants must be supplied with:

  • Heat, potable water, utilities, electricity, and space for sleeping.
  • Each housing premises must have a flush toilet, wash basin (in close proximity to the door leading to the room with the toilet), and bathtub or shower, and a window or fan for ventilation.
  • The bathroom can’t be served by more than 8 people, it must be in the same building and within one floor above or below where people live.
  • A fridge and stove must be provided and be in good repair.
  • Inside and outside doors and windows must be capable of being locked and must be in good repair.
  • Walls, windows, ceilings, floors, and floor coverings must be in good repair and in a condition that makes them easy to clean
  • Smoke alarms must be installed in each sleeping area and in connecting hallways and be in good repair.
  • Balconies and handrails need to be maintained in good repair and comply with the Alberta Building Codes.

We once managed a property that had a bathroom window that was painted and nailed shut. To meet the Minimum Housing and Health Standards, either a fan had to be installed that met the venting requirements, or the window had to be repaired so that it would open and closed properly to provide ventilation. The owner chose to repair the window.

The same owner was missing window screens.  According to the Minimum Housing and Health Standards, “During a season when there are flying insects, any opening window or ventilation device must have screens.” Despite the owner’s protests, he provided screens for all the openable windows.

We also worked briefly with an investor who owned dozens of properties. He liked to save money by doing most of the repairs himself or hiring the least expensive contractors he could find; people with a huge bottleneck of work orders or retirees who only worked a few hours a month here and there. Subsequently, the tenant maintenance repair requests were backlogged for months.  It didn’t sit well with tenants, and the money he saved in DIY repairs, cost him in RTDRS court dates and fees.

Minimum housing and health standards for heat

Heat has very precise distinctions under the Minimum Housing and Health Standards; the main takeaway is that the furnace must be capable of maintaining a temperature of 22 degrees. Water must be at least 46 degrees but not more than 60 degrees at the plumbing fixture.

Minimum housing and health standards for sleeping

Where people sleep has very specific space requirements based on the size of sleeping spaces per adult/bedroom, and rules for areas where people sleep that are not considered bedrooms. By the way, children older than 10 are considered adults. Children under ten are considered ½ an adult.

Families like to give their teenagers their own space, often a basement room. But… you can’t legally allow tenants to use a basement room as a bedroom unless it complies with the minimum housing standards, which means it must have an egress window, a fire alarm inside the bedroom, and in the hallway outside the bedroom.

There are minimum housing and health standards for food preparation facilities and shared kitchen facilities that identify what each area must be equipped with, the fridge’s temperature, the amount of required space, the number of people allowed in the space, and sanitation requirements.

For digital devices that can keep you on top of maintenance issues, check out The best smart home devices for your rental property Cozy.

Admittedly, the act is involved and detailed however, following it ensures your rental property complies with the minimum standards that protect and promote the health and wellbeing of your tenants.  

Speaking of health and safety, did you know that hoarding falls under the Human Rights Act and Minimum Housing and Health standards?

Do you have minimum housing and health experiences you’d  like to share with me? I’d love to hear about them [email protected]

Do you like these tips? There are plenty more you can take advantage of plus there are tools and educational resources for DIY landlords. 

Would you like to have the peace of mind that comes from knowing the fundamentals of landlording?

Sign up for the online  6-hour mininulandlord training Landlord Fundamentals 101. To save even more time and money, combine Landlord Fundamentals 101 with one-on-one coaching .

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