Winter is when a rental property tells you what you missed in the fall. A furnace that quits at 2 a.m., a pipe that freezes in a vacant unit, a driveway nobody has cleared: each one is cheaper to prevent than to fix. Here is what Manitoba's rules actually say, who is responsible for what, and a short checklist you can work through before the first hard freeze.

What the rules say about heat

The numbers come from a provincial regulation, The Public Health Act's Dwellings and Buildings Regulation (section 17), and the Residential Tenancies Branch (RTB) repeats them in its guidebook: "A landlord must always make sure that the temperature in the rental unit meets the minimum requirements." The minimums:

  • From 7:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m., at least 21°C (70°F).
  • From 11:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m., not lower than 18.3°C (65°F).
  • Temperature is measured 76 cm (30 inches) above the floor in the centre of each occupied room (section 17(2)).
  • The RTB says there is no set date when a landlord must turn the heat on.

Behind that sits the Residential Tenancies Act. Section 59(1) requires a landlord to keep the rental unit and the services promised in "a good state of repair, fit for habitation" and compliant with the health, building and maintenance and occupancy standards required by law. Section 60(1) says a landlord "shall not withhold or cause to be withheld the supply of a vital service such as heat, gas, electricity, hot and cold water." A tenant who thinks the minimums are not being met is told by the RTB to contact their local Environmental Health Office.

One local note. Steinbach's Dwelling Safety Standards By-law (No. 2157) covers alarms and exits. We found no temperature rule in it, so the provincial figures above are the ones to plan around.

Furnace and fireplace

The RTB lists furnaces, boilers, radiators and baseboard heaters as heating equipment, and says a landlord must "service and repair heating equipment" and "clean and maintain the fireplace chimney." It does not set a service interval, so pick one and write it down. A fall service call before the heating season is a sensible habit.

Tenants have a part too. The RTB says tenants clean their own fireplace and floor and wall vents, and replace furnace filters if the landlord asks. Ask in writing, and say how often and which filter, because the RTB says the landlord should tell the tenant both.

Frozen pipes

No statute tells you how to keep a pipe from freezing, so this is practical advice, not law. The legal pieces that matter: you must repair (section 59), a tenant must take reasonable care not to damage the unit "wilfully, negligently or by omission" (section 72(1)), and section 54(1)(a) lets a landlord enter an occupied unit without notice when "an emergency exists and entry to the rental unit is necessary." A burst pipe is the textbook case.

Before winter:

  • Make sure you and your tenants both know where the main water shut-off is.
  • Tell tenants in writing to report a cold spot, a drip or a frosted pipe right away, and to keep the heat on when they travel.
  • Have a plumber's number ready, so a Saturday leak is not also a search.

Snow and ice

Who clears what depends on the type of building, and the RTB's policy is a good default.

  • Single-family home: the tenant is responsible for routine yard maintenance, which includes shovelling.
  • Duplex, townhouse or triplex: a tenant with exclusive use of a yard, or part of it, is generally responsible for that part.
  • Multi-unit building: the landlord clears snow from sidewalks and stairs, except areas a tenant uses exclusively, and clears enough to give tenants access to their parking stalls. Individual stalls are the landlord's job only if you agreed to that.

The RTB adds that a landlord and tenant may agree to other arrangements in the tenancy agreement, so put yours in the lease. The Act lists "clearing of snow from roads and sidewalks and related services" as a service and facility (section 1(1)(q)), and section 61(1) covers services the landlord has promised, whether "expressly or impliedly", in a tenancy agreement. A landlord cannot withhold or reduce them. If you promise snow clearing, you have to deliver it.

On the City side, Steinbach says its Public Works Department is responsible for snow and ice control on City streets and sidewalks. The City clears windrows only in the initial plow, and only if heights warrant, and it does not clear the ridge a plow leaves across a driveway. Vehicles must be kept off City streets during and after a snowfall (Traffic By-law No. 2254, section 32.1), and the same by-law bars placing snow on streets or sidewalks (section 19.4). We did not find a Steinbach by-law that makes owners shovel the public sidewalk, so confirm with the City if your lot has one. Outside Steinbach, check with your municipal office.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Steinbach's By-law No. 2157, passed January 5, 2021, requires owners of dwelling units to:

  • Install smoke alarms that are hard-wired or ten-year lithium battery, between each sleeping area and the rest of the unit.
  • Inspect and test them at least once a year, and again each time a new tenant moves in.
  • Show each new tenant how the alarm is tested, keep records, and give the tenant contact information to report a problem.
  • Replace an alarm that is not working within 24 hours of notification.

Carbon monoxide alarms are required in units with an installed fuel-burning appliance or an attached storage garage. They go inside each bedroom, or outside within 5 metres of each bedroom door, and in any room with a solid fuel-burning appliance. If an owner has not complied by the date in a notice and order to comply (the by-law allows at least 7 days), the owner is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine of $1,000, and each day the problem continues is a separate offence (sections 3, 5 and 7). The RTB adds that a tenant must not tamper with an alarm and must report one that needs repair.

Empty units in winter

A vacant unit has nobody to notice a cold house. Plan for it: keep the heat on, schedule a walk-through, and make sure the utilities stay in your name. Section 1(3) of the Act defines when a unit is abandoned: the tenancy has not been properly ended and either the tenant has left and told you they are not coming back, or they do not ordinarily live there, have not said they will resume, and the rent paid no longer covers what is owed. If you believe in good faith that a unit is abandoned, section 54(1)(e) and (2) let you enter after leaving a written notice at the unit at least 24 hours before the first entry, naming the day and hour. If the tenant tells you before then that the unit is not abandoned, you may not enter on that basis.

Also ask your insurer, in writing, whether it attaches conditions to a vacant unit and for how long. We cannot tell you what your policy says, and you want that answer before the cold, not after.

Your winter checklist

Before freeze-up (September to October)

  • Book furnace or boiler service and chimney cleaning
  • Test every smoke and CO alarm and update your records
  • Confirm water shut-off locations with tenants
  • Put snow clearing responsibilities in writing
  • Send tenants a short winter letter: filters, reporting leaks, heat when away

Midwinter (November to February)

  • Check in after the first deep cold snap
  • Respond to heat complaints the same day
  • Walk any vacant unit on a set schedule

Spring (March to April)

  • Look for ice damage, roof leaks and drainage problems
  • Review what failed and what to fix before next fall

How Nate's Pro helps

Winter is when having someone local matters. Nate's Pro arranges maintenance through a network of trusted contractors, handles rent collection and owner reporting, and gives advice when a tenant situation comes up. We also help with RTB processes.

If you would like a second set of eyes on your winter prep, see how full property management works, read what a property manager actually does, or look at how we serve southeast Manitoba. Call 289-401-2863 for a no-pressure conversation.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change, so check with the Residential Tenancies Branch, CRA or a professional, or talk to us about your situation.