Newfoundland Labrador Housing (Housing) tenants throughout the province now have it in writing that they are entitled to discuss or bring to Housing�s attention any issues concerning their tenancy. Housing and the Office of the Citizens� Representative have jointly developed and issued a Tenants� Bill of Rights, for Newfoundland Labrador Housing tenants. The announcement was made today by the Hounourable Shawn Skinner, Minister Responsible for Housing and Human Resources, Labour and Employment, and Barry Fleming, Citizens� Representative.

"As the largest landlord in the province, we feel it is vital that our tenants are fully aware of their rights and are completely comfortable bringing to our attention any issues they may need to discuss," said Minister Skinner. "Though it has been publicly stated many times over the years, some tenants remain unaware of the options open to them to ensure their Housing concerns are addressed. By releasing this Tenants� Bill of Rights, we hope to make a permanent and visible statement of our commitment to tenants."

"Any time the Office of the Citizens� Representative has investigated cases on behalf of tenants, Newfoundland Labrador Housing has provided a timely, co-operative and flexible response," said Mr. Fleming. "Housing has made strong public statements affirming its commitment to ensure tenants are treated with fairness and respect in response to their inquiries."

Effectively immediately, the Tenants� Bill of Rights will be mailed to all 5,700 current tenants province-wide, a copy of the bill will be verbally reviewed and provided to new tenants upon signing their lease with Housing, and posted on the organization�s website ( www.nlhc.nl.ca ).

An internal news flash highlighting the Tenants� Bill of Rights will also be issued to Housing employees.

Housing is committed to providing safe, affordable housing for individuals and families in need. We believe that listening and treating others the way we would wish to be treated is the key to our success. We believe that fairness, equity and respect guide our interactions with our clients and each other. In this regard, we support the following Tenants� Bill of Rights.

As a client of Housing:

• YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to contact any office of Housing to discuss your concerns;
• YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to respectful service from our organization;
• YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to quiet enjoyment of your property;
• YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to receive accurate notice of eviction pursuant to the Residential Tenancies Act;
• YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to appeal to Housing and the Residential Tenancies Board regarding landlord and tenant matters;
• YOU HAVE THE RIGHT, after exhausting appeals, to petition the Office of the Citizens� Representative regarding decisions taken against you that you think are unfair or contrary to law;
• YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to privacy of personal information held by Housing in accordance with applicable laws.

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2008 04 15                                                       10:05 a.m.