The Landlord Protection Fund provides landlords with up to $10,000 to cover things such as lost rental income, rental arrears, and physical damage should any of these occur because of a HomeConnect tenancy.
We recognize the importance of supporting our landlord partners as we all work together towards a common goal of successful tenancies.
This page contains information about the Landlord Protection Fund that you may find useful, including claim forms, frequently asked questions, contact information, and more.
If you have any questions about the Landlord Protection Fund please feel free to get in touch with us at any time using the form on our Contact Us page, or by sending an email to HomeConnect@wecanendit.com. We are more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
The Landlord Protection Fund provides landlords with up to $10,000 to cover things such as lost rental income, rental arrears, and physical damage should any of these occur because of a HomeConnect tenancy.
We recognize the importance of supporting our landlord partners as we all work together towards a common goal of successful tenancies.
This page contains information about the Landlord Protection Fund that you may find useful, including claim forms, frequently asked questions, contact information, and more.
If you have any questions about the Landlord Protection Fund please feel free to get in touch with us at any time using the form on our Contact Us page, or by sending an email to HomeConnect@wecanendit.com. We are more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
Landlord Eligibility Criteria
Landlords must sign a HomeConnect Memorandum of Understanding with End Homelessness St. John’s (EHSJ) to be eligible for the Landlord Protection Fund. Claims through the Landlord Protection Fund can only be accepted for tenancies that are arranged through HomeConnect.
Tenant Eligibility Criteria
The Landlord Protection Fund is only available in situations where the tenancy is arranged through the HomeConnect program. This program serves individuals and families that rely on the rental market for housing but have barriers to housing stability. In order to be eligible, tenancies must satisfy the criteria for HomeConnect, including use of the HomeConnect lease agreement and requirement for inspections, including at the start and end of any tenancy arranged through HomeConnect. Failure to ensure that HomeConnect documentation is in place may result in the denial of a claim.
In general, claims for the Landlord Protection Fund are submitted upon termination of a tenancy. However, there are circumstances where the Landlord Protection Fund may be used to maintain a tenancy (i.e. prevent an eviction). In these circumstances, EHSJ will work with the landlord on a case-by-case basis to ensure all parties are committed to a successful tenancy.
Eligible Claims
There are four categories of eligible claims. These include:
- Physical damages
- Lost rental revenue
- Rental revenue for short-term vacancies
- Service NL fees
General Claim Requirements
To ensure the efficient processing of your claim it is important that you follow program requirements and guidelines as outlined blow.
To qualify for coverage under the Landlord Protection Fund:
- Landlords MUST have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with End Homelessness St. John’s and be participating in the HomeConnect program.
- The tenancy MUST have been arranged through the HomeConnect program.
- The Landlord Protection Fund claim MUST be filed within 60 days of the damage or loss occurring.
- The $10,000 in coverage is inclusive of any security deposit the landlord has collected from the tenant.
Documentation Requirements
The documentation required to process your claim depends on the type of claim you are filing. You may file multiple types of claims on single claim form if they all relate to the same tenancy.
Physical Damage / Cleaning Claims
For claims relating to physical damage and cleaning, we require:
- Copies of three quotes/estimates if the claim is over $1500.
- The final invoices/receipts once the work has been completed.
- Photos showing the condition of the rental unit before and after the repairs/cleaning have been completed.
- Any other documentation that you feel would support your claim.
Lost Rental Revenue Claims
Lost rental revenue claims have different requirements depending on the reason for the loss.
Rental Arrears: We require the amount of arrears (broken down by month), the date that arrears started to accrue, and documentation of any payments you were receiving for rent on behalf of the tenant.
Abandonment: We require the amount of arrears (broken down by month), the date you discovered the unit was abandoned, documentation of any payments you were receiving for rent on behalf of the tenant, and a copy of the Abandonment Notice that was served on the tenant.
Unpaid Utilities: We require the amount of arrears (broken down by month), the date that arrears started to accrue. We may also request copies of utility bills.
Excessive Cleaning/Repairs: Claims of this nature are combined with a claim for physical damage and/or cleaning. In these cases, we do not require additional documentation to support the claim for lost rental revenue unless the claim for lost rental revenue exceeds one month. In those cases, we may request documentation to support the length of time being claimed.
Claims for Service NL Fees & Other Types of Claims
For all other types of claims that are not described above our requirement is just that sufficient documentation be provided to support the amounts being claimed. Claims can only be approved for costs that are eligible for reimbursement under the Landlord Protection Fund.
Documents / Downloads
Submitting Your Claim
By Email
To submit your claim by email please send it to: HomeConnect@wecanendit.com
* You may need to compress your files into a ZIP file if they’re too large to send by email.
By Fax
To submit your claim by fax please send it to: (709) 800-0645
By Postal Mail or In Person
You may drop your signed claim form and documentation off at our office in person or send it by postal mail. Our address is:
End Homelessness St. John’s
Suite 302 – 16 Forest Road
St. John’s, NL A1C 2B9
Landlord Support
Sherwin Flight – Landlord Engagement Lead
sflight@wecanendit.com
As Landlord Engagement Lead with the HomeConnect program, Sherwin supports EHSJ’s goal to end homelessness by engaging with new landlords to discuss the HomeConnect program, getting landlords registered for the program, and supporting landlords to maintain successful tenancies.
Sherwin Flight – Landlord Engagement Lead
sflight@wecanendit.com
As Landlord Engagement Lead with the HomeConnect program, Sherwin supports EHSJ’s goal to end homelessness by engaging with new landlords to discuss the HomeConnect program, getting landlords registered for the program, and supporting landlords to maintain successful tenancies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are photos required for claim relating to damages?
Yes! All claims for damage under the Landlord Protection Fund require photos showing the damage that needs to be repaired, as well as the completed work once the repairs have been finished.
In most cases, we will arrange for an inspection to take place so that we can gather the necessary photos. If you need to file a claim in an emergency situation, we understand that it may not be possible for you to wait for an inspection. In these cases, we ask that you take your own photos of the damage and repairs to submit with your claim form.
What happens if rent isn’t paid?
In most cases rent is paid to a landlord by direct deposit. However, if there are rental arrears resulting from a HomeConnect tenancy our Landlord Protection Fund can cover up to $10,000.
Please note that we can only cover tenancies that are under the HomeConnect program and have proper documentation in place.
What happens if there is damage to my rental unit?
If there is damage caused to the property during a HomeConnect tenancy our Landlord Protection Fund can cover up to $10,000, as long as proper documentation is provided to support the claim (quotes, invoices, etc.) Damage is only covered if caused by a tenant participating in the HomeConnect program (or their guests) and coverage is subject to our Landlord Protection Fund policies.
Please note that we do not cover the cost of normal wear and tear and can only cover tenancies that are under the HomeConnect program and have proper documentation in place.
What happens to the security deposit once I file a Landlord Protection Fund claim?
The $10,000 in coverage provided through the Landlord Protection Fund also includes any security deposit that the landlord has collected. At the end of a HomeConnect tenancy the amount of the security deposit will be factored into any amounts payable under the Landlord Protection Fund.
What is a rental unit inspection?
We inspect all rental units as part of the HomeConnect program. Inspections are completed prior to a rental unit being included in the program and are also completed at the end of a tenancy and at other times if necessary.
These inspections are a visual inspection only and are similar to the Rental Premises Condition Report available on the Service NL website.