How to Appeal a Decision

When you disagree with a decision

If you disagree with decisions made on your application for public housing, a request to transfer to another public housing unit, rent calculations, unit calculations or tenant charges, then you can request to appeal that decision. An appeal is a request by an applicant or tenant to have a decision made by the Nova Scotia Provincial Housing Agency reviewed.

Decisions that can be appealed

Decisions that can be appealed include:

• Application approval decisions, including decisions related to Priority Access
• The size of a public housing unit allocated to applicants and tenants
• The calculation of rent payments for public housing tenants
• Declined requests to transfer to another public housing unit, or transfer decisions made by the Nova Scotia Provincial Housing Agency
• Decisions made related to tenant charges

Decisions that cannot be appealed

Decisions that cannot be appealed include:

• Changes to policy
• Decisions that do not relate directly to you or your household
• Complaints about staff members
• Building and property maintenance
• Cancelled applications due to:
  • Incomplete information at time of application or annual eligibility check
  • No response
  • Requests from applicant
• Matters that fall under the applicable Act
• Matters involving criminal activity
• Situations where a higher court is involved
• Initiation of a lease termination process*

*Appeals related to lease termination can be brought forward to the Residential Tenancies Board.

The appeal process

There are two steps in the appeal process. The first is a Decision Review made by a District Director who was not involved in making the initial decision. The second is an Appeal Hearing before an Appeals Committee. Step 1 - Decision Review - must occur before you can proceed to Step 2 - Appeal Hearing. If your issue gets resolved at any point, you can stop the process.

How to submit an appeal

Download a brochure with more information about the Decision Review and Appeal process:

NSPHA Appeal Process - When you Disagree (PDF)

To start an appeal, submit a Decision Review Request Form to your local District Office. You have 10 business days after receiving a decision to submit this form.

If you have questions about appeals, please contact your District Office.