# Property maintenance in New Tecumseth, from frozen services to Beeton's heritage district

Updated 2026-10-05.

Renters are 16.1 percent of New Tecumseth households, 2,555 of them in 2021, and the Town's [2025 Housing Needs Assessment](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Town-of-New-Tecumseth-Housing-Needs-Assessment.pdf) finds only 428 primary rental units in CMHC's database for that year. It puts vacancy for one and two bedroom units at effectively zero and says 5.7 percent of tenant households live in a dwelling that needs major repair, against 3.4 percent of owner households. It adds that basement apartments and informal suites have filled part of the gap and may be less strictly regulated than a conventional tenancy. Manufacturing and utilities is the one sector with more jobs than resident workers, with a gap of 1,491 workers, and the report expects Honda's planned expansion at its Alliston plant, which it describes as delayed by two years, to raise housing demand from direct and indirect jobs. Roundhouse takes jobs across the Town, in Alliston, Beeton and Tottenham.

## Heat, hot water and orders by email

The [Property Standards By-law](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2019-164-Property-Standards-Consolidation.pdf) wants 20 C in habitable rooms and bathrooms, measured at 1.5 m above the floor and 1 m in from the exterior wall, and it names no heating season. A heating call starts with a reading at that height and distance in the coldest habitable room, then the bathroom. The photo shows the thermometer where it sat, and the report sets the number against 20 C. A heating failure is on the list answered around the clock: Plumbing, electrical, major appliance and heating or cooling failures, lockouts, and a door that will not lock. See [heating season repairs](https://roundhousegroup.ca/services/hvac/heating-season/).

Section 43.3 puts hot water between 45 C and 49 C, a narrow band, so a hot water complaint is checked with a thermometer at the tap before anyone opens the tank. The Town's [water page](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/live-here/services/water-wastewater-stormwater/water/) says yellow or brown water here comes from naturally occurring iron in its groundwater, which settles in hot water tanks, and it recommends draining and flushing a tank regularly. The report records the tap reading, the tank setting and what came out when the tank was drained.

On a gas appliance the work goes to TSSA registered contractors, as the page on [gas work in a rental](https://roundhousegroup.ca/answers/tssa-gas-work-rental-property/) explains. The Town's [Fire Code page](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/live-here/services/fire-emergency-services/ontario-fire-code-changes/) says that since January 1, 2026 a home with fuel burning appliances, a fireplace or an attached garage needs a carbon monoxide alarm next to every sleeping area and one on every storey without a sleeping area, existing homes included. So a gas job closes with a photo of each alarm's position, and a missing one is flagged for your approval. The [alarm rules for rentals](https://roundhousegroup.ca/answers/carbon-monoxide-and-smoke-alarms-ontario-rentals/) are on their own page.

When the Town opens a file, the Order can now reach you by email. An amendment dated June 29, 2026 (By-law 2026-059) lets an officer serve an Order by email to the last known address, and sections 50.2 and 51.1 count it as served on the day it is sent. The appeal window is 14 days, by registered mail. The Town's [2026 fee schedule](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2024-077-Fees-and-Charges-By-law-Amendment-6.pdf) charges $122.15 to issue an Order, $122.15 for an appeal and cost plus 50 percent when it hires a contractor to do the work, and section 54.2 sets a $20 Certificate of Compliance on request. Forward an Order to us the day it lands. The dispatcher books each item in the Order to a trade, and the before and after photos and the report are what you hand the Property Standards Officer.

## Frozen services and the 2 a.m. rule

In January the first question on a no water call is which side of the property line froze. The Town's [frozen service FAQ](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/FAQ-Frozen-Services-1.pdf) puts a Town side freeze with its Water Department and an owner side freeze with the owner, though its Water Operators can thaw the owner's line and bill the residence. A second freeze after a thaw can bring a charge for the call. We log the suspected freeze with Public Works, open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., before a plumber is booked, and the plumber's photos show the shut off, the meter and the exposed run so you can see which side owns the problem. See [frozen pipes in a rental](https://roundhousegroup.ca/answers/frozen-pipes-rental-ontario/).

The meter is the Town's, but its water page puts a frozen or damaged meter on the owner when misuse caused it, and the same page lists a meter that froze because heat was turned off as an exception to the Town's usual upkeep. On a vacant unit in winter the [turnover checklist](https://roundhousegroup.ca/answers/rental-turnover-checklist/) records the thermostat setting and photographs the meter before the keys go back. Section 40.1 of the by-law also wants plumbing protected from freezing. If a burst pipe brings the fire department for clean up, the Town's [Fire and Emergency Services fee list](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/live-here/services/fire-emergency-services/) shows $100 an hour for that assistance, so the plumber's report times the burst and the shut off.

From November 15 to April 15, section 10.1 of the [Parking and Traffic By-law](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/93-128-PARKING-CONSOLIDATION-Updated-2026.pdf) bars parking on any public street from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m., and the exemptions in section 2.13 cover emergency vehicles and work done for the Town, not a landlord's repair call. The Town's [by-law page](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/live-here/services/by-law/) sets a $35 fine if it is paid within 10 days and puts towing costs on the vehicle's owner. Before a night visit the dispatcher confirms a driveway or visitor stall off the street, and the arrival photo shows where the van stood.

## Basements, sumps and the lateral

The by-law asks for a basement that is reasonably watertight (section 22.2) and walls free of dampness (section 28.1). Its word is dampness, not [mould](https://roundhousegroup.ca/answers/mould-in-a-rental-ontario/), so the first photos record where the water comes in: wall, roof, window well, floor or drain. Section 2.10 of the [Municipal Sewer Use By-law](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2018-043-Municipal-Sewer-Use-By-Law.pdf) bars connecting roof drainage or building foundation drainage, sump pumps included, to the sanitary sewer, and sections 11.2 and 11.3 of the Property Standards By-law keep sump discharge off sidewalks, streets and neighbouring lots. On a flood call the technician traces where the sump line ends and photographs the outlet. See [basement apartment waterproofing](https://roundhousegroup.ca/services/waterproofing/basement-apartments/).

The Town's [sewer back-up page](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/live-here/services/water-wastewater-stormwater/wastewater/sanitary-lateral-services-sewer-backup/) says a blockage on private property is the owner's alone and asks for a free Sewer Safety Inspection from Ontario One Call before a contractor opens a line. So the dispatcher requests that clearance first and then books the drain contractor. If the camera shows the blockage began past the property line, the footage, the location and the type of blockage go to the Town, which compensates the owner when the cause is proven to be the Town's. The Town will rod or camera a private lateral itself at $198.20 an hour with a three hour minimum in 2026 ([Schedule C](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2024-077-Fees-and-Charges-By-law-Amendment-6.pdf)). The same page says a backwater valve and sump pit drainage system go in with a building permit.

## Permits: suites, conservation land and Beeton

The Town's [additional residential unit page](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/build-here/development/zoning-and-arus/) allows up to two units on a lot zoned for a single detached, semi-detached or street townhouse dwelling, and a permit application is emailed to the Building Department once Planning confirms the zoning. In the 2026 [Building Permit By-law](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-018-Building-Permit-By-law.pdf) a finished basement is $0.74 per square foot with a $124 minimum, and each plumbing fixture adds $21. The Town's [building standards page](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/build-here/building-and-renovating/standards/) lists plumbing, heating system and chimney work among jobs that need a permit. Its [inspection page](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/build-here/building-and-renovating/inspection/) asks for 24 hours' notice, schedules a request made before 3 p.m. for the next business day, and says an inspection that is missed or fails three times can add a $70 re-inspection fee. A plumbing or heating quote in a suite lists the permit as its own line, and the report notes which inspection each set of photos was taken for. See [basement and secondary suites](https://roundhousegroup.ca/buildings/secondary-suites/).

The Town sends owners to either the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority or the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, depending on where the lot sits. NVCA says a property near a river, stream, pond, wetland or floodplain may need its permit, that [permit applications no longer go by email](https://www.nvca.on.ca/planning-permits/) since September 1, 2026 and use its online portal, and that it aims to decide a minor permit within 30 days of a complete application and a major one within 90. Before a flood repair near water the dispatcher asks you whether the lot is mapped as regulated, and the report lists what was restored and what changed, so you have the record if the authority asks.

Beeton's downtown is a heritage conservation district, and the [Town](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/build-here/development/heritage-planning/) counts 53 properties in it, on Main Street West, Main Street East, Centre Street North and Prospect Street. Work falls into three streams: no heritage permit, a minor permit decided by staff, or a major permit decided by Council. The Town's [permit flow chart](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Beeton-Heritage-Conservation-District-Permit-Process-Flow-Chart.pdf) gives installing or replacing eavestroughs and downpipes, re-painting wood, stucco, metal or already painted brick, and minor same style repairs to street facing elements of a contributing building as examples that need no permit, and painting brick that was never painted as one that needs a minor permit. A Beeton [exterior repair](https://roundhousegroup.ca/services/exterior/) is held for the pre-consultation answer, so the quote carries it, and the before photos fix the material, profile and finish that stay.

Plumbing is done by licensed plumbers and drain work by licensed drain contractors. Gas work is done by TSSA registered contractors. We only use ECRA/ESA-Licensed Electrical Contractors. Pest control is done by licensed exterminators.

To send a New Tecumseth job, [request work](https://roundhousegroup.ca/request-work/).

## Local rules

- A dwelling needs a heating system that can hold at least 20 C at 1.5 m above floor level and 1 m in from the exterior wall, in every habitable room, bathroom and washroom (section 35.1), and an auxiliary heater cannot be the main source of heat (section 35.4). Hot water is supplied at 45 C to 49 C (section 43.3). The by-law names no heating season. Its definition of owner takes in a person who maintains or receives the rent as agent or trustee (section 3.2(r)). The Town's office consolidation lists Amendment No. 2, By-law 2026-059, dated June 29, 2026. Source: [Town of New Tecumseth, Property Standards By-law 2019-164 (consolidated)](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2019-164-Property-Standards-Consolidation.pdf)
- An Order may be served personally, by email to the last known email address, or by registered mail (section 50.2). Email service is deemed made on the day of sending unless a circumstance under section 27(3)(a) or (b) of the Building Code Act applies, and registered mail on the fifth day after mailing (section 51.1). An owner has 14 days after service to send a notice of appeal to the Property Standards Committee by registered mail, and an Order not appealed in that time is deemed confirmed (Appendix A, section 6 and background). If an Order is not followed the Town may do the repair itself and recover the cost from the owner (section 53). A Certificate of Compliance costs $20 when the owner asks for one (section 54.2). Source: [Town of New Tecumseth, Property Standards By-law 2019-164, sections 50 to 54 and Appendix A](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2019-164-Property-Standards-Consolidation.pdf)
- A basement is kept reasonably watertight so water does not leak into the building (section 22.2). Interior floors, ceilings and walls are kept free of dampness from moisture entering through an exterior wall, a roof, or a basement or crawl space floor (section 28.1). Plumbing and the connecting line to the sewage system are kept in good working order and protected from freezing (section 40.1). Sump pump discharge may not be directed onto a sidewalk, street, boulevard, stair or a neighbour's property (section 11.2) and must be drained from the yard so it does not pond or enter a building (section 11.3). Repairs follow good workmanship in the trades concerned (section 21.1). Source: [Town of New Tecumseth, Property Standards By-law 2019-164, sections 11, 21, 22, 28 and 40](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2019-164-Property-Standards-Consolidation.pdf)
- Sewer blockages on private property are the sole responsibility of the owner or resident. Before a contractor does any work, a Sewer Safety Inspection from Ontario One Call is required, at no cost to the owner, to confirm that underground gas lines do not cross the sewer pipe. If the blockage may have started on Town property, the owner or contractor supplies CCTV footage, the location and the type of blockage so the Town can investigate, and the Town compensates the cost of clearing it when the cause is proven to be its own. Town staff can be asked to rod or camera the private lateral for a fee. The owner owns the water and sewer services from the property line into the home. Source: [Town of New Tecumseth, Sanitary Lateral Services and Sewer Back-Up](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/live-here/services/water-wastewater-stormwater/wastewater/sanitary-lateral-services-sewer-backup/)
- A water service frozen on the Town side of the line is restored by the Town's Water Department. One frozen on the owner's side is the owner's to thaw, and the Town's Water Operators can thaw it and bill the residence. A service that freezes a second time after a thaw may bring a charge for the call. If Town staff ask an owner to run a tap continuously, the property goes on average billing from the previous year's use, and an owner who runs a tap unasked pays for all the water consumed. The Town describes the stream as about the width of a pencil and says the risk of freezing rises as tap water nears 4 C. Source: [Town of New Tecumseth, Frozen Service FAQ](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/FAQ-Frozen-Services-1.pdf)
- No vehicle may be left parked on a highway, which the by-law defines to include any public street, between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. from November 15 to the following April 15 (section 10.1). The exemptions in section 2.13 name ambulances, police, fire department and public utility emergency vehicles, and vehicles working for the Town. Source: [Town of New Tecumseth, Parking and Traffic By-law 93-128 (consolidated through Amendment 106, March 9, 2026)](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/93-128-PARKING-CONSOLIDATION-Updated-2026.pdf)
- The Town allows up to two additional residential units on a lot zoned for a single detached, semi-detached or street townhouse dwelling, as one attached unit, one detached unit, one of each, or two attached units. After Planning confirms the zoning, the building permit application is emailed to the Building Department. If the lot sits in a conservation authority's regulated area, that authority's permit may be needed first. The Ontario Fire Code changes that took effect on January 1, 2026 include additional carbon monoxide alarm requirements that the Town says affect these units. Source: [Town of New Tecumseth, Zoning and Additional Residential Units](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/build-here/development/zoning-and-arus/)
- The Beeton Heritage Conservation District covers 53 properties on Main Street West, Main Street East, Centre Street North and Prospect Street under By-law 2024-007. An owner is required to consult Town staff at pre-consultation to learn whether a job needs no heritage permit, a minor permit decided by staff in a 60 day review, or a major permit decided by Council in a 90 day review. Source: [Town of New Tecumseth, Heritage Designations and the Beeton Heritage Conservation District Plan](https://www.newtecumseth.ca/build-here/development/heritage-planning/)

## Related pages

- [Basement and secondary suites](https://roundhousegroup.ca/buildings/secondary-suites/)
- [Who is responsible for frozen pipes in an Ontario rental?](https://roundhousegroup.ca/answers/frozen-pipes-rental-ontario/)
- [Property managers](https://roundhousegroup.ca/property-managers/)

## Questions

### Can a New Tecumseth property standards Order be served on a landlord by email?

Yes. Section 50.2 of Property Standards By-law 2019-164, as amended by By-law 2026-059 on June 29, 2026, allows service by email to the last known email address, and section 51.1 deems it served on the day it is sent. The owner then has 14 days to send a notice of appeal by registered mail. The Town's 2026 schedule charges $122.15 to issue an Order and $122.15 for an appeal.

### Who pays to clear a sewer blockage at a New Tecumseth rental?

The owner, when the blockage is on private property, and the Town wants a free Sewer Safety Inspection from Ontario One Call before any contractor starts. If the blockage may have come from Town property, CCTV footage, the location and the type of blockage go to the Town, which compensates the cost of clearing it when the cause is proven to be its own. Town staff will rod or camera a private lateral at $198.20 an hour with a three hour minimum in 2026.

### Who thaws a frozen water service in New Tecumseth?

The Town's Water Department does when the freeze is on the Town side. On the owner's side it is the owner's to thaw, though the Town's Water Operators can do it and bill the residence. A second freeze after a thaw can bring a charge for the call.

### What hot water temperature does New Tecumseth set for a rental?

Hot water is supplied at 45 C to 49 C under section 43.3 of Property Standards By-law 2019-164. Section 35.1 sets heat at 20 C or more, measured 1.5 m above floor level and 1 m from the exterior wall. The by-law names no heating season.

### Does a Beeton landlord need a heritage permit to replace eavestroughs?

The Town's Beeton permit flow chart lists installing or replacing eavestroughs and downpipes among examples of work needing no heritage permit. Altering or replacing street facing heritage elements such as decorative brickwork or window surrounds falls in the minor permit stream. The Town requires owners among the district's 53 properties to consult staff at pre-consultation to confirm which stream a job belongs to.