Serving Documents
Sections 88-90 of the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) cover the rules about how tenants and landlords can give, or “serve”, forms and notices to each other. When it comes to providing your one month written notice, or any other type of form or notice, you should avoid email, text messaging, and social media, and instead use one of the following methods: …
Guests
According to section 9 of the Schedule in the Residential Tenancy Regulation, your landlord cannot unreasonably restrict guests from entering your rental property or charge you a fee for having guests visit – even if they stay overnight.
Repairs and Maintenance
Much of the province’s purpose-built rental housing is aging and in need on ongoing maintenance. As a result, repairs is the second most common issue facing BC tenants, trailing only eviction. According to section 32(1) of the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA), rental properties must comply with health, safety, and housing standards required by law.
Selling a Rental Unit
When an owner sells a rental unit, the tenant living in that unit may be evicted, but it is not automatic. The new landlord (purchaser) must honour the existing tenancy agreement and can only end it by following the same eviction rules that the previous landlord (seller) would have had to follow.
Quiet Enjoyment
Section 28 of the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) covers “quiet enjoyment” – an important legal principle that gives every tenant the right to: (1) reasonable privacy; (2) freedom from unreasonable disturbances; (3) exclusive use of their rental unit (unless their landlord is allowed to enter by law); and (4) use of common areas for reasonable purposes.
Rent Increases
At the start of your tenancy, rent is set at whatever amount you and your landlord agree to as part of your agreement. From that point on, according to section 22 of the Residential Tenancy Regulation, your landlord can only raise your rent once every 12 months by an amount equal to inflation.
Services and Facilities
Your tenancy agreement probably includes terms about services and facilities on your rental property, such as parking, storage, or shared laundry. In addition, all tenants have the right to certain essential services and facilities, such as heat and hot water, regardless of whether or not they are mentioned in your agreement.
Bed Bugs and Other Infestations
Bed bugs feed on the blood of humans, usually at night. They are often found in dwellings that have a high rate of occupant turnover such as hotels, apartments and shelters. Bed bugs have six legs, a large antennae, and a flat oval-shaped body of roughly half a centimetre in length. Their light brown colour turns to rust-red after feeding.
Paying Rent
Your full rent must be paid on or before the date it is due – usually the 1st of the month. If you are late by one day, or short by a few dollars, your landlord can give you a 10 Day Eviction Notice for Non-Payment of Rent in accordance with section 46 of the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA). Once you have received this type of notice, you only have five days to pay the missing rent in order to cancel the eviction.
Tenant Insurance
Tenant insurance is yet another cost to consider in BC’s expensive rental housing market. If you are already struggling to pay your rent and bills, you may decide to pass on this additional expense. Tenant insurance may not be for everyone, but keep in mind that you could be putting yourself at risk by not having it.