Template Letters
TRAC encourages you to communicate with your landlord in writing. If you ever have to go to dispute resolution, your evidence of written correspondence could be the difference between winning and losing your hearing. Find the template you need below, add the specific details about your situation, and send the letter using one of the approved methods according to the Residential Tenancy Act.
Disclaimer: Since these letters can be edited, TRAC is not responsible for any consequences that arise from their use.
- 10 Day Notice to Move Out Early
Give this notice to your landlord if you have a periodic (e.g. month-to-month) tenancy and plan on moving out early after receiving a Two or Four Month Eviction Notice. This notice does not affect your right to compensation.
- Bedbugs and Other Infestations
Landlords are generally responsible for treating infestations. Give your landlord this letter if you have found bedbugs, rodents, or pests in your unit. See TRAC's webpage, Bedbugs and Other Infestations, for more information.
- Change to Tenancy Agreement
A tenancy agreement can generally only be changed by mutual consent. If your landlord tries changing a term of your agreement without your permission, give them this letter to explain that they are not allowed to do that.
- Copy of Condition Inspection Report
Your landlord is required to give you a copy of the signed condition inspection report within seven days of the move-in inspection and within 15 days of the move-out inspection. If you did not receive a copy, you can use this letter to request one. See TRAC's webpage, Condition Inspection Reports, for more information.
- Copy of Tenancy Agreement
Your landlord must give you a copy of your signed tenancy agreement within 21 days. If your landlord has not done this, use this letter to request a copy.
- Demand for Payment
Use this letter to demand payment if your landlord is refusing to pay a Residential Tenancy Branch monetary order.
- Failure to Comply with a Material Term
You may be able to end your tenancy early if your landlord has failed to comply with a material term of your agreement. Please carefully read TRAC's webpage, Breaching Important Terms, if you are thinking about ending your tenancy early.
- Finding a Replacement Tenant
If you need to break your lease early, your landlord must make a reasonable effort to find a replacement tenant and minimize the amount of money you will owe.
- Guests
Landlords may not unreasonably restrict your right to have guests, including overnight guests.
- Illegal Eviction Notice
Eviction notices (Notices to End Tenancy) must be served in the approved form. If your landlord has given you an illegal notice, you can use this letter to respond.
- Illegal Rent Increase Notice
If a landlord has not provided proper notice, or has tried to increase your rent by more than the annual limit, you can use this letter as a response. See TRAC's webpage, Rent Increases, for more information.
- Illegal Term in Tenancy Agreement
Landlords and tenants are not allowed to contract out of the Residential Tenancy Act. This means that if there is a term in your agreement that attempts to avoid the law, it is not valid -even if you have signed the agreement.
- Landlord Entry Restricted
There are strict rules for how and when a landlord can enter your rental unit. Give your landlord this letter if they are entering your unit illegally. See TRAC’s webpage, Quiet Enjoyment, for more information.
- Landlord's Legal Name and Address
Landlords are required to provide their legal name and address in your tenancy agreement. If your landlord did not provide this information, you can use this letter to request it. It is important to have your landlord’s name and address so that you can serve them with documents, such as your notice to end the tenancy, or an application for dispute resolution.
- Locks to be Rekeyed
At the start of a tenancy, landlords are required to change or rekey the locks at the tenant’s request, if they have not already done so.
- Loss of Quiet Enjoyment
Your landlord must ensure that you have "quiet enjoyment" of your rental unit. If you are being unreasonably disturbed, give your landlord this letter to request that they correct the situation. See TRAC's webpage, Quiet Enjoyment, for more information.
- Notice to Move Out
Tenants are required to give one full month’s notice in writing to end a month-to-month tenancy agreement. See TRAC’s webpage, Serving Documents, for details on how you are allowed to give this notice. You may not end a fixed term tenancy agreement before the end of the term by providing one month’s notice.
- Permission to Assign or Sublet
If you have a fixed-term tenancy (lease) with at least six months remaining, a landlord may not unreasonably deny your request to assign or sublet your agreement.
- Reimbursement for Emergency Repairs
If you have paid to have emergency repairs completed, your landlord may be required to reimburse you. See TRAC's webpage, Repairs and Maintenance, for more information.
- Rent Receipt
Landlords are required to provide receipts for rent paid in cash. If you have paid in cash and have not received a receipt, you can use this letter to request one. When paying rent in the future, you may want to consider bringing a witness, as well as your own rent receipts.
- Repairs and Maintenance
Landlords are generally responsible for repairing and maintaining their rental properties.
- Return of Post Dated Cheques
At the end of a tenancy, landlords are required to return all post dated cheques that remain in their possession.
- Return of Security / Pet Damage Deposit
To get your security and/or pet damage deposits back, you must first provide your landlord with your forwarding address. This notice must be in writing, and can only be served in certain ways. See TRAC's webpage, Serving Documents, for more information.
- Review Consideration of Order of Possession
If you have been served with an Order of Possession, and have applied for a review consideration of the decision, your landlord is not allowed to file the order in BC Supreme Court until the RTB has made a decision about your application. Your landlord may not be aware that you have filed, so it is important to notify them right away.
- Selling a Rental Unit
If your landlord informs you that your rental property is for sale, you can use this letter to request a viewing schedule that will work for both of you. If you cannot agree on a schedule of times, your landlord is required to give you proper notice each time they plan to show your unit to prospective buyers. See TRAC’s webpage, Selling a Rental Unit, for more information.
- Termination of Essential Services or Facilities
Landlords may never terminate or restrict an essential service or facility. Examples could include heat, hot water, and electricity. Give them this letter if they are restricting an essential service or facility.
- Termination of Non-Essential Services or Facilities
If your landlord wants to take away or restrict a non-essential service or facility, they must provide you with 30 days’ written notice and reduce your rent. If your landlord has taken away a service or facility, such as internet or storage, you can use this letter to request a rent reduction. See TRAC’s webpage, Services and Facilities, for more details.
- Withholding Overpayment of Deposit from Rent
The maximum amount you can be charged for a security deposit or pet damage deposit is half the monthly rent. If you have been overcharged for either, the Residential Tenancy Act allows you to deduct the overpayment from your next month’s rent. See TRAC's webpage, Deposits, for more information.