Difference between revisions of "Taking Action as a Tenant"

However, there are other ways to make complaints:

===Your landlord disregards the law and continues to ignore orders from the Residential Tenancy Branch.===

If you are at the point of making a formal complaint about a realtor or property manager, you should also consider filing for dispute resolution at the Residential Tenancy Branch. It is only through a dispute resolution hearing that you could ask for an order restricting entry or for compensation for loss of quiet enjoyment. See sections on [[Privacy & Quiet Enjoyment When Renting]] and [[Dispute Resolution for Tenants]].

Sometimes when everyone in a building is having problems with the landlord it may be helpful to start a tenants’ group. There’s strength in numbers and working together to get a landlord to fix problems in a building can be very effective. However, there are potential pitfalls involved with building organizing. For example, you want to make sure people in your building are on side with your cause so that the landlord does not simply dismiss you as a troublemaker. [http://www.tenants.bc.ca/main/?home Contact TRAC] if you would like information about starting a tenants’ group in your building.

Involving the media in a dispute you’re having with your landlord can be an effective way of getting the landlord to take notice of the problem and do something about it. Very few landlords want to be publicly shamed for the way they carry on their business. Keep in mind that the media is more likely to be interested in stories that are unusual or that affect several people. You should also be prepared to explain to a reporter how you have tried to resolve the problem and show evidence such as letters. Call the Tenant Information Line for more information about speaking to the media.

{{REVIEWED | reviewer = [[Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre]], 2012}}