Residential Tenancy Act

The Residential Tenancy Act, SBC 2012, c 78 is a Britiah Columbia law that spells out the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords. You can find the Act, along with other provincial laws, at the website of the Queen's Printer or on CanLII, a free website that lets you search Canadian laws and court decisions.

The Residential Tenancy Act applies to:

• tenancy agreements,
• rental units, and
• residential properties.

The Residential Tenancy Act does not apply to:

• people living in accommodations owned or operated by educational institutions if the institution provides the accommodation to its students or employees,
• if you live in a housing co-op and are a member of the co-op,
• commercial tenancies,
• vacation or travel accommodation,
• people in jail,
• accommodation where the tenant shares bathroom or kitchen facilities with the accommodation's owner,
• living accommodation rented under an agreement with a term of 20 years or more, or
• people living in care facilities that fall under the Community Care Facility Act, the Continuing Care Act, the Hospital Act, or the Mental Health Act.