Guidelines and Resources for Landlord and Tenant Law (19:XVII)
| This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by the Law Students' Legal Advice Program on August 15, 2024. |
A. The Residential Tenancy Branch
The Residential Tenancy Act, SBC 2002, c 78 ['RTA'] and Residential Tenancy Regulation [RTR], BC Reg 477/2003 as well as the rules of procedure are amended occasionally; check the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) website to get the most up to date information, including current forms, fees, and Policy Guidelines.
1. Main Office
Address: 400 - 5021 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC, V5H 4A5
Office Hours: M – F 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
2. Information Line
Metro Vancouver: 604-660-1020
Victoria: 250-387-1602
Elsewhere in BC: 1-800-665-8779
Fax: 604-660-2363
Email: HSRTO@gov.bc.ca
3. Residential Tenancy Information Sheets
4. RTB Calculators
Help in calculating rent increases, dates, deposits and more.
B. Resources
1. Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre (TRAC)
Provides a variety of publications relating to tenant law, including the Tenant Survival Guide (also available online as a wikibook via the Clicklaw website.
2. BC Housing
Information for tenants living in public, subsidized housing.
Address: Suite 101 - 4555 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC, V5H 4V8
Toll-free: 1-800-257-7756
3. LandlordBC
Direct: 1-888-330-6707 E-mail: info@landlordbc.ca
a) Vancouver Office
Address: 1210-1095 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC, V6E 2M6
Telephone: 604-733-9420
Fax: 604-733-9420
b) Victoria Office
Address: 830B Pembroke Street, Victoria, BC, V8T 1J9
Telephone: 250-382-6324
Fax (Local): 250-382-6006
Fax (Toll-Free): 1-877-382-6006
4. Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER)
The SAFER program is a rental assistance program administered by BC Housing. It is intended to help senior citizens over 60. Applicants must be Canadian citizens, authorized to take up permanent residence in Canada, or Convention refugees. Applicants must have lived in BC for at least one year prior to applying. An applicant must also be paying over 30 percent of their income towards rent. There is a gross monthly income requirement that varies depending on the location of residence and is subject to being updated.
Residents of subsidized housing, cooperative housing, and manufactured homes (unless they are renting both the trailer home and the pad) do not qualify for the SAFER program.
More information and application forms are available from B.C. Housing. Application forms are available in English and Chinese. Application forms may be obtained from SAFER’s webpage, or by contacting B.C. housing.
5. BC Housing Corporation’s Family Rental Assistance Program (RAP)
The Rental Assistance Program provides eligible low-income, working families with at least one dependent child with assistance to help pay their rent. The maximum gross annual household income level is $ 40,000. A child up to age 25 qualifies as dependant as long as the child is attending school. A child of any age with mental or physical infirmity is accepted as a dependant.
For a rental assistance calculator as well as other information and application forms, see here or contact BC Housing.
C. Books
Margaret Carter-Pyne, Residential Tenancy Law in British Columbia: Everything you need to know to prevent a disaster (Victoria, BC: Sunnymead Publishing, 2009).
- A useful resource for tenants in preparing for a hearing.
Allan Wotherspoon, Annotated British Columbia Residential Tenancy Act (Aurora, ON: Canada Law Book, 2005).
- This is a loose-leaf volume updated once or twice annually.
CCH British Columbia Real Estate Law Guide, Robert J. Maguire, Rose H. McConnell, loose-leaf (Toronto, ON: CCH, undated).
- A summary of the state of the RTA and RTR.
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