Payment of Rent by the Tenant
A tenant must always pay the rent due as provided by the tenancy agreement whether or not the landlord complies with the provisions of the Residential Tenancy Act (the Act). As a general rule,...
Rent Increases in British Columbia
Before increasing rent, a landlord must wait for at least 12 months from either the start of the tenancy agreement or the date of the last increase. A landlord must also give the tenant...
Landlord’s Right of Entry into the Rental Unit
A landlord’s right to enter a rental unit has to be balanced at all times with the tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment since frequent entries, regardless of whether notice is given to the tenant...
Tenant’s Right to Quiet Enjoyment
A tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment provides the tenant with the right to:
reasonable privacy;
freedom from unreasonable disturbance;
exclusive possession of the rental unit subject to the landlord’s right to enter the rental...
Maintenance and Repairs to the Rental Unit
Both landlords and tenants have a duty to maintain and repair the rental unit.
A tenant is required to maintain reasonable health, cleanliness and sanitary standards throughout the rental unit and the rental building to...
Changing the Locks to the Rental Unit
When considering the issue of changing locks, it is important to distinguish between keys that allow access to the residential property (ie. the rental building) and keys that allow access to the individual rental...
Subletting the Rental Unit and Assigning the Tenancy Agreement
When assigning a tenancy agreement, the tenant gives up all rights and responsibilities which are then transferred to a new tenant. An assignment can be distinguished from a sublease as, under a sublease, the...
Amending the Tenancy Agreement
When amending a tenancy agreement, landlords and tenants should refer back to the rules of drafting a tenancy agreement.
In general, a tenancy agreement may be amended to add, remove or change any term provided...