BC tenancy update!

Starting July 18, 2024, landlords will be required to use the Landlord Use Web Portal to generate Notices to End Tenancy for personal occupancy or caretaker use.

Landlords generating notices to end tenancy will be required to include information about the persons moving into the home. Through this process, landlords are informed of the significant penalties they could face if they are found to be evicting a tenant in bad faith. By requiring landlords to include the information of who will be occupying the home on the notice, tenants can have a better sense of the landlords’ intentions and may provide this information at the dispute hearing if they believe the landlord is acting in bad faith.

Under the Residential Tenancy Act, a landlord can evict a tenant if the following people will be moving in:

• they or a close family member (parent, spouse or child);
• a purchaser of the property or a close family member of the purchaser; or
• a superintendent for the building.

Effective July 18, 2024, the Province will increase the amount of notice a tenant must receive and the amount of time they have to dispute an eviction. Landlords will also be required to give tenants four months’ notice instead of two months when evicting for personal or caretaker use, giving displaced tenants more time to find a new home. Tenants will have 30 days to dispute Notices to End Tenancy instead of the current 15 days. The person moving into the home must occupy it for a minimum of 12 months and landlords who evict in bad faith could be ordered to pay the displaced tenant 12 months’ rent.

Quick Facts:

• Starting July 18, 2024, landlords will be required to use the Landlord Use Web Portal when they are issuing Notices to End Tenancy for personal or caretaker use, with a unique notice ID when ending a tenancy.
• Landlords using the website portal will be required to have a Basic BCeID to access the site.
• While using the website portal, landlords will be given information about the required conditions for ending a tenancy and the penalties associated with evicting in bad faith.
• They will also be informed about the amount of compensation they will be required to issue to evicted tenants.