Paying rent (2024)

Before a tenancy, the landlord and tenant negotiate the rent amount and agree on what additional services (e.g., utilities, parking) are included. Landlords are responsible for preparing a written tenancy agreementoutliningthese terms.

Tenants must pay their full rent on time as required in their tenancy agreement.

Tenants must pay rent on time

Tenants must follow the rent requirements in thetenancy agreement. The tenancy agreementmust clearly show:

The rent amount
The rent due date
The preferred payment method
Servicesincluded or additional fees

Landlords canissuea10-day eviction notice even if tenants are only 1 day late or do not pay the full rent amount.

Tenants must pay their rent even if there areany ongoing issues with their landlord, such as an incomplete repair. Rent can only be withheld if the tenant has an official order from aResidential Tenancy Branch (RTB) arbitrator or in other limited circ*mstances.

Paying rent on a different day

Landlords may agree to accept a rent payment later than the normal due datebut are not required to. If a tenant thinks they may need to pay their rent on a different day than they normally do, they should talk to their landlord before rent is due.

Any agreement to change a rent payment should be made in writing and tenants should make sure they are not regularly making late rent payments.

Keeping records

Landlords and tenants should keep theirrecords of rentpayments. Tenants who make rent payments in cash should get a receipt from their landlord.

Paying utilities and fees

The tenancy agreement should clearly say how utilities will be paidand who will pay them. Tenants living in shared housing may need to decide how to fairly split utility and other costs.

Ifrent is not paid

If a tenant has not paid rent or other fees(e.g.,electricity, water,heat),landlords should attempt to discuss the issuewith the tenant. Giving the tenant an opportunity to address the unpaid rent orutility bill can help to resolve the issue. Both the landlord and the tenant shoulddocument the outcome of the conversation.

If the tenant does not pay what they owe after a discussion with the landlord, landlords can take steps to end the tenancy. Landlords can evict tenantsat any time of the year, even during the winter.

Tenants who are having trouble paying their rent may be eligible for rent assistance.

Late rent payments

Landlords can issue a 10-day eviction notice even if tenants are only 1 day late or do not pay the full rent amount.

Landlords can end a tenancy over repeated late rent payments. If the tenant is late paying rent at least 3 separate times, the landlord can give a 1 month notice to end tenancy.

Late rent fee

If rent is late, landlords are allowed to charge a non-refundable late rent fee, but only if this is clearly stated in the tenancy agreement. The maximum amount a landlord can charge as a late rent fee is $25.

Tenants can dispute late rent fees above $25

Tenants who believe their landlord is charging a late rent fee that is too high should:

Review their tenancy agreement to see ifthe fee is clearly stated and within the legal limit
Tell thelandlord about the rules for late fees if the fee is above the legal limit or not in the agreement,
Apply for dispute resolutionif the issue is not resolved through communication.Dispute resolution is a process to help resolve conflicts between landlords and tenants.

Increasing rent

Landlords can only increase rent if theyprovide tenants with at least 3full monthsnotice. Rent can only be increased once every 12 months and any increase must be within the yearly rent increase limit outlinedby the Residential Tenancy Branch.

Tenants must pay the increased rent, unless the increase is unlawful.Rent increases are regulated by the Residential Tenancy Act.

Learn more about rent increases

Reducing rent

Landlords may agree to reducerent. Any changes to rent must be made in writing.

Tenants may be eligible for a rent reduction as ordered by an arbitrator through the dispute resolution process. Landlords can prevent the need for rent reduction by:

Following the rules for rent increases
Following the rules for deposits
Staying on top of maintenance and emergency repairs
Ensuring fair access to all facilities or services named in the tenancy agreement
Landlords must reduce rent if a tenant starts to pay for utilities that were originally included in the rent

Tenants must always pay their full rent unless ordered by aResidential Tenancy Brancharbitrator.

Tenant rights and responsibilities

Paying rent on time and in full

Tenants must pay their full rent on time according to the terms in their tenancy agreement.

Exclusive use of a safe and livable rental unit

When tenants pay rent, they have the right to exclusively possess and live in a rental unit. No matter how much rent they pay, tenants are entitled to a safe and livable rental unit.

Fair and respectful treatment

Tenants have the right to be treated fairly and respectfully by their landlord. Landlords cannot intimidate, threaten or discriminate against tenants based on factors such as:

Race
Religion
Gender
Disability
Family status
Age
Sexual orientation

Landlord role and responsibilities

Rental property must meet basic health and safety standards

Landlords must ensure that the property meets basic health and safety standards. This includes providing plumbing and electricity, as well as maintaining the rental building.

Landlords can't restrict access to personal belongings

If tenants are behind on rent, landlords must get a court order before removing personal belongings from the unit or restricting access to it. If the landlord believes tenants have abandoned the property, they mustfollow the proper procedure before removing or throwing anythingaway.