Most common questions renters have during a tenancy

Your landlord can't just show up whenever they want. BC law sets clear rules for when and how landlords can enter your rental unit. 

• Notice. Generally, your landlord must give you written notice that you receive at least 24 hours in advance. The notice must include the date, time (or time window), and reason for entry. 

• Timing. Entry is only allowed between 8 am and 9 pm. 

• Reason. Landlords need a valid reason, like making repairs, showing the unit to prospective tenants or buyers, or handling an emergency. 

A routine inspection of the unit’s condition can count as a valid reason. But such an inspection generally can’t happen more than once a month. And it must be reasonable. For example, checking the plumbing each month in the same spot may not be reasonable. This Q&A has more on what a landlord can and can’t do during an inspection.

If your landlord violates these rules, here are steps to consider. 

1. Send a written message by email or text. Remind them of the Residential Tenancy Act requirements: 24-hour written notice, entry only between 8 am and 9 pm, and inspections limited to once per month. Be polite but firm.

2. Keep records of every time your landlord enters or attempts to enter. Save all written notices, take photos of any notes left at your door, and write down dates and times of unannounced visits. This documentation becomes crucial if you need to file a complaint with the Residential Tenancy Branch or prove harassment.

“We signed a one-year lease that was about to convert to month-to-month. The landlord told me that means the lease needs to be “updated,” with changes to when and how I pay rent, new rules about my storage locker, and limits on the number of guests I can have at one time. Something didn’t sit right for me. In chatting with other tenants, they told me the landlord tried to make these changes with them. I learned that just because I was converting to month-to-month, it didn’t mean the lease had to be renegotiated.”

– Felipe, Vancouver, BC

Your landlord can't just change the rules mid-tenancy whenever they feel like it. Once you've made a tenancy agreement, you and your landlord are both bound by its terms. Your landlord would need your written acceptance to change things covered by the agreement. If you don't agree to proposed changes, your landlord can't enforce them. 

Let’s look at Felipe’s situation. Typically, at the end of a one-year lease, a tenancy converts to a month-to-month tenancy on the same terms as the lease (except the tenant can now provide just one month’s notice if they plan to leave). Any terms in the lease continue, such as about Felipe’s storage locker and the number of guests. Felipe’s landlord can propose changes. But Felipe doesn’t have to agree to them. 

Here's what you should know about specific scenarios:

• Rent. A landlord can raise your rent once per year by an amount predetermined by the government. They can do this whether you are on a lease or renting month-to-month. But you must get at least three months’ notice of a rent increase, and the landlord must use a specific form.

• Parking or storage charges. If your lease includes parking or storage, your landlord can’t start charging for these after the term is up and the lease converts to a month-to-month tenancy. 

• Pet policies. Your landlord can't suddenly tell you to get rid of your cat in the middle of a tenancy. If your agreement allows pets, then you can still have them when a fixed-term lease changes to month-to-month. If the agreement was silent on pets, then you can have pets. Landlords cannot get around this by claiming to be making new “building-wide” rules. No matter what other tenants’ agreements say, if a tenancy agreement does not restrict a tenant from having pets, they can have pets. More on all this here.

• Visitor rules. Your landlord can establish reasonable rules about guests and visitors. But extreme restrictions (like banning overnight guests entirely) aren’t allowed. Any changes to visitor policies should be communicated in writing before they take effect. And your landlord can’t tell you not to have guests over — more on that here. Note that tenants in supportive housing do not have a right under the Residential Tenancy Act to have guests.

• Rent payment methods. If your landlord wants to change how you pay rent (for example, requiring automatic bank transfers instead of cheques), they can propose that change, but you don’t have to agree to it.

• Utility billing. Some landlords may want to shift utility costs from themselves to tenants — for example, by asking you to pay for electricity directly instead of having it included in rent. Again, the landlord would have to ask you permission to do this. Otherwise the previous terms stay in place. 

• Building access and common area rules. If your landlord wants to introduce new rules about parking lot hours, laundry room access, or restrictions on using building common spaces, these changes need to be communicated in writing. While reasonable changes to common building rules are generally allowed (say, a prohibition on loud music after a certain hour), changes that significantly restrict your use of included amenities may require your consent or written 30 days’ notice on the proper form and a reduction in rent equivalent to the loss of value of the service.

If your landlord proposes new terms changing the tenancy agreement and you’re not okay with them, consider sending the landlord a written message setting out your position. If your landlord tries to evict you for refusing to accept the terms, that would likely be considered an illegal eviction. (Check out our page on evictions for next steps in dealing with that.)

An illegal suite is a rental unit that doesn't meet BC's building, fire or safety codes, or was never properly licensed or approved by the municipality. Common scenarios include a basement or garage that's been converted without permits, units that lack proper exits or ventilation, situations where there are more occupants in the unit than are typically allowed under city bylaws,, and suites in buildings where only one unit is legally allowed. 

Under the Residential Tenancy Act, you're still entitled to all the standard protections that apply to legal rentals (like a habitable environment, quiet enjoyment of your unit, and so on), regardless of the suite's status. If you suspect you're living in an illegal suite, you have options. 

• If the suite is habitable, and you aren’t otherwise having problems with your tenancy, you’re not obligated to report the suite’s status to the municipality. 

• If the suite has problems and your landlord isn’t doing much or anything to deal with them, rather than reporting the illegal suite you could file a claim with the Residential Tenancy Branch to compel your landlord to act or compensate you. More on that process here. 

• Otherwise, if there are serious safety concerns like blocked fire exits, very poor ventilation, or other hazardous conditions, you can report the illegal suite to your municipality's building inspection department or to your local health authority, so that they can order your landlord to make necessary upgrades. 

Before reporting an illegal suite — or filing a claim with the Residential Tenancy Branch — consider the consequences and have a backup plan. Reporting an illegal suite could lead to enforcement action that requires the landlord to do costly renovations. This could result in you losing the unit temporarily or permanently, as a landlord can apply to end a tenancy for renovations — the landlord has strict rules to follow here).

A landlord can also issue a one month notice to end tenancy for cause if a local government, like a municipality, makes an order that requires the unit to be vacant. For example, a fire marshall could order that a building cannot be occupied because of extreme fire risk.

Otherwise, if you make an RTB claim, you can target specific issues with the unit, rather than have a building inspector come and potentially require many upgrades. 

Unless there’s a municipal order requiring the landlord to make the unit vacant, a landlord cannot simply evict you because you’ve pointed out health and safety issues. If you do report these issues to your municipality, though, and they require the landlord to make the unit vacant, that would be a legal eviction. And dealing with an eviction notice or having to relocate can be very difficult.

On the other hand, if you stay quiet and something happens (like a fire), you and others could be at serious risk. Reaching out to a community organization like TRAC can help discuss these issues with you and help you chart a path forward. 

In BC, landlords can apply for a rent increase above the annual guideline to recover the costs of major capital improvements to the building. But not all increases claiming to be for "capital expenditures" are legitimate. Under the Residential Tenancy Act, a capital expenditure is a significant, long-term upgrade that adds value to the building, extends its life, or reduces operating costs — think roof replacements, new HVAC systems, or major structural repairs. Sadly, landlords sometimes try to use this rule to justify increases for routine maintenance — like painting walls, replacing worn carpet or fixing broken plumbing. These are normal operating costs that should be covered by regular rent, not passed on to tenants. 

The key is understanding the difference: capital improvements benefit the building for years, while maintenance fixes things that are broken or worn out. Landlords can't use capital expenditure claims as a loophole to charge you more; you have the right to push back if something doesn't add up. If your landlord claims a capital expenditure rent increase but you suspect the work is actually just standard maintenance, you have the right to challenge it. 

Unfortunately, formally challenging this situation through the Residential Tenancy Branch can be a very difficult and time-consuming process. You might be better off trying to resolve this directly with your landlord. Here are some ideas:

• If your unit is in a big building, consider asking the other tenants if they’re about to receive similar rent increases. There’s power in a complaint coming from a group of tenants rather than just one. 

• Request detailed documentation from the landlord of what work was done, how much it cost, and how it qualifies as a capital expenditure under the Residential Tenancy Regulation. How long will the improvements benefit the building? 

• Get copies of invoices or quotes if possible, and take photos or videos of the work if you can. 

• Compare the claimed costs to market rates — you can research typical prices for similar work in your area.

Once you have more information and support, you can prepare a written letter to your landlord outlining your concerns. It’s good to include facts, dollar amounts, and other helpful information to substantiate your position. You can ask a neighbour, friend or family member to help. Or you can ask our Beagle+ chatbot to help you. Give the landlord a deadline to respond. Stay strong!

“I rent in a smaller complex, just five units. A couple of months after I moved in, new tenants started living above my suite. They are musicians (you can see where this might be going!). They spend most of the day practising, and have had a handful of loud parties on the weekends each month. I work from home, so this is a problem for me. I know I have a right to quiet enjoyment of my suite, but don’t know if this crosses the line.”

– Alice, Burnaby, BC

The right to quiet use and enjoyment means you have the right to live peacefully in your home without excessive interference from your landlord or other tenants. 

Noise complaints are one of the most common quiet enjoyment issues. Some situations are clear cut: If your upstairs neighbour is always playing loud music at 2 am, having roaring parties every weekend, or their dog is barking constantly and loudly, that's interfering with your right to quiet enjoyment.

Smoking is another major source of conflict. If smoke is drifting into your unit from a neighbour's space, it can violate your right to enjoy your home — especially if you were told that no tenants were permitted to smoke in their units or in the building. 

Air conditioning issues also frequently come up. If your landlord refuses to fix a broken air conditioning unit during a heat wave or prohibits window air conditioning units despite heat being unmanageable, that affects your ability to enjoy your home in basic comfort. 

Quiet enjoyment disputes must rise above occasional annoyances (like one loud party) or the inescapable realities of living in a multi-family complex (like constant lines to use the laundry machines). If the problems are ongoing and objectively interfere with your ability to live peacefully and safely, then you have a strong claim that your right to quiet enjoyment is being infringed.

To deal with this, start by documenting the problem and trying to resolve it directly. For example, keep a log of when noise happens, how long it lasts, and what type of noise it is. This creates an evidence trail if you need to escalate down the road. 

If it's a neighbour issue, try talking with them calmly first or leaving a note under their door; sometimes people don't realize how much noise they're making. Here’s a helpful guide for dealing with these types of conversations, which can be hard to initiate and manage.

If this doesn't work, report the concern to your landlord in writing and ask them to take action. They have a responsibility to enforce quiet enjoyment for all tenants. Keep a log of all of your correspondence in case you have to refer to it later.

Constant monitoring can feel intrusive, and may be used by landlord to unfairly target certain tenants without good reason. But, landlords can install security cameras in common areas like hallways, lobbies, parking lots and building entrances — but there are privacy rules they must follow. 

Landlords may have legitimate reasons to use surveillance for security purposes: disincentivizing break-ins, monitoring who enters the building, and deterring vandalism. However, cameras can't invade your privacy. Cameras in hallways and building entrances are generally fine, but they can’t point at your unit's door or windows in a way that captures what's happening inside your home. Cameras should never be in private spaces like bathrooms, inside individual units, or positioned to capture intimate or private activities. Landlords should also inform tenants that surveillance is in place. Here is more on rules around camera use.

If you're concerned about security cameras in your building, you have the right to ask questions and push back if something feels invasive. Ask your landlord in writing where cameras are located, what they're recording (video only or audio too — audio recording has stricter rules), how long footage is kept, and who has access to it. You can also make a formal claim with the Residential Tenancy Branch if the camera placement is part of a broader pattern of harassment or interference with your quiet enjoyment. 

The difference between a guest and an occupant matters legally in BC. It determines whether someone is entitled to tenant protections and whether a landlord can raise rent or evict. 

A guest is typically someone who stays temporarily — a friend visiting for a weekend, a family member staying for a few weeks, or a partner spending weekends at your place. An occupant, on the other hand, is someone who lives in the unit on a permanent or semi-permanent basis, shares living expenses, and treats it as their primary residence. 

There's no magic number of days that automatically makes someone an occupant; instead, look at the overall circumstances:

• How long they've been living there (generally several months or more suggests occupancy rather than visiting).

• Whether they have another home that they use as a primary residence.

• Whether they contribute to rent or utilities.

• Whether they have their own keys.

• Whether they store personal belongings there.

• Whether mail is delivered to them at that address.

• Whether the person considers it their home. 

If an occupant or undeclared tenant is living in your unit, your landlord generally cannot raise the rent or evict based solely on that person's presence, unless there is a term in your tenancy agreement that allows them to increase your rent for having additional occupants. These kinds of terms are generally allowed, but with some restrictions – for example, they must not be very unfair, and they cannot be used to increase the rent because there is an additional occupant who is a minor, or because a minor occupant became an adult. 

Your tenancy agreement may say something about occupancy limits or rules around additional occupants. If someone is living there in violation of those terms (for example, if your agreement says only two people can live in the unit but three are now living there), your landlord can say you’ve breached the agreement and move to evict if that term is a “material term” of the agreement.

If your relationship with your landlord is amicable, consider being transparent about who is living in your unit, and for how long. But first, review your tenancy agreement to understand the terms around occupancy.