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Tenant rights

Last updated on December 7, 2023

Tenants have rights during a tenancy, including their rights to dispute problems and their quiet enjoyment rights. Landlords can't physically remove tenants or lock them out of their rental units.  

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Understanding your tenancy agreement

Landlords must prepare a written agreement

Landlords must prepare a written agreement for every tenancy. Even if a landlord doesn’t prepare one, the standard terms of a tenancy agreement still apply. Paying a security deposit establishes a tenancy, even if there is no written tenancy agreement and if the tenant never moves in.

Tenants should carefully read the agreement

A tenant should carefully review their tenancy agreement before signing it. If English is not their first language, or they are uncertain about something in the agreement, they should consider showing it to a friend or family member for clarification and advice.

Tenants and landlords both need to sign tenancy agreement

Both the landlord and the tenant must sign and date the agreement. Landlords must provide a printed copy to tenants within 21 days of entering into the agreement.

Right to dispute problems

Landlords and tenants can apply for dispute resolution. Dispute resolution is the formal process for resolving disputes between landlords and tenants. It should be the last step in dealing with a tenancy conflict, if you're unable to work out a tenancy issue.

If you want to dispute an eviction notice, you must do so within the disputing deadlines set by the Residential Tenancy Branch.

Quiet enjoyment

Quiet enjoyment gives tenants the right to live peacefully in a rental unit without unnecessary disturbances from others. Quiet enjoyment is the tenant's responsibility and could be a cause for eviction if that responsibility is not fulfilled. Tenant's rights for quiet enjoyment include:

  • Reasonable privacy
  • Freedom from unreasonable disturbance

Illegal lockouts

Locking a tenant out of a rental is illegal. Getting locked out of their home could leave the tenant unable to access money, medication, work tools, and personal identification.

If a landlord locks a tenant out of their rental unit, they can contact:

If the landlord continues to deny access to the home, the tenant will have to apply for dispute resolution to ask for an Order of Possession and monetary compensation. The Residential Tenancy Branch has an expedited process for scheduling these hearings.

A landlord cannot physically remove a tenant

If a tenant doesn’t leave by the effective date of the notice, the landlord must follow a specific process to gain possession.

A landlord cannot:

  • Physically remove a tenant
  • Take a tenant’s personal property without a court order

Tenant relocation and protection policies

Some cities in B.C. have tenant relocation and protection policies. Tenants can contact their municipality directly or visit TRAC to see if their city offers a tenant relocation and protection plan.

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