As a tenant, it is important to know your rights. The following are things that landlords are not allowed to do:
- Keep your Income Tax Information - Landlords are not allowed to withhold or store tax information from a prospective tenant, including your T4 or income tax assessment.
- Increase rent by more than the allowable amount (0% in 2021 in BC)
- Increase rent more than once in a 12 month period
- Ask for one month’s rent as security deposit. In BC, a security deposit must not exceed the equivalent of ½ month’s rent.
- Ask for a security deposit in the middle of a lease. A security deposit can only be collected from a tenant at the beginning of their tenancy. After that, they have no right to request it.
- Increase rent without warning. Landlords are required to use the approved form “Notice of Rent Increase” and provide the tenant with a period of three month’s notice when increasing their rent.
- Interfere with the tenant's quiet enjoyment of the premises - Tenants deserve to live in a safe and clean environment. Landlords should not purposefully or negligently cause alterations to the apartment, and they must make repairs so that it is livable.
- Install new locks or other security measures after the current lease has expired - may not change locks, alarm systems, or anything else without using proper notice to tenants and providing them with proper notice and information about how it will affect their property.
- Enter the property without proper notice - While it is every landlord's right to have a property manager come into the apartment under certain conditions, there are some things that landlords can't do. Landlords must provide written notice of entry at least 24 hours in advance. They also need to have good reason for entering the property, or it could constitute illegal search and seizure. Landlords should never enter a tenant's apartment without permission unless there is an emergency.
- Use a tenant's security deposit for other purposes - landlords may not use the tenant’s security deposit for any reason other than repairs related to damage caused by the tenant. In certain provinces, the security deposit may be used to cover unpaid rent but you will need to check the specific laws for your province.
