Metro Vancouver · Landlords & tenants
For a tenancy problem in New Westminster, Khurana Law provides landlords and tenants with advice on RTB disputes, evictions, deposits, rent and repairs. Clients in Metro Vancouver can arrange remote consultations in English, Punjabi and Hindi. An RTB hearing and court enforcement are different procedural stages.
Notice advice starts with the legal ground, the approved form and how the document was delivered. BC currently uses three-month landlord or purchaser occupancy notices; a renovation requiring vacant possession generally needs an RTB order rather than a landlord-issued renovation notice.
Challenging a notice means more than telling the landlord you disagree. We review the filing deadline, identify the grounds for a response and prepare evidence for the requested cancellation.
A possession claim should clearly explain why the tenancy can end and what has already been served. Our advice addresses those requirements as well as the risks of attempting an eviction without proper authority.
Monetary applications need an explained calculation and supporting evidence. We help distinguish rent arrears, actual damage, ordinary wear and tear, payments received and amounts already credited.
Deposit disputes depend on the move-out record and what happened next. We help tenants request repayment and landlords understand when a claim, consent or other statutory rule may apply.
An increase needs to satisfy the relevant statutory requirements, not just an owner’s preference. We assess the notice and tenancy history without relying on an outdated annual percentage.
We help present evidence about unresolved maintenance and a loss of included services. Keep dated requests, responses and photographs; the right remedy depends on the obligation and the actual facts.
A tenant’s use and privacy rights can be affected by repeated interference. We review the actual incidents and the owner’s knowledge, keeping the requested remedy connected to provable facts.
An RTB decision does not always produce voluntary compliance. We advise on the court process appropriate to a monetary or possession order and the records needed to take the next lawful step.
A New Westminster tenant with an RTB decision should distinguish dissatisfaction with the outcome from a permitted review ground. Keep the complete reasons and the date they were issued. Court review is not simply another hearing with a second chance to present omitted evidence.
Seek advice early enough to identify the notice-dispute deadline. Trying to resolve an issue informally does not necessarily stop time running for an RTB application.
For a New Westminster landlord holding an order, check what it actually requires and whether compliance has occurred. A courthouse nearby does not remove enforcement requirements. Bring the order, service record and payment history before deciding which next step is available.
Respond to maintenance requests in writing and keep the related records. An unresolved repair issue can become relevant even when the original application concerns rent or possession.
For a New Westminster dispute, the application route follows provincial rules rather than a separate Metro Vancouver tribunal. We begin by checking the remedy and the documents already served.
Identify the remedy, confirm RTB jurisdiction and file the appropriate application within the applicable deadline.
Serve the application package and required records in an accepted way. Keep proof of the recipient, delivery method and date rather than assuming notice was received.
Prepare the agreement, receipts, notices and other relevant records before the evidence cut-off. Filing an application does not remove the need to deliver evidence correctly.
Participation is commonly by telephone conference rather than at a local courtroom. Check whether your notice provides telephone or video instructions and arrange access to the evidence.
After the hearing, review the reasons and operative terms rather than relying on a brief summary. Record what compliance requires and whether anything remains outstanding.
An internal RTB review has limited grounds and decision-specific deadlines. Disagreement alone is insufficient; assess the permitted basis and applicable time promptly.
For judicial review, identify the legal or procedural concern and the issued decision. BC Supreme Court requirements and any request for a stay need separate assessment.
If your rental unit is in New Westminster, check the current notice type before relying on an older guide. These figures are shared across BC, but the trigger date needs an individual assessment.
| Issue | Deadline or limit | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Dispute a 10-day unpaid-rent notice | 5 days after receiving the notice. | RTA s. 46 |
| Dispute a one-month notice for cause | 10 days after receiving the notice. | RTA s. 47 |
| Dispute a landlord or purchaser occupancy notice | Current three-month notice: 21 days after receiving it. Do not rely on the former two-month / 15-day rule. | RTB occupancy notices |
| Dispute a four-month demolition or conversion notice | 30 days after receiving the notice. Major renovations use a different RTB order process, not this notice. | RTA ss. 49, 49.2 |
| Return a security or pet damage deposit, or claim against it | 15 days after the later of the tenancy ending and receipt of the tenant’s forwarding address in writing, subject to statutory exceptions. | RTA s. 38 |
| Apply for judicial review of a final RTB decision | 60 days from the date the decision is issued. The court has a limited power to extend time; do not assume an extension or automatic stay. | ATA s. 57; RTA s. 5.1 |
| RTB monetary claim limit | $35,000, matching BC’s Small Claims limit. Larger claims generally belong in BC Supreme Court, except certain 12-month-rent compensation claims under RTA ss. 51(2) and 51.3. | RTB monetary jurisdiction |
Some online guides still describe superseded BC eviction routes. Personal occupancy generally now uses three months’ notice and a 21-day dispute window. A four-month demolition or conversion notice must not be presented as a renovation notice: major renovations generally require an RTB application for an order. Two-month notices currently address loss of subsidized-housing eligibility. Confirm the exact document and how it was served.
A tenancy client needs advice tied to the notice, agreement and evidence. Khurana Law’s lawyers appear before the RTB and in court, act for landlords and tenants, and explain options plainly. The firm operates from Surrey and Vancouver and provides consultations in English, Punjabi and Hindi; results are never guaranteed.
No mandatory lawyer requirement applies to ordinary RTB participation. Depending on the dispute, advice can help you avoid procedural mistakes or focus a complicated record. Consider the notice, the amount claimed and your ability to organize and explain the evidence before deciding what assistance you need. A decision-review consultation needs the full reasons, not merely the final order.
You do not need to live near the firm’s offices to discuss an RTB dispute. Khurana Law works with BC landlords and tenants remotely from Surrey and Vancouver. Agree on document transfer and hearing participation early; a lawyer’s location does not remove service obligations or other procedural requirements. The firm can review an existing decision remotely before discussing any court step.
A renovation proposal does not automatically end a BC tenancy. For major work requiring vacant possession, the landlord generally must apply to the RTB under section 49.2 and establish the statutory requirements. This is different from a four-month demolition or conversion notice; inspect the actual documents before deciding how to respond. Differentiate the landlord’s application from any possession order already granted.
Document when the tenancy ended and when the landlord received your written forwarding address. Those dates generally start the 15-day return-or-claim calculation from the later event. Inspection rules, agreed deductions and statutory exceptions can change the analysis, so collect those records rather than relying only on a repayment request. A deposit order and voluntary repayment should be recorded against the same balance.
Landlords can seek advice on an RTB claim for unpaid rent and later enforcement options. Preparation begins with the tenancy agreement, payment history and an explained balance. A notice ending the tenancy and a claim for money have different functions, so the intended remedy should be identified before filing. A monetary order may need a separate lawful collection procedure.
RTB timelines depend on the chosen application and available scheduling. There is no reliable fixed number of weeks for all tenancy disputes, and missing documents can complicate preparation. Some urgent matters qualify for a different procedure, but eligibility should be verified against the issue rather than promised in advance. Enforcement after a decision is not part of the original hearing timetable.
Use a short, non-confidential summary to begin. We can discuss the documents needed for review; contacting us does not itself create a lawyer-client relationship.
