Metro Vancouver · Landlords & tenants
From repair disagreements to eviction proceedings, Khurana Law helps Port Coquitlam landlords and tenants address RTB disputes, rent and deposits. The firm serves Metro Vancouver through remote consultations offered in English, Punjabi and Hindi. Separate a claim for money from a request to regain possession.
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.
A tenant can ask the RTB to cancel a notice within the applicable dispute period. We help organize the response, service record and evidence addressing the stated reason for eviction.
Possession proceedings require the right application and evidence. We explain what an order permits, when it takes effect and why changing locks yourself is not a substitute for legal enforcement.
We assist with RTB monetary orders for rent or damage, including responses to overstated or unsupported claims. The file should explain both the legal basis and the calculation of the alleged loss.
A disagreement over deductions can become an RTB deposit application. We help explain the relevant dates and documents so a repayment request or claim against the deposit is properly supported.
Rent-increase advice considers the effective date, prior increases and the approved notice. The applicable year’s rules and any lawful exception should be verified before the amount is accepted or challenged.
Document what stopped working, when the landlord learned of it and what followed. We assist either party in addressing repair responsibilities and the evidence relevant to a service-related claim.
We assist with quiet-enjoyment applications and responses, including alleged interference with use of a rental home. Incident dates, communications and the impact claimed help define the dispute.
Obtaining an RTB order and executing it are separate tasks. Our team can review the terms, identify the enforcement forum and explain the supporting documents needed for that route.
A Port Coquitlam tenant responding to unpaid-rent allegations should assemble proof of each payment and any agreed credit. A dispute about the balance and a notice ending the tenancy may need separate attention; answering one issue informally may not preserve rights on the other.
Prepare a dated sequence of requests, responses and events. Evidence that explains the specific loss or remedy you seek is more useful than a large folder of unexplained screenshots.
For Port Coquitlam rent arrears, state the amount due and the relief sought clearly. A claim for money is not the same as obtaining possession. Prepare a ledger that includes partial payments and credits, then check the application and notice requirements for each remedy.
Before taking possession, distinguish an RTB order from the steps needed to enforce it. Changing locks or removing belongings without lawful authority can create a separate dispute.
For a Port Coquitlam 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.
A filing should identify the dispute and requested remedy accurately. Confirm coverage, use the appropriate route and respect the relevant application deadline.
Deliver the dispute notice and other documents using an authorized method. Record what was served, when and how.
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.
RTB hearings are usually remote, commonly by telephone conference. Use the telephone or video arrangements specified in your hearing notice; do not assume the hearing format.
Read the decision and each order, including any date for payment or possession. Assess compliance first, then determine whether a separate enforcement step is needed.
An internal RTB review has limited grounds and decision-specific deadlines. Disagreement alone is insufficient; assess the permitted basis and applicable time promptly.
A court challenge examines the decision through judicial-review principles, not a fresh RTB trial. Discuss the deadline, procedure and any application to suspend enforcement promptly.
For Port Coquitlam renters and owners, time usually runs from a legally significant event, not from the day advice is obtained. Confirm receipt and deemed-service rules before counting days.
| 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 |
Current BC rules differ from older online guides: landlord or purchaser occupancy generally uses a three-month notice with 21 days to dispute. A four-month demolition or conversion notice is not a renovation notice. Major renovations requiring vacant possession generally require the landlord to apply for an RTB order under section 49.2. Two-month notices now concern eligibility for subsidized housing, not landlord occupancy. Check the form, date of service and applicable rules before acting.
Our lawyers bring landlord and tenant representation to their work at the Residential Tenancy Branch and in court. Khurana Law’s actual offices are in Surrey and Vancouver, and consultations are offered in three languages: English, Punjabi and Hindi. We aim for plain-language explanations of the issue and the available procedure.
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 combined money and possession dispute can require attention to more than one remedy.
Remote representation can be arranged for a tenancy matter elsewhere in BC. Khurana Law’s locations are Surrey and Vancouver; the rental address determines the underlying dispute, not an obligation to attend a nearby law office. Discuss the documents, timeline and official hearing instructions to plan the necessary assistance. Upload the ledger and all notices as distinct documents for remote review.
Major renovations may justify an application to end a tenancy, but the RTB must generally assess the statutory requirements first. A landlord’s intention is not itself an enforceable possession order. Check whether the paperwork concerns renovations, demolition or occupancy, because those routes involve different requirements and responses. A renovation application should not be treated as a shortcut for rent recovery.
Preserve move-out records and send your forwarding address in writing. BC generally requires repayment or a claim against the deposit within 15 days after the later of tenancy end and address receipt. The rule has exceptions, and condition-inspection requirements can affect rights, so the complete record should be checked. Explain whether a proposed deduction concerns rent, damage or a separate charge.
A landlord can obtain help preparing or pursuing an unpaid-rent application. The amount should be supported by the agreement and payment records, with all credits accounted for. A possession claim may also arise, but ending the tenancy does not itself recover money or authorize informal enforcement against the tenant. Show the remaining arrears after all received payments have been credited.
The timetable varies with the process and the individual file. A direct request, an ordinary participatory hearing and an expedited application are not interchangeable routes. Scheduling and complete service matter, while enforcement or a challenge after the decision may add a separate stage. Check your issued hearing package for the actual date. Different remedies can have different procedures even within the same tenancy.
Share a brief description and the important dates. A first inquiry is a chance to discuss the next step, not the creation of a lawyer-client relationship.
