Metro Vancouver · Landlords & tenants
Khurana Law represents both tenants and landlords dealing with RTB disputes in Richmond and Metro Vancouver. Evictions, rent, repairs and security deposit questions can be discussed through remote consultations in English, Punjabi and Hindi. Review proposed deductions against inspection documents, not assumptions about damage.
The reason for ending a tenancy determines the notice and its requirements: unpaid rent, cause, personal occupancy or demolition and conversion. We review current forms and distinguish the separate order process for major renovations from an ordinary eviction 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.
We help landlords seek possession orders and tenants respond to possession applications. An order does not authorize informal self-help eviction; lawful enforcement is a separate step.
The RTB assesses money claims against the evidence and applicable rules. We review ledgers, receipts and inspection material to present an intelligible calculation rather than a bare demand for payment.
A deposit cannot simply be treated as available money for a disputed claim. We examine the move-out date, written address, inspections and any consent or RTB application affecting return obligations.
We check the notice, timing and applicable legal limit for a proposed increase. No annual percentage is quoted here because the permitted figure is year-specific and exceptions require individual review.
A disagreement about heat, appliances or an included service should be tied to the tenancy agreement and legal duties. We help tenants request relief and landlords respond with the relevant maintenance record.
We review complaints about unreasonable interference, privacy and lawful use of a home. A dated account of incidents and responses helps explain the claim without treating every inconvenience as a breach.
A successful application may still require further work to obtain payment or possession. We review the order and explain the applicable court procedures without guaranteeing recovery.
A Richmond tenant disputing cleaning or damage deductions should compare the move-in and move-out records. Keep any written authorization for deductions and do not rely solely on a verbal promise to return the money. The written forwarding address also affects the deposit timeline.
If moving out is under discussion, distinguish a negotiated agreement from a disputed notice. The wording matters, and signing away a tenancy can affect remedies you otherwise expected to pursue.
For a Richmond move-out claim, explain the alleged condition change and the actual loss. An invoice alone may not resolve causation, wear and tear or inspection compliance. Assess the deposit requirements before treating retained money as payment of the claimed damage.
Choose the legal route before choosing a form. Occupancy, cause, unpaid rent and major renovations have different requirements; a familiar-looking notice may not fit the facts.
The same RTB framework applies in Richmond, but the evidence and deadlines come from your particular tenancy. A clear sequence prevents a hearing from becoming an unstructured exchange of allegations.
A filing should identify the dispute and requested remedy accurately. Confirm coverage, use the appropriate route and respect the relevant application deadline.
Valid delivery is its own procedural requirement. Retain the documents sent and evidence showing how and when the required recipient was served.
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.
The hearing is usually conducted remotely, often over the phone. Follow the connection details in the issued notice and prepare to explain the relevant evidence clearly.
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 RTB review is available only on permitted grounds, not simply because you disagree. Its deadlines can be very short and depend on the decision involved.
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.
A Richmond address does not change these provincial limits. Use the notice you actually received, record how it arrived and seek advice before the earliest possible deadline.
| 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.
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.
You may attend an RTB hearing without counsel. Lawyers can nevertheless help assess notice requirements, service, evidence and possible remedies. A limited consultation may answer an immediate procedural question, while a contested hearing may call for more preparation; the scope should be discussed against your particular file. A deposit consultation benefits from both inspection reports and the deduction proposal.
Yes, the firm’s provincial tenancy services are available through remote consultation. Its actual offices remain in Surrey and Vancouver, not in every community it serves. Share readable copies of the relevant documents and confirm the hearing format, language needs and attendance arrangements with the team before the scheduled date. Send original-resolution condition photographs where they are available.
Your landlord must use the lawful route for the work proposed. For major renovations requiring the unit to be vacant, that generally means seeking an RTB order under section 49.2. Ordinary maintenance does not automatically terminate a tenancy, and a demolition notice should be reviewed as a separate document. Proposed future improvements do not automatically establish tenant-caused damage.
Send the forwarding address in writing and retain proof that the landlord received it. The normal rule requires return of the deposit or a claim within 15 days of the later of address receipt and tenancy end. A lawyer can review exceptions, inspection compliance and any proposed deduction before advising. Retain evidence of the landlord’s receipt of the written forwarding address.
Yes, advice can address the amount owed, the correct application and the documents needed to support it. Rent arrears should be calculated separately from property damage or other loss. An RTB monetary order may then need court enforcement if unpaid; a favourable decision is not a promise of successful collection. Account separately for arrears and alleged cleaning or damage costs.
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. A move-out date does not by itself determine when every application will be heard.
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.
