Metro Vancouver · Landlords & tenants
From repair disagreements to eviction proceedings, Khurana Law helps Surrey landlords and tenants address RTB disputes, rent and deposits. The firm serves Metro Vancouver through remote consultations offered in English, Punjabi and Hindi. In-person meetings can also be arranged at the firm’s Surrey office.
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.
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.
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.
Unpaid rent is not the same issue as alleged property damage. We address each claim separately and explain the evidence needed to establish a loss or challenge the amount requested.
At the end of a tenancy, document the inspection and the delivery of a forwarding address. Advice can clarify the return deadline, any permitted retention and the remedies available for non-compliance.
If a new rental amount is disputed, collect the increase notice and previous payment records. We review the procedural and legal basis instead of assuming every proposed change is enforceable.
A repair application needs a clear account of the defect and the response to it. Advice can distinguish routine maintenance, urgent issues and service changes without encouraging unauthorized rent deductions.
A claim for loss of quiet enjoyment needs facts about what happened and its effect. We help distinguish relevant interference from ordinary friction and organize the supporting correspondence.
Enforcement begins with the actual order and its compliance date. We assist with the steps that may be available in court, while separating collection from a challenge to the original decision.
Surrey tenants can arrange advice locally or remotely about a notice, a repair problem or a deposit claim. Start with the complete agreement and notice. If the home is a suite, explain which parts of the property are rented and whether facilities are shared.
At move-out, preserve inspection records and provide your forwarding address in writing using an accepted method. A lawyer can assess the deposit issue against the tenancy’s actual sequence of events.
Surrey landlords can meet with the firm by arrangement or discuss the matter remotely. Before issuing a notice, identify the legal ground and the result sought. A complete tenancy file makes it easier to assess service, arrears, inspections and any response from the tenant.
Service records are part of the file, not an administrative afterthought. Retain the notice actually delivered and details of the authorized delivery method, recipient and date.
For rental disagreements arising in Surrey, an organized file makes the provincial procedure easier to navigate. These stages distinguish getting a decision from enforcing or challenging it.
Start by checking that the RTB can decide the issue. Select the relief you need and submit the proper application before time expires.
After filing, follow the directions for delivering documents to the other party. An organized service record helps establish compliance with the applicable rules.
Organize the tenancy agreement, notices, payment records, photographs and correspondence. Follow the RTB rules and your hearing package for submission and service deadlines.
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 reasons and any orders carefully. Identify payment, possession and compliance dates, and whether enforcement steps are necessary.
An internal RTB review has limited grounds and decision-specific deadlines. Disagreement alone is insufficient; assess the permitted basis and applicable time promptly.
A challenge in BC Supreme Court addresses legal or procedural review grounds rather than a fresh tenancy hearing. Obtain advice promptly about the filing deadline and any stay application.
When a Surrey dispute becomes urgent, bring the whole notice rather than a description of it. Its type and receipt date help identify which of the following rules applies.
| 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.
Khurana Law combines RTB hearing work and court appearances with representation of both owners and renters. Clients can discuss their files in English, Punjabi or Hindi through the Surrey and Vancouver offices. Clear advice about evidence and remedies helps you assess the next step without an assurance of any particular result.
No, a lawyer is not required for an RTB hearing. Representation can help where the evidence is extensive, an eviction deadline is approaching or a possession or monetary claim is disputed. A consultation can assess the procedure and the documents before you decide how to participate. An initial meeting can identify the specific application rather than assume litigation is necessary.
Yes, distance from Surrey is not a barrier to a remote tenancy consultation. The team also has a Vancouver office and can discuss your file in English, Punjabi or Hindi. Most RTB hearings allow remote participation, commonly by telephone, subject to the instructions issued for the proceeding. Surrey is an actual office location; ask about appointment arrangements before attending.
Tenancies cannot automatically be ended whenever repair work is proposed. Major renovations requiring vacant possession generally follow the section 49.2 RTB order procedure. The application, permits and explanation of why vacancy is needed are relevant; do not rely on older advice describing a simple four-month renovation notice. Bring permits or proposed work documents rather than only a description of the renovation.
Give a written forwarding address, keep the delivery evidence and retain your inspection documents. The Act generally gives the landlord 15 days from the later of tenancy end and receipt of that address to repay or claim. Exceptions and consent to deductions need to be considered before an RTB application. Move-in and move-out inspections remain relevant even where both parties live nearby.
Khurana Law can assist a landlord with assessing rent arrears and the relevant RTB route. Start with the agreed rent, payment records and any arrangement already made about the balance. If an order is obtained but remains unpaid, the appropriate court enforcement procedure can be considered without guaranteeing recovery. A local consultation can review the ledger before a claim is submitted.
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. Meeting in Surrey does not move the RTB hearing into a local court registry.
Explain the remedy you need and any approaching hearing date. Contacting the firm is not a guarantee of representation or a lawyer-client relationship.
