Metro Vancouver · Landlords & tenants
Residential tenancy advice from Khurana Law is available remotely to landlords and tenants in Vancouver and Metro Vancouver. Consultations in English, Punjabi and Hindi cover RTB disputes, eviction notices, rent, repairs and security deposits. The Vancouver office offers an in-person option alongside remote consultation.
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.
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.
A landlord may seek compensation for unpaid rent or proven damage; a tenant may contest the basis or calculation. We organize the claim around records rather than unsupported estimates.
Keeping a deposit requires more than an allegation that a rental unit was damaged. We examine consent, applications and inspection rules when advising either side of a repayment dispute.
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 We assess the notice and tenancy history without relying on an outdated annual percentage.
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.
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.
Vancouver tenants can ask for an office appointment or remote advice before responding to an application. Bring the landlord’s notices, the tenancy agreement and relevant building communications. If a property manager is involved, identify which documents were sent to the owner and which to the manager.
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 Vancouver rental, coordinate the owner’s and property manager’s records before filing. A complete ledger, consistent correspondence and the exact notice served reduce confusion. The firm can assess the intended remedy in person by appointment or through remote consultation.
A practical resolution may involve a written payment arrangement or move-out agreement. Check its terms carefully and do not assume negotiations have preserved an application deadline.
The same RTB framework applies in Vancouver, but the evidence and deadlines come from your particular tenancy. A clear sequence prevents a hearing from becoming an unstructured exchange of allegations.
Decide what order you are asking for, then check jurisdiction and filing requirements. The claim needs the correct parties and an application delivered on time.
Valid delivery is its own procedural requirement. Retain the documents sent and evidence showing how and when the required recipient was served.
Use the RTB’s rules and issued instructions to plan evidence exchange. A complete file supplied late can create problems even where the documents appear important.
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.
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.
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.
When a Vancouver 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.
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.
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 document review can clarify whether the disagreement is within RTB jurisdiction.
A BC resident can consult Khurana Law remotely about RTB representation. The firm does not require clients to travel for every discussion and does not imply a local office. Its Surrey and Vancouver lawyers can review the file, identify preparation tasks and coordinate attendance using the hearing package instructions. Vancouver is the firm’s other real office; in-person meetings are arranged in advance.
A valid renovation-related eviction requires more than a letter asking you to leave. BC’s major-renovation process generally involves an RTB application for an order and proof of the legal conditions. Preserve the proposal and all notices so the appropriate response and any hearing obligations can be identified. Identify whether the plan is demolition, conversion or renovation before choosing a legal route.
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. A manager’s deduction request should be checked against consent and the inspection record.
Yes, rent recovery is among the tenancy matters the firm handles. The initial task is to verify the balance and the forum rather than assume a demand alone will produce payment. Relevant documents include the agreement, ledger and correspondence; an unpaid RTB order may require additional lawful enforcement work. An owner and manager should work from the same reconciled rent ledger.
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. Court proceedings and RTB hearings do not share a single scheduling process.
Explain the remedy you need and any approaching hearing date. Contacting the firm is not a guarantee of representation or a lawyer-client relationship.
