Proposed legislative changes will strengthen tenancy laws in B.C., helping to make life more affordable for renters.
Proposed legislative amendments will give renters more security by extending the rent freeze to Dec. 31, 2021, capping future rent increases to inflation, stopping illegal renovictions and improving the dispute resolution process. All renters who may have received notice of a rent increase that would have taken effect after March 30, 2020, and before January 1, 2022, can disregard those notices. Starting in 2022 and beyond, any rent increases will be capped at the rate of inflation. New legislation that would come into effect on July 1, 2021, would further prevent renovictions by requiring landlords to apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) before they can terminate a tenancy agreement for the purpose of renovating. Also, landlords will not be able to end tenancies for renovations that aren’t substantial or don’t require the rental unit to be vacant.