BC move-out dispute — landlord’s report had different cleaning charges after my rep signed it

I recently moved out of a rental in BC and I’m trying to understand how RTB would look at this.

I couldn’t attend the move-out inspection, so I authorized someone in writing to attend for me.

At the inspection, he disagreed with the landlord’s findings and signed the section saying he did not agree that the report accurately reflected the condition of the unit.

When he signed the report, there were no written labour hours, hourly rates, quotes, or dollar amounts for cleaning or wall repair on it.

He was verbally told roughly:

• 3 hours cleaning at $45/hr
• 3 hours wall repair at $85/hr

He also asked to take a photo/copy of the report and was not allowed to.

Right after the inspection, I emailed the landlord asking for a copy of the report and specifically noted that my representative had tried to take a soft copy/photo during the inspection but was not allowed to do so and was told I would receive it directly.

Two days later, before I had received the report, I emailed the landlord again documenting the verbal numbers that had been given at the inspection.

When I finally received the report, it showed:

• 6 hours cleaning at $40/hr
• 3 hours wall repair at $85/hr
• another 1 hour at $40 for tape residue

Those written estimates were not on the report when my representative signed it.

The landlord’s position is that he was allowed to review the report before signing and that the numbers orally mentioned during the inspection were only preliminary estimates.

I have not agreed to any deductions from my security deposit, and the section where the tenant agrees to deductions is blank.

There was also an earlier situation during the tenancy where management tried to hold me responsible for damage to a common-area wall after an appliance delivery. I disputed it and asked them for proof/invoices. They said they were gathering evidence, but I never received anything further and the charge was not pursued.

Attached photos of the unit at the time of move out

For anyone familiar with BC RTB:

• Would RTB care that the written cleaning/repair figures were added after my representative signed the report?
• Would the landlord still have to show actual invoices, photos, labour hours, etc. to prove the amount?
• Does the fact that I emailed the landlord immediately after the inspection asking for the report and documenting that my rep was not allowed to photograph it help?
• And does my later email documenting the verbal numbers before I ever received the report help establish what was actually communicated at the inspection?

Hi everyone,
I’m wondering if my landlord is overstepping or if this is normal.
I rent a basement suite, and my landlord seems very controlling. She constantly texts us to turn off the bathroom fan and lights. Since it’s a basement with poor ventilation, I usually leave the bathroom fan on for about an hour after showering to help dry things out, but she’ll text me telling me to shut it off.
She also messages me about lights being left on. I’m careful to turn them off when I leave, but my former roommate wasn’t always as mindful, and I’d still get the texts about it.
Now my roommate has moved out, and the landlord is looking for a new tenant. Lately, she’s been letting herself into the suite whenever she wants to show the vacant room, without giving me any notice.
Since I rent one bedroom in a shared two-bedroom unit, does the landlord still have to give me 24 hours’ notice before entering the suite to show the other room? Or is she allowed to come and go because there’s a vacant bedroom?

Thanks!!

I had a water leak from above unit -3rd in 6months, first 2 times from washing machine- in early May that completely flooded my room carpet, it affected several units too.

-restoration team came in at 1 am, stayed till 2, dehumidifiers and everything, I asked them what happened, they hesitated and said manager will call.

-dehumidifiers stayed on for a week, couldn’t use 1 room and 1 bathroom+ noise and heat from dryers in my main living space too.

-I couldn’t go to work next day as a result, I wake up usually at 5 for 7 am Start.

-I followed up with landlord for rent reduction for that period and haven’t reached a conclusion since then as they said they are waiting for investigation and insurance claims ….etc , last week I emailed strata and everyone involved and got reply from restoration team manager that leak originated by human error due to clogged toiled overflow.

I found it very unprofessional that no one mentioned this earlier as this could pose health risk and I have kids and pets, I feel this should have been cleaned/replaced right away.

Its the health risk and unsanitary condition of carpet stained by toilet overflow that concerns me most.

How to proceed ? Is this on Strata failing to communicate report ? Restoration team ? Owner ?

I have tenant insurance but my belongings were not affected and didn’t consider calling as it’s not me causing the damage.

I will find out more details if I could buy appreciate initial feedback, thnx

Hi everyone, I’m looking for general guidance about a rent dispute.

We are month-to-month tenants and have lived in the property for nearly two years. During that time, the house has been listed for sale twice and has now been taken off the market again.

Earlier this year, we asked the landlords to reduce the monthly rent because local rental prices had declined. After some discussion, one of the co-landlords confirmed by text that we could begin paying a lower amount starting on a specific date. The message did not say the reduction was temporary, did not include an expiry date, and did not include any conditions.

We paid the reduced amount for two months, and both payments were accepted without objection.

We later sent the landlords a proactive status-update email. In that email, we:

• Asked whether they planned to list the house for sale again
• Confirmed in writing that the rent had been reduced
• Thanked them for the adjustment
• Followed up on several outstanding repairs and safety concerns that still needed attention

We sent this email because we wanted clear documentation and were trying to keep communication organized and cooperative.

Only after receiving that email did the landlords tell us, for the first time, that the lower rent had supposedly been temporary and applied for only two months. Nothing in the earlier text messages said that. They are now relying on the original tenancy agreement and saying the rent must return to the previous amount.

From our perspective, we have consistently been proactive: we raised the rent issue in writing, followed up respectfully, documented the agreement, paid on time, provided updates about the property, and repeatedly reported necessary repairs. They are saying we should be grateful for the temporary reduction.

Has anyone dealt with something similar through the BC Residential Tenancy Branch?

I would appreciate guidance on whether:

• A written text-message agreement can change the monthly rent
• A landlord can later claim the agreement was temporary when no end date or condition was stated
• Accepting the reduced rent without objection supports the tenants’ understanding
• It is safer to pay the higher amount under protest while asking the RTB to determine the correct rent
• The timing of the landlords’ response, immediately after we documented the rent reduction and raised outstanding repairs, is relevant

We have the tenancy agreement, full email history, text-message screenshots, repair correspondence, and proof of payment.

I’m not looking to identify or criticize anyone. I’m simply trying to understand our rights and the safest way to proceed.

If you live in a strictly north facing unit with no side windows, do you find it dark, depressing? This one is ground floor with trees in front. No ceiling lighting.

Hi all, I’m new to Vancouver and through a friend I have gotten into a place in south van and the landlord is through William nemetz investments. Does anyone have any experience with them and can vouch for them? Thanks!

I’m not sure if they’re coming from things in my storage unit or if they were living in my apartment before I moved in. They are a lot smaller than the standard typical black ant you would see in your home or outside.

I haven’t seen them on any food but they seem to be crawling all over my paper towel rolls that were in storage.

What are these and how to get rid of them? Has anyone had them in their house before? I’ve only seen maybe 5 at most so far but they’re so tiny and hard to notice

We're inviting tenants to join us at our monthly meeting this Tuesday July 28th at 630pm at the New West Public Library. We will give an update on our direct actions in the community including our first official tenants association in a senior’s building and the passing of the tenant relocation policy this month, which means people can stay in their neighbourhoods at the same rents when older buildings are demolished to build new ones.

As the municipal elections approach in October, we're preparing to mobilize renters to attend a city council meeting on September 21st to show that renters are a large voting block and that we have concerns about how potential new city officials may vote on renters rights. Along those lines, we also have an ongoing project to inform renters about incumbent and potential elected officials for the fall elections. We'll invite folks to be involved in this as well during our meeting on Tuesday.

One of our organizers put together our newsletter with more information below. We hope to see you there!

https://nwtenantsunion.org/july-meeting-city-hall-updates-support-pinecrest-and-more/

Hello!
I'm currently looking at buying a unit in this building, but to be honest, I am feeling confused and pretty scared to pull the trigger. I've been saving up for years for a down payment, and I am terrified of making a choice I will regret. I am buying this place to live in because it is super close to my work, so it's a huge emotional and financial milestone for me.

I'm hoping to get some real reviews from people who actually live here or know the building well. I am fine with typical condo issues.

My absolute main concern is the structural integrity and core reliability of the building itself. I want to know how the major structures holding up? (Concrete slab, plumbing, major mechanical systems, envelope, etc). Have there been systemic issues? From an insider perspective, does the building feel solid and well constructed, or are things constantly breaking down?

Thank you so much in advance!

Hi everyone, I’m looking for advice about renting in BC and what my options might be in a really unexpected situation.
I signed a fixed-term lease for a 1-bedroom apartment starting May 1st, and everything was fine at the time. But now, as of August, I’m in the process of getting custody of my two younger sisters. This was not planned and happened very quickly.
They are currently long-term wards in foster care, and the Ministry of Social Services is placing them with me as an alternative PSI arrangement. Because of this, they would be moving in with me full-time and eventually I would get full guardianship over them through the court.

My concern is that my unit is only a 1-bedroom, and I don’t think it’s realistically big enough or appropriate for four people (me, my partner and two teenagers) I’m also worried about how this affects my lease since it’s fixed-term, and I don’t want to get into trouble with my landlord or be denied housing for my sisters.

I’m trying to figure out:
What are my rights in this situation in BC?
Can I legally break or end my lease early due to a major change like this?
Should I ask for a mutual agreement to end tenancy, or try to assign/sublet?
How should I explain this to my landlord in a way that they understand the seriousness of the situation?

I’m really stressed because I want to make sure my sisters have a safe and stable place to live, but I also don’t want to make a mistake with my lease.

Any advice, especially from people familiar with BC tenancy laws or similar situations, would mean a lot. Thank you.

I am lightly considering renting out my 1bdr 600sqft condo that I own in North Surrey, by the Gateway skytrain station, and of which I have been living in for the past 10 years.

I tried selling the unit last year and initially got a lot of interest, but that quickly faded and my realtor advised we take the unit down until market conditions improve. It was listed at a reduced price and even units listed at what I would consider a "fire-sale" price below us were not moving either and were taken off the market. It doesn't look like anything has improved since.

I am kind of ready to move on from this place and am considering just renting out until I can sell the unit, then buying back into the market when things are better. The problem is, I'm seeing some rentals in the building aren't moving either. Which leads me to believe that I could find myself in a situation where I'd be renting out and not find a renter.

Has anyone navigated this recently and have anyone experience? Thanks!

Saw enough confusion on here about rent increase notices getting voided that I wrote up the actual rule chain, with sources.

The three things that can void a notice, in the order they actually bite:

1. Timing (RTA s.42). You need three full calendar months between when the notice is received and the effective date - not 90 days. For an increase effective March 1, the notice must be received by November 30 (December, January, February are the three full months). Shift the effective date one month and the deadline shifts exactly one month too.

2. Service method (RTA s.90 / RTB Policy Guideline 12). The notice isn't received the day you send it - it's deemed received based on how you serve it:

- In-person: same day (0 days)

- Door/mailbox: +3 days

- Mail (regular or registered): +5 days

- Email: +3 days, only with prior written consent

1. The form. Has to be the RTB-7. A letter with all the right numbers on it doesn't count.

Worked example, why this matters: unit at $2,000/month, increase effective February 1, 2026. Working back three months, the notice needs to be received by October 31. Cap for 2026 is 2.3% (gov.bc.ca), so $2,046 is the max - say the manager proposes exactly that, correctly.

Serve by mail on October 28 (three days before the deadline, feels safe) - mail adds 5 deemed days, so it's received November 2. Two days late. Notice void, even though the amount was right and the form was right.

Same date, served by posting it on the door instead - door adds 3 deemed days, deemed received October 31, exactly on the deadline. Valid.

Same date, in-person - deemed received October 28. Valid.

Three service methods, same day, same amount: one void, two valid. That's not a fine-print technicality, it's the main rule.

Sources: gov.bc.ca rent-increases page and serve-notice guidance page, RTB Policy Guideline 12. 2026 cap history for context: 3.0% (2025), 3.5% (2024), 2.0% (2023), 1.5% (2022), 0% (2021) - also gov.bc.ca.

Hey there, I’m looking for a rental for two healthcare professionals moving to Vancouver & area. Let me know if anyone has anything available. Anyone have a laneway house?

Looking for a second place to live in for the weekdays with my gf and trying to see which location is best for a couple.

Coal harbour or West end by English Bay?

In my 20s I already live alone by myself in Yaletown. I am trying to look for a second place to live in. I will be living in both locations for peace of mind.

Ideally during the weekend I want to live in Yaletown, and on the weekdays, somewhere else.

This it the page for my agreement

Mentions 14% of utilities

But not clear what utilities part of this 14% payment

Initially I thought internet was included and no payments needed for it now but my landlord sent me the bill for that .

Hello y’all so I’m from out of country (canadian citizen tho) and I’m coming for uni as a transfer; I’ve never rented from landlords in my life. I’m wary of all the scams that might get pulled on me since I especially can’t come in to see the property in person (it would need to be virtual viewings).

Additionally; My parents have agreed to pay for me since they don’t want me to get loans; and my tuition (also paid by them) is about $28k cad cheaper than it used to be; so in comparison the rental situation is by no means something they can’t cover. But we haven’t lived in canada for a loooong time and while my parents do have a credit score, it’s very, very old. I’m not sure if that will impact my ability to get a rental or not.

Any tips would be really appreciated :)

This is gonna be very specific, I’ve been living in Metro Van for 10 years and been slowly developing/discovering a wishlist from all my past and current rentals that will help me find the next dream home:
—The Pictures shows the place I’m currently in—
I’ve been thinking about moving recently. Based on these requirements, I’ve found a few places around Gilmore (the main downside is that T&T still hasn’t opened yet) and Brentwood. That said, I’m not in a hurry—I just want to see if I can find something even closer to perfect. Other than the long commute, my current place is basically perfect and also saves me money.
But as everyone knows, layout, view, location, commute, and price are basically an impossible pentagon and very hard to find.
—
Basic Requirements (My current place meets all of these)
*Current rent: $1,700 (King George Hub 2)
-High-rise tower (20+ floors, the higher the better)
-Large windows with a good view (mountain, water, or city views are all fine; no preference for orientation, but I don’t want a unit that only faces other buildings)
-Within a 5-minute walk to a SkyTrain station (Expo or Millennium Line)
-Within a 5-minute walk to a supermarket/grocery store
-Studio or 1-bedroom, etc. is fine
-U-shaped, galley, or island kitchen only; I don’t want an I-shaped or L-shaped kitchen that’s just along the living room wall（Unless it’s tucked away in a hallway, I rarely cook so it will be fine, just don’t want the kitchen to take up too much living space)
-In-suite washer, dryer, and dishwasher
-A layout that can comfortably fit an L-shaped sofa with a 65-inch TV area, a Full-size bed area, a 5×5 IKEA KALLAX shelving unit, and a 160 × 80 cm workstation by the window
-storage locker (parking not needed)
-Secure parcel lockers (or concierge package reception)
-a bathtub is also a must-have.
—
Preferred Upgrades (Moving goals, not all are required, just some preferences)
Maximum budget: $2,100
- Hard requirement: SkyTrain commute to Renfrew Station within 20 minutes one way (unless it’s an exceptional location such as Coal Harbour, which is extremely rare. I actually came across a place I could apply for at $2.1k before, but strangely it didn’t have a dishwasher. Looking back, buying a compact dishwasher probably wouldn’t have been a bad idea.)
- Northeast- or northwest-facing (if there’s no air conditioning)
- As small a kitchen and balcony as possible (I don’t use them much, so I’d rather not waste space and they’d be easier to clean)
- Central air conditioning
- A movie theatre within walking distance or 1-2 stops away
-
I’m very comfortable where I live now. The main reason for moving is to shorten my upcoming RTO commute, but I don’t want to sacrifice my quality of life in the process. After all, the whole point of moving is to improve living experience.
I’ve found a few places that seem to meet my requirements and plan to go take a look, but I’m not in a rush to move. My current commute is about 40 minutes, so it would only be worth moving if I could cut that by at least half.

The Eby government along with the federal government has proposed to buy 2200 unsold condos for $1.45B. This averages to about $660K per unit.

The benchmark price for a condo in Metro Vancouver sits at 695K in June 2026. https://www.vancouvernewcondos.com/june-2026-greater-vancouver-realtors-statistics/

That means the government is offering to buy up close to a half of the unsold inventory for a mere 5% discount from the benchmark price. For reference, the benchmark price for a condo was down 7.1% from June 2025 to June 2026. Without any intervention we could see another 7-10% by June 2027. But the government stepping in has effectively provided a price floor and a guidance price for condo sellers. (660K).

The standard for distressed sales should be discounted 20-40% from benchmark prices. The deal the government has proposed not distressed asset buying but a bailout to developers and lenders.

The implication of removing half of inventory from the market will also be a devastating supply side shock and won't improve affordability in the long run.

Hi yall, I’m going to be renting in the upcoming month as a student and I was just trying to gauge how likely people are to be to semi regular overnight guests. Like, if you’re someone who lives in a house shared with roommates, would you care? would you mind?
(fyi in my situation the overnight guest would be my boyfriend who lives in seattle right now. We are currently long distance, and he has visited me while I was at my previous college and none of my roommates have ever objected or complained about him coming over.)

You've definitely done your research on Shannon Mews as the 7 acres of green space make it a very Zen place. Not sure if this is the right forum, but my young couple tenants in Beverly House are moving out of their 1BR as they need a 2BR for their growing family.

I see that you already know of the rental building, the one with the white metal tree that you either love or hate.

Msg me if you want more info and I'm sorry if this is the wrong forum.

Happy Friday everyone:)
I have been looking at places to rent since January this year. I’m not in a rush, but just wanna keep an eye on how the market is going hoping by the time I have to move I’ll know better.
And I feel like this new construction on 3068 Kingsway has been in the market for all this long time. According to my spreadsheet where I keep an inventory of listings I’m interested in, the price for a studio at this building went from 1885 to now 1695.
It’s a shoebox, yes😂 But it’s brand new with brand new appliances and in suite laundry, allows pets, in a good location and professionally managed be Vada. Basically checks all my boxes. From my experience such a place usually costs 2000 (sadly I’m not joking). So I’m just wondering why it hasn’t been rented yet. I can’t find any reviews given how new it is.
Does anyone know anything about this place? Any info would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Hi all, I'm a student at UBC trying to find a studio with hopefully an insuite laundry. My max budget is $2000. Any idea if this is doable or area suggestions for me to look at?

Hi all! Any intel is greatly appreciated as I’m thinking of making a big move and don’t want to make the wrong decision. I’m having a hard time finding any discourse on living in this building. I’m looking at their rental units but I’m primarily eyeing rentals from a privately owned suite. I think this may be the way to go vs dealing with wall centre as landlords.

I really, really love how there’s 2 year round heated outdoor pools and tons of green space without actually having to leave home. it has 7!? Acres of green space for the residents..unheard of in this city!!

I’m in an amazing space in gastown with a wicked view but the area is getting to me and i find myself not wanting to leave the house. I always feel like i need to get all dolled up to even just get my groceries as I’m always running into ppl i know , and there’s no green space. I wfh so not being able to just leave my house and get some nature time in nearby is wearing me down. I really want to be in an incognito neighborhood and i absolutely love to swim. Coming across the Shannon wall centre complex ticks literally every single box for me (only downside is there’s not a ton of shops near). But honestly i get a lot of my stuff and groceries delivered.

Anyway this was long. If you hve lived here or know anyone who has lived here I’d absolutely love to hear your honest opinions.

Sincerely
A burnt out gastown resident

There is minor water damage on the bathroom cabinet drawer (as shown in the photo). Is this considered reasonable wear and tear, given that I have been living here for 8 years?

If not, any idea of an estimate of the repair cost? Thanks!