Today’s eMemo contains the following update:
- The Board’s Government Relations Committee wants to hear from members regarding the impact of the amendments to BC’s Residential Tenancy Act due to COVID-19.
How have the new tenant protections affected you or your clients?
If you are a residential landlord or have clients who are landlords, this eMemo is directed to you.
Our Board’s Government Relations Committee is looking for stories – positive or negative – regarding the impact of BC’s amendments to its Residential Tenancy Act implemented in late March to protect tenants under financial stress from being evicted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Act was amended to support renters and landlords during the provincial state of emergency and to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Key amendments include:
- Evictions are not allowed during the state of emergency – a landlord can only apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch in exceptional circumstances. There are no exclusions for sellers of tenant-occupied homes.
- Landlords are not permitted to enter rental units without consent unless there is risk to personal property or life.
- Rents are frozen – no increases – until the state of emergency is over.
- Legislation requires that tenants still pay rent in full and on time. They can only face eviction once the state of emergency is over and will be required to pay back any debt they have accrued.
Since the Act was amended, there have been numerous media reports of tenants across BC who have not paid rent or who have significantly damaged their units.
In one case in Courtenay, BC, as reported by CTV, homeowners ended up having to rent a different home because their tenants will not leave, can’t be evicted and have stopped paying rent. The owners are out of pocket thousands of dollars.
Are you aware of any similar situations here in the Fraser Valley? Or, of any positive residential tenancy stories, as related to COVID-19?
Please send stories or photos to communications@fvreb.bc.ca to be shared with members of our Government Relations Committee. Thank you for taking the time.
Source: FVREB Communications
For ongoing FVREB updates on COVID-19, please visit:
http://news.fvreb.bc.ca/category/member-updates/covid-19-updates/