by Baldev S. Gill, Chief Executive Officer
Today’s eMemo contains the following updates:
- A video message from our incoming Board President, Chris Shields, on what REALTORS® can do to support home buyers and sellers during COVID-19
- A video message from our incoming Board President, Chris Shields to the public, on the role and importance of REALTORS® during COVID-19
- COVID-19 Best Practices from BCREA
- Upcoming changes to the Residential Tenancy Act in BC
A video message from our incoming Board President, Chris Shields, on what REALTORS® can do to support home buyers and sellers during COVID-19
Incoming Board President Chris Shields took time out this weekend to record the following video message on how REALTORS® can continue to play a critical role with home buyers and sellers in this unusual and unprecedented time. Click here to see what Chris had to say. FVREB has also shared this video message on all our Board’s social channels.
A video message from our incoming Board President, Chris Shields to the public, on the role and importance of REALTORS® during COVID-19
Chris also recorded a message to the public on how REALTORS® are playing an important role for them in today’s changed environment. Click here to see what Chris had to say. We have also shared this video on all our Board’s social channels.
COVID-19 Best Practices from BCREA
This linked PDF contains some best practices from BCREA on tips, tools and resources that REALTORS® can apply to conducting their business during COVID-19.
This document builds on the guidance and advice the Board shared with members in our eMemo last Friday, March 27, which can be found on our NewsReal page here.
Additionally, our Professional Standards team is working on additional articles to help guide you through COVID-19 as you strive to be there for your clients and prospects. Stay tuned for more to come soon!
Upcoming Changes to the Residential Tenancy Act in BC
Members need to be aware that earlier today, the BC Government published a Residential Tenancy Order which takes effect today and will remain in effect until the Emergency Program Act expires or is cancelled.
This follows the announcement from the government last week, with upcoming changes to the Residential Tenancy Act, including halting new and active evictions, except for “exceptional circumstances.”
In announcing the upcoming changes, government wanted to ensure that no one is evicted because of COVID-19 and that people can remain in their homes during this crisis.
Last week, BCREA wrote several letters to Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Selina Robinson and was in contact with the Residential Tenancy Branch, asking for an exclusion for sellers with tenant-occupied properties who enter contracts requiring the unit to be vacant on possession date.
Impacts of today’s Residential Tenancy Order include:
Eviction moratorium – Landlords can no longer give a tenant a notice to end the tenancy. If a landlord gave a tenant a notice to end the tenancy before the date of this order, then the notice remains in effect, subject to the dispute resolution process, and an order of possession can still be granted.
Writs of possession – On writs of possession granted on or before today, “promptly” is to be read as “at the time when this order no longer applies.”
Rent freeze – Rent increases set to occur while this order is in effect, including previously announced rent increases set to take effect from today onwards, do not take effect. Exceptions for rent increases include if there are one or more additional occupants is authorized under the tenancy agreements.
Restricting access to common areas – Landlords can restrict access to common areas of residential property if the restriction is necessary to protect the health, safety or welfare of the landlord, tenant, an occupant or a guest due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to comply with a government order under the Emergency Program Act, or to follow guidelines of the BC Centre for Disease Control or the Public Health Agency of Canada. Landlords cannot prevent tenants to have access to another occupant of the rental unit or a tenant’s guest to the rental unit.
Landlord’s right to enter rental unit – A landlord cannot enter a rental unit, even if the landlord gave a tenant written notice. If a landlord gave written notice before today, that notice is null and void. Landlords can still enter rental units if there is an emergency in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and the entry is necessary to protect health, safety or welfare of the landlord, the tenant or other occupants.
The full wording of the Ministerial Order can be found at:
http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/oic/oic_cur/m089_2020
For ongoing FVREB updates on COVID-19, please visit:
http://news.fvreb.bc.ca/category/member-updates/covid-19-updates/