Information gathered from: Rent Increases – Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)


“Annual allowable rent increase for 2022 will be 1.5%

Residential Tenancies: The 2022 maximum increase will be 1.5%

Manufactured Home Parks: For manufactured home park tenancies, the 2022 maximum increase will be 1.5% plus a proportional amount for the change in local government levies and regulated utility fees

Notice of rent increase

When issuing a new notice of rent increase, a landlord must:

  • Use the approved notice of rent increase form
  • Use the maximum amount for 2022: 1.5%
  • Give the tenant no less than three full months before the notice takes effect.
    • For example: If rent is due on the fifteenth of each month, notice must be given before October 14, 2021 and the first increased rent payment will be due January 15, 2022

Landlords can only increase the rent once in a 12 month period by an amount permitted by law or an additional amount approved in advance by an arbitrator – they need to use the right form and give the tenant three full months’ notice of the rent increase.

A rent increase for a tenant with a fixed-term agreement (lease), who is remaining in a rental unit, is limited to the maximum annual allowable amount and can only be increased once every 12 months.  Rent can no longer be increased above that amount between tenancy agreements with the same tenant.

Landlords are no longer able to apply for an additional rent increase on the basis that the rent is significantly lower than other similar rental units in the same geographic area.

Landlords may not retroactively apply a rent increase.  If a landlord did not issue a rent increase in the previous year, or issued a rent increase that was less than the amount allowed by law, they cannot later apply a rent increase to catch up.

Unlawful Rent Increase

A tenant does not have to pay an increase that is higher than the amount allowed by law. Instead, the tenant can give the landlord documents showing the allowable amount or apply for dispute resolution asking for an order that the landlord comply with the law, as long as the increase wasn’t granted through dispute resolution.

The tenant may deduct from future rent any overpayment – only if the tenant has already paid an increase higher than the legal amount. The tenant should attach a note to the rent to explain the reason for not paying the amount that the landlord has asked for.”

 

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to a Poverty Law Advocate at 250-493-6822 or support@accesscentre.org