In March, a Ministerial Order delayed rent increases in BC until after the end of the Provincial State of Emergency. Following a recent change to the Residential Tenancy Regulation, rent increase notices served from December 2019 to August 2020 will now take effect on December 1, 2020.
Rent increases that are coming into effect on December 1 must adhere to the 2020 maximum allowable rent increase of 2.6%. Landlords will not permitted to increase rent further until December 1, 2021.
Landlords serving rent increase notices from September 2020 onwards must provide three full calendar months of notice to tenants (e.g. notices served in September 2020 take effect in January 2021) using the Residential Tenancy Branch Notice of Rent Increase. Additionally, they will be subject to the 2021 maximum allowable rent increase of 1.4%.
Those who have already served notices are not required to serve new notices. However, it is advised that landlords communicate with tenants to alert them of the new December 1 effective date.
