We, the Advocacy Group of BC Landlords, believe in the importance of equality and fairness in the rental market for both Landlords and tenants. We aim to advocate for a rental system that promotes efficiency, security, and mutual respect between property owners and renters. We call upon the Provincial Government to revise the Residential Tenancy Act and its Regulations to address the following:

1. Quicker and Accountable Process Times:

Landlords are suffering from lousy and delayed decision times. Landlords provide the much-needed rentals. Landlords are the ones who take the risk of investment and are obligated to provide their mortgage on time. Landlords cannot wait for months, such as up to 12–15 weeks, to have a defaulting, non-paying tenant evicted. Landlords’ Purchase and Sale of properties in just the last three years have provided over a billion dollars in property transfer tax revenue to the Provincial Government. Banks do not simply allow Landlords to miss their mortgage payments. In today’s times, with such high inflation, Landlords cannot bear the burden of defaulting tenants living rent-free for months in their homes. A hearing of a non-paying tenant must be heard within three weeks of the application; otherwise, the Provincial Government should be liable to pay for every single day of lost rent by the Landlord because of the delays of the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) as it fails to regulate their Board properly.

2. Fair Security Deposit and Rent Increases:

We advocate for a fair approach to rent increases, with an annual adjustment capped at inflation plus 2 percent. This ensures that Landlords can cover the rising costs of maintenance and repairs while safeguarding tenants from excessive financial burdens. During extraordinary circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, temporary restrictions on rent increases could be justifiable; however, in regular circumstances, Landlords should have the right to receive rent that aligns with market conditions, especially as mortgage payments and repair costs continue to rise. Furthermore, Landlords should have the right to collect a security deposit equal to one month’s rent. In the best of circumstances, it takes up to a month for a Landlord to evict a defaulting or bad tenant. Let us ensure fairness and protection for Landlords as well.

3. Government-Backed/Funded Insurance:

While the BC government implemented the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) to address rental housing issues, it has fallen short of adequately supporting Landlords facing significant property damage and repair costs because of bad tenants. Repairs can reach as high as $20,000 to $30,000, with repair times stretching to 2-3 months. This leaves Landlords in troubled situations, some even losing their homes and suffering credit damage when the bank steps in. The costs of hiring bailiffs for tenant eviction have nearly doubled in the last three years, ranging from $4,000 to $12,000, placing an additional financial burden on Landlords.

-We call for government-funded insurance to provide much-needed protection and assistance for Landlords facing these challenges.

-We propose government-funded insurance to be supported from the Property Transfer Tax collected from Landlords to cover 90 percent of the losses incurred due to non-payment of rent or property damage by bad tenants. This initiative aims to safeguard Landlord investments, encourage new Landlords, and provide a safety net for those facing property damage and non-payment fears. The Provincial Government can further recover these losses from bad tenants as they have the resources individual residents do not have. It is unconscionable and unacceptable for the Provincial Government to not implement an effective system that does more than just leaving Landlords with paper Orders and Judgements with little or no way to recover their loss.

Conclusion:

This petition champions a balanced and secure rental landscape in British Columbia. It calls for fairness, accountability, and protection for Landlords and tenants alike.

Join us in making a positive change. 

SIGN THIS PETITION TO SUPPORT a more harmonious housing community for all in British Columbia.

Your feedback is valuable to us, and you may contact us at:

Email: bclandlords.justice@gmail.com  |  Contact: 604 562 4944