The Residential Tenancy Act is the law that governs almost every long-term and fixed-term residential rental in British Columbia, including in Whistler, Squamish, and Pemberton. It sets the rules on deposits, rent increases, entry, repairs, and how a tenancy can legally end. This guide covers the parts a landlord actually needs day to day, in plain language. It reflects the rules in effect as of 2026, including the changes introduced under Bill 14. It is general information, not legal advice.
The numbers landlords ask about most
Deposits
A landlord may collect a security deposit of up to half of one month's rent. If pets are allowed, a separate pet damage deposit of up to another half month's rent may be collected, either at the start of the tenancy or when the tenant gets a pet. The two combined can never exceed one month's rent. Only one security deposit and one pet damage deposit may be collected per tenancy, no matter how many tenants or pets there are.
The tenant has 30 days to pay the deposit once it's required. Deposits must be held in trust, not spent, for the duration of the tenancy. Interest is payable to the tenant at a rate the province sets each year, and for 2026 that rate is zero. A landlord cannot increase the deposit when the rent goes up, and cannot require "first and last month's rent" or "key money" as a condition of the tenancy.
At the end of the tenancy, once the tenant provides a forwarding address in writing, the landlord has 15 days to either return the full deposit, get the tenant's written permission to keep some of it, or apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch for dispute resolution. Missing that 15-day window is one of the most expensive mistakes a landlord can make: the penalty is paying the tenant double the deposit amount.
A landlord's right to claim against a deposit depends on completing move-in and move-out condition inspections properly, with at least two opportunities offered to the tenant and a signed report. Skip the inspection and the right to keep any of the deposit for damage is extinguished, regardless of what the property looks like.
Rent and rent increases
Rent is due on the date set in the tenancy agreement, normally the first of the month. A landlord may increase the rent only once every 12 months, and only by the maximum percentage the province sets each year. For 2026 that maximum is 2.3%, down from 3% in 2025. The increase requires three full months' written notice on the approved Residential Tenancy Branch form (RTB-7). Notice given in January, for example, makes the increase effective May 1.
The cap applies to existing tenancies. When a tenancy ends and a new tenant moves in, the rent for that new tenancy is set by the market, not the cap. Utilities and other fees can't be raised mid-tenancy without the tenant's agreement. A landlord and tenant can agree in writing to a larger increase than the cap, but it cannot be imposed unilaterally.
Entering the rental unit
Once a tenancy starts, the unit is the tenant's home and they're entitled to quiet enjoyment and privacy. A landlord may enter only with at least 24 hours' written notice stating a reasonable purpose, date, and a time between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., unless the tenant agrees otherwise, or in a genuine emergency, or with the tenant's permission at the time. A landlord may inspect the unit monthly following the proper notice. Entering without notice or proper grounds is a breach the tenant can take to dispute resolution.
Ending a tenancy
How a tenancy ends, and who can end it, is the most rule-bound part of the Act, and the part where landlords most often get tripped up.
When the tenant ends it
A tenant on a month-to-month tenancy gives at least one full month's written notice, effective the last day of a rental period. Under the Bill 14 changes now in effect, a fixed-term lease automatically converts to month-to-month at the end of its term unless both parties sign a new fixed-term agreement. A landlord can no longer use the simple expiry of a fixed term as grounds to require the tenant to move out.
When the landlord ends it
A landlord can only end a tenancy for reasons set out in the Act, and only using the correct Residential Tenancy Branch form. The common ones:
The main forms and their timelines
A landlord can never physically remove a tenant, change the locks, or seize belongings on their own. If a tenant doesn't leave after a valid notice, the only lawful path is an Order of Possession from the Branch, and if necessary a Writ of Possession enforced by a court bailiff. Self-help eviction is illegal and exposes the landlord to significant liability.
Mutual agreement
The landlord and tenant can always agree in writing to end a tenancy at any time, using the Mutual Agreement to End a Tenancy form (RTB-8). This is different from a notice to end tenancy: neither party is obligated to sign it, and it's the cleanest path when both sides want the tenancy to end.
Repairs and responsibilities
The landlord must keep the property in a reasonable state of repair and meet health, safety, and housing standards. The tenant must maintain reasonable cleanliness and repair damage they or their guests cause, beyond normal wear and tear. For emergency repairs, defined narrowly as urgent issues like major leaks, no heat, blocked or broken plumbing, or unsafe electrical systems, the landlord must provide a contact, and a tenant who can't reach them after reasonable attempts may arrange the repair and claim reimbursement.
Where this fits with what we do
As a licensed rental property manager, the day-to-day work of staying compliant with these rules is exactly what we handle for owners: serving notices on the correct forms and timelines, holding deposits in a regulated trust account, completing condition inspections properly, issuing rent increases correctly, and keeping the documentation that protects you if a dispute reaches the Residential Tenancy Branch.
What we don't do is provide legal advice. For interpreting how the Act applies to a specific dispute, a contested eviction, or an unusual situation, the right professional is a lawyer or a tenancy advocate, and we refer owners accordingly. This guide is a plain-language overview, not a substitute for the legislation itself or for advice on your specific circumstances.