We’ve all heard the frightening housing statistics, the idea of one day owning a house being nothing more than a fantasy. That’s why, like me, many students shell out most of their money every month for a crummy rental with no storage, no backyard, no amenities, no pets, and no hope of ever escaping.
Renting is an inescapable pit where all dreams go to die. You’re completely at the mercy of your landlord, and they hold the proverbial carrot in front of you, taunting you and keeping you hooked. They’re the warden, and you, their prisoner.
I’m sure you already know just how bleak the rental climate is. British Columbia had a 10%-10.5% eviction rate between 2016 and 2021, significantly more than the national rate of 5.9%. This is all the more troubling when you learn that 85% of evictions are no fault of the tenants.
So, how can a landlord evict you without proper cause? And what can you do to protect yourself against it? Well, I’m glad you asked, because I’ve been the victim of two illegal evictions in the last year—both of which I successfully disputed and won.
The first thing that every tenant should do is research the Residential Tenancy Act and associated laws and know them by heart. Many landlords are either too lazy to do the same or are banking on you not knowing your rights. They will take advantage of your naivety if you let them.
Many tenants don’t know that they may be entitled to 12 months worth of rent if their landlord wrongfully evicts them under the guise of a close family member moving into the unit. It’s also important to know that renovictions are nearly impossible to legitimately do now, too.
Get everything in writing. If your landlord is doing an inspection, they need to provide written notice at least 24 hours beforehand. Text messages are not considered a sufficient form of notice; many landlords try to avoid paper trails by doing things over text.
And speaking of paper trails, your landlord is also required to give you receipts every month when you pay rent. Don’t slack on getting those. You also want to have a digital trail of evidence too, because you never know when it will come in handy. Even if you aren’t already on the outs with your landlord, I’d strongly recommend audio recording all interactions. If I hadn’t had the foresight to do this, I wouldn’t have won my most recent court hearing.
Now, I know, “not all landlords are bad.” While that may be true, exploiting people’s basic needs in order to profit from them is always going to have me giving side eye. Being a landlord is a choice—being a renter and needing shelter is not.
Landlords will boast and say, “Well, if I don’t rent out my second home, who’s going to provide housing? The government? Ha!” Okay, I agree: the government should absolutely be putting more money into building housing.
As the Residential Tenancy Branch tightens its restrictions on landlords, more and more of them are vocally displeased that they can’t run their schemes in private. It’s almost as if being a landlord isn’t just a hobby, but actually a business—and should be regulated as such.
So, remember, folks: research the laws, get everything in writing, document every interaction, and, most importantly, be your own advocate. Stand up for yourself and don’t back down.