Local landlords called for some changes in the rules and relationships with tenants at a demonstration March 10 in front of Delta North MLA Ravi Kahlon’s office.
The rally complemented a change.org petition started by the Landlord Rights Association of B.C., which has drawn more than 17,000 signatures suggesting changes to B.C.’s tenancy laws.
Baldeep Jhand, administrator of the association, said one of the top three requests they’re making of Kahlon, who’s Minister of Housing, is restoring fixed-term tenancies with vacate clauses, so that landlords can evict tenants at the end of the term of a fixed-term tenancy agreement.
“No landlord would like to let their good tenants go. A fixed term can be used for problematic tenants and raise no concerns for tenants who abide by the law,” the petition says, adding that Alberta, Saskatchewan and three Atlantic provinces have the same regulation.
Jhand said that up until 2017, fixed terms were allowed and were working well.
The second priority is to allow landlords to increase rents by the rate of inflation, plus two percent, as was previously allowed up until 2018.
The current rent increase allowed for 2024 is 3.5 percent.
Third most important for the association is for the government to create some sort of insurance fund that can reimburse landlords if tenants skip rent or damage suites. Tenants would have to pay premiums for this.
Other requests in the “Revise and change B.C. tenancy laws by making laws equal and fair for landlords of B.C.” petition include, speeding up decisions by the Residential Tenancy Branch, creating a rent relief program funded by government, that would reimburse landlords if tenants don’t pay what they owe, and increasing the damage deposit from half a month’s rent to two months.
Another proposal is to broaden the definition of a close family member from parent, child, or spouse, with the petition noting that broader definitions exist in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
“Due to temporary and permanent immigration policies, family members of the landlord or landlord’s spouse are making B.C. their home and they are in a dire need of a roof over their head when they arrive in B.C.,” the petition says.
Jhand said that more than 30,000 people have already signed online and paper versions of the petition.
“We’ve already got close to 30,000 signatures on the petition, so 16,000, plus, on the online petition and close to 14,000 signatures on the … sheets,” he said.
The paper petition started in October and organizers collected signatures in Richmond, Vancouver, North and West Vancouver, Kamloops, Kelowna, and Surrey.
LandlordBC however has a different view of the rental situation, saying that the Residential Tenancy Act is “largely balanced.”
However, LandlordBC opposes any further expansion of rent controls, which it says just drives rents higher because they reduce supply.
LandlordBC also supports the extra $15 million funding to the RTB, but it doesn’t support returning to fixed-term tenancies with vacate clauses.
“We view this form of tenancy as inconsistent with our mission as a sector to provide secure, long-term rental housing,” said David Hutniak, CEO of LandlordBC.
It also says the RTB needs to improve its enforcement of possession orders of suites but says that the solution for both landlords and tenants is an “over-abundance” of purpose-built rentals and is working on cutting barriers to building rental housing.
According to Kahlon, the government has tried to create a balance of support between renters and landlords at the Residential Tenancy Branch.
He said in an email that there’s been a 50 percent reduction in tenancy dispute hearing wait times last year, despite a 10 percent increase in applications.
Hiring more staff is allowing landlords to get possession orders more quickly, while direct requests are now available for ending tenancies with cause, with a month’s notice, which will further reduce wait times.
“Landlords are an important partner in maintaining and growing the rental housing supply in B.C. …” Kahlon said.
Eliminating the prohibition of rental suites in strata condo complexes has opened “thousands of existing vacant units for rental,” he added.
The ministry itself said that the suggestions from the group have been passed on to staff.
“The B.C. Government continues to actively listen to both landlords and renters to improve systems and ensure there is a balance between the rights of both parties,” said an email.
