What is a strata? In Vancouver, the most common form of strata housing is a condo. Typically these are apartments, townhouses, duplexes or even single family homes owned by a governing body known as the strata corporation - or strata for short.  However, a strata can also be land, just rarely in Vancouver. When you buy one of these properties, you become a co-owner of the self-governed, strata corporation and, as ...

A rent increase is something that concerns every renter in the province. Rest assured, however, your landlord can only raise rents by an amount dictated by the Residential Tenancy Branch of BC (RTB). This is the second year under new provincial regulation that the allowable increase is limited to the cost of inflation. Previous to 2019, old rules permitted landlords to raise rents by the cost of inflation plus 2 ...

As law-abiding and polite as Canadians might be, there are a few bad apples out there who attempt to scam renters. Vancouver is no exception. In fact, given how hot the Vancouver rental market is, it is no surprise that you'll discover that rental scams exist. Finding a place to rent in Vancouver is difficult enough and the last thing you want to deal with is financial or identity theft. ...

When you're nearing the end of your lease, you have a few options as renter. One of those options is renegotiating your lease with your current landlord. This is a daunting exercise for many but it doesn't have to be if you prepare and develop a strategy. Chances are your landlord will take the opportunity to raise the rent by the allowable amount (2.6% for BC in 2020). However, if ...

Unsure about handing extra money over to your new landlord?  Here we've outlined the basics with respect to security and pet deposits in the province of British Columbia. These rules are sometimes revised so the ultimate source should always be the Residential Tenancy Branch. Security Deposit A security deposit often called a damage deposit is paid to the landlord before a tenancy begins and protects the landlord from unforeseen damage caused by a ...

Rental Repairs and Maintenance Responsibilities You’ve signed a lease on a new apartment and you’re excited about your new digs…but what if things don’t work according to plan. The electrical outlet that will power your beloved Nespresso machine is dead or the sink perpetually drips? What to do? Well, before moving in, be sure to conduct your own inspection preferably alongside a property manager or landlord. Make note of things that ...

What are tenants responsible for? Renters often get a bad rap – a reputation as messy, careless and disrespectful to properties. This is really unfortunate given the majority of renters who do treat their rental home like it was their own. Maintaining a property is the shared responsibility of both landlords and tenants. Landlords must ensure it is clean, safe and livable before new tenants move in but once in, the best ...

According to StatsCan, only 50% of Canadian renters have tenant insurance (AKA renter insurance, content insurance). The reasons are a bit unclear but the running assumption is that renters assume they are automatically covered by their landlord's policy and thus, see renters insurance as a waste of money. This is a potentially dangerous assumption. The landlord's policy will cover all the bigger things - the pipes, structural issues, appliances etc. ...