Official Forms for BC Landlords

BC uses approved Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) forms. The table lists the ones the research confirms. For when and why to use the end-of-tenancy forms, read notices to end a tenancy for BC landlords and raising rent in BC. This guide does not repeat them.

Purpose	Form	Timing
Rent increase	RTB-7 Notice of Rent Increase	3 full months' notice, once every 12 months
Unpaid rent	RTB-30, 10 Day Notice	Tenant has 5 days to pay or dispute
Cause	RTB-33, One Month Notice	Tenant has 10 days to dispute
Landlord's own use	RTB-32L, Three Month Notice	Portal required; 21 days to dispute
Purchaser's use	RTB-32P, Three Month Notice	Portal required; 21 days to dispute
Demolition or conversion	RTB-29 (RTB-29C for caretaker conversion), Four Month Notice	Tenant has 30 days to dispute
Ending by mutual agreement	RTB-8	Both parties agree in writing
Condition inspection report	RTB-27	Move-in and move-out

Renovations that need the unit empty have no landlord notice. You apply to the RTB for an order under s.49.2. In buildings with 5 or more units, the tenant's right of first refusal uses Form RTB-28 and Form RTB-35.

A BC landlord must prepare every tenancy agreement in writing and give the tenant a copy within 21 days (Residential Tenancy Act s.13). The government's own version is the Residential Tenancy Agreement, Form RTB-1, which includes all the standard terms. No form is mandatory: you can write your own as long as it contains all the standard terms from the Schedule to the Residential Tenancy Regulation (s.13).

There are 14 standard terms, including deposits, pets, condition inspections, payment of rent, rent increase, repairs, entry, ending the tenancy and dispute resolution. They cannot be changed or removed (Act s.14(1)). A term is also unenforceable if it is inconsistent with the Act, unconscionable, or not clearly expressed (s.6(3)).

Any change to the agreement must be in writing and initialled by both of you, or it is not enforceable (Schedule s.1(2)). Not preparing the agreement or giving a copy is an offence with a fine of up to $5,000 (s.95(1)). See lease agreement basics in BC.

Each form has its own notice period and dispute window, shown in the table above, and the effective date on the notice must respect that period. Check the date and period on the form carefully before you give it, because a wrong date is a common reason a notice fails.

The research did not confirm the permitted ways to serve each form or when a notice is deemed received. Check the RTB's pages on serving documents before you rely on a method.

The landlord's use, purchaser's use and caretaker notices must be generated through the RTB web portal. That has applied since July 18, 2024 (Regulation s.42.1), and the portal form for landlord's own use is RTB-32L. A hand-written version of those forms is not the route.

A rent increase notice must be in the approved form (Act s.42(3)) and given at least 3 months before the effective date (s.42(2)). The increase cannot come within 12 months of the first rent or the last legal increase (s.42(1)), and it must stay within the annual limit. The limit is 2.3% for 2026 and 2.2% for 2027, taking effect January 1, 2027. Check the RTB rent increases page for the current figure.

To go above the limit, you need the tenant's written agreement or an order from the director (s.43(1)). See how much a landlord can increase rent.

• Wrong or missing form. The Act ties an order of possession to a notice that is in proper form (s.55(1)), so a notice on the wrong form puts your order at risk.
• Made-up notices. The RTB says there is no such thing as a 24 hour or 5 day notice to vacate in BC.
• Wrong notice period. An increase given with less than 3 months' notice, or a Three Month Notice given for a purpose that is not allowed, will not hold.
• Skipped portal. Landlord's use and purchaser's use notices must be generated through the portal.
• Five unit bar. A personal or purchaser's use notice is barred in some buildings with 5 or more rental units (s.49(6.1)).
• Contracting out. A lease term that avoids the Act has no effect (s.5).

Compensation of one month's rent applies to every s.49 notice (s.51(1)).

Check the dispute window on the form. If the tenant does not dispute in time, they are presumed to accept that the tenancy ends on the effective date. If they do dispute, the notice is on hold, and at the hearing you must show it was lawful. If you win, the arbitrator must grant an order of possession for a notice in proper form (s.55(1)); you then take it to the BC Supreme Court for a Writ of Possession and a bailiff.

Related reading: when a BC tenant does not pay rent, the Ask page on how much notice a landlord must give, and how to write a lease agreement.

This guide explains the rules in general terms; for a specific case, ask the tribunal or a licensed legal professional.