Filthy or Damaged Unit: BC Landlord Options

The Residential Tenancy Act has no section about hoarding or clutter as such. What it has is a duty: under section 32(2), a tenant must maintain reasonable health, cleanliness and sanitary standards throughout the rental unit and the other residential property they can access. The tenant must also repair damage caused by their actions or neglect, or by a person they permit on the property (section 32(3)), but is not required to repair reasonable wear and tear (section 32(4)).

The Residential Tenancy Branch's Policy Guideline 55, updated in May 2026, uses the heading "Unsanitary Living Conditions or Hoarding" as an example of conditions that can seriously jeopardize health or safety. It applies only when a unit is so dirty that it attracts pests, or so cluttered that it poses a fire hazard. This guide stays on the tenancy rules and treats the matter as a question of cleanliness, safety and damage.

You also have duties. Section 32(1) requires you to meet the health, safety and housing standards required by law, so keep your own records of repairs and requests.

Policy Guideline 55 says an untidy unit is normally not enough. It states it is not reasonable to expect a rental unit to always be in immaculate condition, and a tenant who meets ordinary cleanliness is meeting their duties. On that reading, dust, clutter and a messy lifestyle on their own are unlikely to support an eviction.

The picture changes when the condition causes real harm: pests, mould growth or fire hazards. The same applies to damage. The guideline says minor dents, chips, small holes in walls or a broken window are not generally extraordinary damage, and you carry the burden of proving that damage is extraordinary.

The sources reviewed do not set any clutter measurement or cleaning standard beyond this guideline, and they give no figure for what you may charge for cleaning or hazard removal. Expect a tribunal to look at photos, dates and written warnings rather than a checklist.

Under section 29, you may enter for a routine inspection if you give written notice at least 24 hours and not more than 30 days before the entry. The notice must state a reasonable purpose and a time between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. You may inspect monthly this way. The Residential Tenancy Branch landlord access page repeats the 24 hour to 30 day window.

If the tenant refuses entry, see our guide to a tenant refusing entry in BC. The tenant's side is in our BC landlord entry guide.

Write down what you see, with dated photos. Clear written records support every route below.

For a breach of a material term, the party alleging the breach must first let the other party know in writing (Policy Guideline 8). Guideline 55 also says clear written warnings give better evidence than verbal ones. If the tenant takes positive steps to fix the problem after a notice, the notice may be found unjustified.

An application to end a tenancy early under section 56 is only for very serious cases where waiting for a normal notice would be unreasonable or unfair. The guideline says a financial loss alone is not typically enough. The usual route is the One Month Notice.

1. Inspect with proper notice and record the condition.
2. Warn in writing. Describe the problem, what must be fixed and a reasonable time to do it. There is no numbered form for the warning letter in the sources reviewed.
3. Re-inspect with a new notice and record whether the problem was fixed.
4. If it is not fixed and a ground fits, serve RTB Form 33, the One Month Notice to End Tenancy for Cause. The tenant has 10 days to dispute it. Our BC notice to end tenancy guide covers dates and service.
5. At move-out, complete the condition inspection report, Form RTB-27. The deposits page warns that a landlord and tenant who do not properly complete a move-out inspection may lose their right to the deposit.
6. Do not keep the deposit on your own. The RTB deposits and fees page says landlords can't decide to keep a deposit on their own. Apply to the Branch. See our BC deposit guide and what to do if a tenant damages property.

Pests are often tied to a dirty unit, so here is what the Branch says. Its repairs and maintenance page says landlords are generally responsible for controlling insect infestations such as bedbugs, and that municipal Standards of Maintenance bylaws decide whether you must manage other pests such as rodents. Policy Guideline 1 lists insect control among major projects the landlord is generally responsible for. Tenants are financially responsible for damage caused by themselves, their guests or pets.

Guideline 55 says a unit so dirty that it attracts pests can support the serious-jeopardy ground. The official sources reviewed do not state whether you may charge a tenant for pest treatment, whether the tenant must prepare the unit, or what follows if a tenant refuses access for treatment beyond the usual notice grounds. Ask the Branch about those.

Never lock out the tenant or throw out belongings while you deal with a condition problem. Sections 26(3) and 28 protect the tenant's access and belongings.

Many cities have a property standards or standards of maintenance bylaw. These are municipal rules that apply only in that city and vary by place. The sources reviewed name none, and they do not describe any public health authority role. Check with your own city.

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