Rules about payment and non-payment of rent
26 (1) A tenant must pay rent when it is due under the tenancy agreement, whether or not the landlord complies with this Act, the regulations or the tenancy agreement, unless the tenant has a right under this Act to deduct all or a portion of the rent.
(2) A landlord must provide a tenant with a receipt for rent paid in cash.
(3) Whether or not a tenant pays rent in accordance with the tenancy agreement, a landlord must not
(a) seize any personal property of the tenant, or
(b) prevent or interfere with the tenant's access to the tenant's personal property.
(4) Subsection (3) (a) does not apply if
(a) the landlord has a court order authorizing the action, or
(b) the tenant has abandoned the rental unit and the landlord complies with the regulations.
Terminating or restricting services or facilities
27 (1) A landlord must not terminate or restrict a service or facility if
(a) the service or facility is essential to the tenant's use of the rental unit as living accommodation, or
(b) providing the service or facility is a material term of the tenancy agreement.
(2) A landlord may terminate or restrict a service or facility, other than one referred to in subsection (1), if the landlord
(a) gives 30 days' written notice, in the approved form, of the termination or restriction, and
(b) reduces the rent in an amount that is equivalent to the reduction in the value of the tenancy agreement resulting from the termination or restriction of the service or facility.
Protection of tenant's right to quiet enjoyment
28 A tenant is entitled to quiet enjoyment including, but not limited to, rights to the following:
(a) reasonable privacy;
(b) freedom from unreasonable disturbance;
(c) exclusive possession of the rental unit subject only to the landlord's right to enter the rental unit in accordance with section 29 [landlord's right to enter rental unit restricted];
(d) use of common areas for reasonable and lawful purposes, free from significant interference.
Landlord's right to enter rental unit restricted
29 (1) A landlord must not enter a rental unit that is subject to a tenancy agreement for any purpose unless one of the following applies:
(a) the tenant gives permission at the time of the entry or not more than 30 days before the entry;
(b) at least 24 hours and not more than 30 days before the entry, the landlord gives the tenant written notice that includes the following information:
(i) the purpose for entering, which must be reasonable;
(ii) the date and the time of the entry, which must be between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. unless the tenant otherwise agrees;
(c) the landlord provides housekeeping or related services under the terms of a written tenancy agreement and the entry is for that purpose and in accordance with those terms;
(d) the landlord has an order of the director authorizing the entry;
(e) the tenant has abandoned the rental unit;
(f) an emergency exists and the entry is necessary to protect life or property.
(2) A landlord may inspect a rental unit monthly in accordance with subsection (1) (b).
Tenant's right of access protected
30 (1) A landlord must not unreasonably restrict access to residential property by
(a) the tenant of a rental unit that is part of the residential property, or
(b) a person permitted on the residential property by that tenant.
(2) A landlord must not unreasonably restrict access to residential property by
(a) a candidate seeking election to the Parliament of Canada, the Legislative Assembly or an office in an election under the Local Government Act, the School Act or the Vancouver Charter, or
(b) the authorized representative of such a person
who is canvassing electors or distributing election material.
Prohibitions on changes to locks and other access
31 (1) A landlord must not change locks or other means that give access to residential property unless the landlord provides each tenant with new keys or other means that give access to the residential property.
(1.1) A landlord must not change locks or other means of access to a rental unit unless
(a) the tenant agrees to the change, and
(b) the landlord provides the tenant with new keys or other means of access to the rental unit.
(2) A tenant must not change locks or other means that give access to common areas of residential property unless the landlord consents to the change.
(3) A tenant must not change a lock or other means that gives access to his or her rental unit unless the landlord agrees in writing to, or the director has ordered, the change.
Landlord and tenant obligations to repair and maintain
32 (1) A landlord must provide and maintain residential property in a state of decoration and repair that
(a) complies with the health, safety and housing standards required by law, and
(b) having regard to the age, character and location of the rental unit, makes it suitable for occupation by a tenant.
(2) A tenant must maintain reasonable health, cleanliness and sanitary standards throughout the rental unit and the other residential property to which the tenant has access.
(3) A tenant of a rental unit must repair damage to the rental unit or common areas that is caused by the actions or neglect of the tenant or a person permitted on the residential property by the tenant.
(4) A tenant is not required to make repairs for reasonable wear and tear.
(5) A landlord's obligations under subsection (1) (a) apply whether or not a tenant knew of a breach by the landlord of that subsection at the time of entering into the tenancy agreement.
26 (1) A tenant must pay rent when it is due under the tenancy agreement, whether or not the landlord complies with this Act, the regulations or the tenancy agreement, unless the tenant has a right under this Act to deduct all or a portion of the rent.
(2) A landlord must provide a tenant with a receipt for rent paid in cash.
(3) Whether or not a tenant pays rent in accordance with the tenancy agreement, a landlord must not
(a) seize any personal property of the tenant, or
(b) prevent or interfere with the tenant's access to the tenant's personal property.
(4) Subsection (3) (a) does not apply if
(a) the landlord has a court order authorizing the action, or
(b) the tenant has abandoned the rental unit and the landlord complies with the regulations.
Terminating or restricting services or facilities
27 (1) A landlord must not terminate or restrict a service or facility if
(a) the service or facility is essential to the tenant's use of the rental unit as living accommodation, or
(b) providing the service or facility is a material term of the tenancy agreement.
(2) A landlord may terminate or restrict a service or facility, other than one referred to in subsection (1), if the landlord
(a) gives 30 days' written notice, in the approved form, of the termination or restriction, and
(b) reduces the rent in an amount that is equivalent to the reduction in the value of the tenancy agreement resulting from the termination or restriction of the service or facility.
Protection of tenant's right to quiet enjoyment
28 A tenant is entitled to quiet enjoyment including, but not limited to, rights to the following:
(a) reasonable privacy;
(b) freedom from unreasonable disturbance;
(c) exclusive possession of the rental unit subject only to the landlord's right to enter the rental unit in accordance with section 29 [landlord's right to enter rental unit restricted];
(d) use of common areas for reasonable and lawful purposes, free from significant interference.
Landlord's right to enter rental unit restricted
29 (1) A landlord must not enter a rental unit that is subject to a tenancy agreement for any purpose unless one of the following applies:
(a) the tenant gives permission at the time of the entry or not more than 30 days before the entry;
(b) at least 24 hours and not more than 30 days before the entry, the landlord gives the tenant written notice that includes the following information:
(i) the purpose for entering, which must be reasonable;
(ii) the date and the time of the entry, which must be between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. unless the tenant otherwise agrees;
(c) the landlord provides housekeeping or related services under the terms of a written tenancy agreement and the entry is for that purpose and in accordance with those terms;
(d) the landlord has an order of the director authorizing the entry;
(e) the tenant has abandoned the rental unit;
(f) an emergency exists and the entry is necessary to protect life or property.
(2) A landlord may inspect a rental unit monthly in accordance with subsection (1) (b).
Tenant's right of access protected
30 (1) A landlord must not unreasonably restrict access to residential property by
(a) the tenant of a rental unit that is part of the residential property, or
(b) a person permitted on the residential property by that tenant.
(2) A landlord must not unreasonably restrict access to residential property by
(a) a candidate seeking election to the Parliament of Canada, the Legislative Assembly or an office in an election under the Local Government Act, the School Act or the Vancouver Charter, or
(b) the authorized representative of such a person
who is canvassing electors or distributing election material.
Prohibitions on changes to locks and other access
31 (1) A landlord must not change locks or other means that give access to residential property unless the landlord provides each tenant with new keys or other means that give access to the residential property.
(1.1) A landlord must not change locks or other means of access to a rental unit unless
(a) the tenant agrees to the change, and
(b) the landlord provides the tenant with new keys or other means of access to the rental unit.
(2) A tenant must not change locks or other means that give access to common areas of residential property unless the landlord consents to the change.
(3) A tenant must not change a lock or other means that gives access to his or her rental unit unless the landlord agrees in writing to, or the director has ordered, the change.
Landlord and tenant obligations to repair and maintain
32 (1) A landlord must provide and maintain residential property in a state of decoration and repair that
(a) complies with the health, safety and housing standards required by law, and
(b) having regard to the age, character and location of the rental unit, makes it suitable for occupation by a tenant.
(2) A tenant must maintain reasonable health, cleanliness and sanitary standards throughout the rental unit and the other residential property to which the tenant has access.
(3) A tenant of a rental unit must repair damage to the rental unit or common areas that is caused by the actions or neglect of the tenant or a person permitted on the residential property by the tenant.
(4) A tenant is not required to make repairs for reasonable wear and tear.
(5) A landlord's obligations under subsection (1) (a) apply whether or not a tenant knew of a breach by the landlord of that subsection at the time of entering into the tenancy agreement.