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Evictions

Last updated on December 20, 2023

An eviction, or notice to end tenancy, is when a landlord requires a tenant to move out of a rental unit. Learn the rules and processes for evictions.

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Landlord rules for serving evictions

Landlords must follow certain rules when serving an eviction notice, like giving the correct notice with an acceptable reason for eviction according to the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA). It is important for tenants to understand these rules if they find themselves in an eviction so that they can know their rights.

Eviction notices must be served on the correct RTB eviction form. Eviction forms must be in writing and:

  • Signed and dated
  • Contain the address of the rental unit
  • State the date the notice takes effect
  • Give a reason for the notice

Landlords must follow the timeline guidelines when giving an eviction notice. Depending on the cause of eviction, landlords must give tenants a specific amount of time before forcefully removing the tenant.

An eviction notice must be served in person, by mail, or by attaching to the door of the home address. Email can only be used if the parties have provided an email for service. Eviction notices cannot be served by text message. 

An eviction notice must support legal reasons for eviction. If a tenant applies for dispute resolution, the landlord must provide evidence to justify the eviction to an arbitrator. 

Landlords must submit evidence (witness testimonies, documents or pictures) to prove the reason for eviction. The Landlord must share the evidence with tenants at least 7 days before the hearing.

Communication during evictions

The landlord should take responsibility and talk to the tenant about the move-out date. If the landlord and tenant agree to change the move-out date, the agreement should be in writing.

Timelines during evictions

Tenants are responsible for disputing the eviction during the required timelines. Contact the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) if you're not sure about the effective date of the notice. 

Landlords must give tenants the required opportunities to inspect the rental unit and provide a copy of the completed Condition Inspection Report (PDF, 1.6MB) - RTB Form 27

A landlord must follow four steps to enforce an eviction and remove an overholding tenant:

  1. Serve the tenant with a copy of the Order of Possession
  2. Wait for the 2-day review period to expire. (If the tenant files an Application for Review Consideration (PDF, 332KB) - RTB Form 2 during the 2-day review period, the RTB will put the Order of Possession on hold. The landlord must then wait to see if the review is in their favour before moving on to the next step)
  3. Take the Order of Possession to the BC Supreme Court and get a Writ of Possession
  4. Use the Writ of Possession to hire a court-approved bailiff to remove the tenant and their belongings

The police do not have the authority to evict tenants on their own, but a court-approved bailiff may ask the police to attend an eviction to keep the peace while a tenant is being removed. If you stay past the move-out date listed on an eviction notice or Order of Possession, you may end up owing your landlord some money and be responsible for other costs.

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