Compliance and Enforcement

The Compliance and Enforcement Unit (CEU) ensures compliance the residential tenancy laws of BC. When a landlord or tenant has seriously and deliberately not followed BC tenancy laws, the CEU may investigate and issue administrative monetary penalties. 

The CEU works closely with local government compliance units and other public bodies that conduct law enforcement, including police, to ensure the rights of all landlords and tenants are protected. 

The CEU ensures compliance with BC Tenancy Laws by: 

  • Education and Awareness; 
  • Early Interventions of serious non-compliance;
  • Verbal or written warnings to the parties;
  • Investigation of repeated or serious and deliberate non-compliance with tenancy laws, or for failure to follow orders or decisions; and 
  • Levying administrative monetary penalties.

Some examples of non-compliance would be:  

  • Repeatedly not paying rent;
  • Landlords repeatedly attempting to evict tenants illegally;
  • Refusal to complete health and safety repairs; or
  • Illegal rent increases.

The CEU is not an alternative to the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) dispute resolution services nor to existing mechanisms to enforce orders through the courts. The CEU may issue warnings to ensure landlords and tenants follow the Laws and if necessary, may issue administrative monetary penalties.

If you have a complaint you would like to submit please visit: Submit a complaint to the CEU 

If you are the subject of a complaint and unsure what to do next please visit Enforcement Process to learn more about what happens after a complaint has been investigated or Contact the Residential Tenancy Branch

Before Submitting a complaint 

The Compliance and Enforcement Unit (CEU) is not an alternative to Dispute resolution services nor does it enforce orders through the courts. No parties will be compensated through the administrative penalty process. The CEU does not resolve or mediate disputes between landlords and tenants. However, the law allows the CEU to commence an investigation whether or not an application for dispute resolution has been accepted for a hearing.

Have you tried: 

Try to discuss, negotiate, or compromise in order to reach a solution that works for everyone involved. Check out some communication tips and tools that are helpful when resolving problems:

Understand your rights and responsibilities at the start of a tenancy, during a tenancy and when ending a tenancy

 

Contact the Residential Tenancy Branch

The content on this website is periodically reviewed and updated by the Province of British Columbia as per the date noted on each page: September 12, 2023.