Email as a Method of Service
LandlordBC has long advocated that landlords and tenants should be allowed to use email as a method of service. It has been a topic we have raised repeatedly and echoed again to the 2018 Rental Housing Task Force who included it in their list of recommendations. In the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic in BC we saw it successfully implemented as a measure to reduce in person contact. The Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) working closely with LandlordBC has now made this a reality through a change to the Residential Tenancy Regulations.
Starting March 1, 2021 email may, under specific circumstances, be used as a method of service by landlords and tenants when serving documents. For email to be considered valid as a method of service the email address must be provided specifically for the purpose of serving documents.
You can read the Media Release here.
LandlordBC members have access to an internal guide to help understand this welcome change.