City of Victoria Rental Property Standards of Maintenance Bylaw

January 21, 2021

As part of the City’s efforts to improve rental housing and support for renters, a new bylaw has been approved to support a minimum standard of rental housing in Victoria and will come into effect on January 31, 2021. The new bylaw includes standards to ensure the quality, safety, and livability of rental units. It addresses standards related to water leaks or damage, provision of heat, fire safety, functionality of doors and windows, pests, and mould.  The Rental Property Standard of Maintenance bylaw applies to all rental properties where the Residential Tenancy Act applies in the City of Victoria. This includes rental apartments, rented condo units, secondary suites, garden suites, and unauthorized suites. LandlordBC and other stakeholders were consulted during the process of developing this bylaw and provided pertinent input. The bylaw complements and aligns with existing resources provided by the province under the Residential Tenancy Act and provides clear expectations to landlords and provides the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) with a framework to measure compliance in Victoria. The RTB is still responsible for investigating complaints and enforcing standards. We do not anticipate any significant impacts on most landlords as our sector is committed to adhering to the RTA standards which have been in effect for some time.

Read a summary of the new bylaw here.

 

Information contained in this blog reflects the latest information at our disposal