Having Problems?

It’s just human nature for disagreements to occur from time to time.

A. Start easy

If you are having a minor problem with another tenant, or the landlord, manager, or other staff, try to politely discuss it with them first. Most disagreements are best settled by friendly conversation and compromise.

Some building have a tenants’ council where renters can bring their problems or questions. See if you can arrange a council like this in your building.
 

B. Go up the ladder

If discussing the matter does not resolve the problem or if you do not feel safe talking to the person who is the source of the problem, bring it to the attention of the person in charge (usually the property management company or apartment owner). You usually do this by writing a letter to the person in charge.
 

If you are living in subsidized housing, the building is probably run by a non-profit society. That means you would bring the problem to the attention of the Board of Directors. You have a right to contact the Board and a right to know the full name of the society. This is public information, so it cannot be hidden.
 

Ask your building manager for the names of the board of directors. Some buildings will have the board members’ names listed on a bulletin board. Some non-profit housing societies have a special person called a “liaison”. This person acts as a go-between to help you and the Board of Directors.

Whether you are talking to a building manager, a landlord or someone else about a problem in your building, they will need to know:
 

• What is the problem?
• What happened?
• When and where did it happen?
• Who was involved?
• Who else was there (witnesses)?

Also, it can be helpful for them to know “Has this problem ever happened before?”

If you are having a serious problem in your building that is not being taken care of the way you like, start making your requests in writing and keeping a copy.
 

If you write a respectful, well written letter, that can be very helpful in getting things done. If it fails to work, and you decide to go to Arbitration, the arbitrator will want to see written proof of your requests.

 

Things to Remember
• Contact the local police or the RCMP if you are threatened or in danger from anyone in the building.
• Do not stop paying your rent because you have a problem with the landlord, building manager, or other tenants. Apply for Arbitration instead (see below).
• If you decide to move out, give the proper notice. If you do not, you might have to pay money to the landlord.
 

C. Get support

Sometimes a landlord may want to talk with you about a problem. Sometimes you may feel uncertain, and would like to take a friend or another person along as support to make sure you understand the issue.  You don't have to handle a problem alone.

Can the landlord insist that you “come alone” to talk about the problem? The short answer is “No”. A landlord cannot restrict who accompanies you.
 

Often a good way to arrange a meeting is to find a time that is convenient for you and the landlord to meet. Let the landlord know you are bringing a friend or a family member.
 

D. Try arbitration

If handling it on your own has not worked out, you can take the matter to a neutral person called an arbitrator at the Residential Tenancy Office. (See the back of this booklet for addresses.)

An arbitration is like a landlord-tenant "court". It can deal with matters such as problems with privacy, getting permission to change locks, fighting an eviction notice, and getting back your security deposit.

It costs $50 to apply for arbitration. If more than one person in the building is experiencing the same problem, you can apply for arbitration together and share the costs.
 

If you pay the fee and you win your case, the arbitrator can order the landlord to pay you back the $50. You will need to ask for this money back on your arbitration hearing application.
 

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