Sun
B.C. residential landlords will be allowed to hike rents by 4.6 per cent in 2004 under new legislation taking effect Jan. 1, the provincial government announced Friday.
In future years, the annual allowable rent increase will be tied to the rate of inflation, or consumer price index, plus two per cent.
For manufactured home park tenants, the yearly allowable hike will be held to the index, with the 2004 increase being 2.6 per cent.
Unlike previous rules, tenants will no longer be allowed to dispute rent increases as long as they fall within government guidelines.
Under the new Residential Tenancy Act kicking in Jan. 1, landlords will also be allowed to charge pet owners an extra half month’s rent to protect against damage in a move designed to encourage more pets in rental housing.
Among other highlights, landlords who don’t return or file claims against security deposits within 15 days of the end of a tenancy agreement must pay the tenant double the amount of the deposit.
Landlords will be able to end a tenancy if the tenant is repeatedly late paying rent, fails to pay utility charges owed to the landlord, or refuses to obey an arbitrator’s order.
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