2020 Allowable Rent Increase
- Effective April 1, 2020 new annual rent increases are frozen during the Covid-19 state of emergency. If a notice has already been given it remains valid. A landlord can still give a notice of rent increase during the state of emergency in accordance with the regulations. However, in both of the above situations the rent increase will not come into effect until after the state of emergency has ended.
- 2.6% is the allowed maximum in 2020 for mobile home park tenancies plus a proportional amount for the change in local government levies and regulated utility fees.
- Landlords must provide tenants with three full months’ notice using the correct notice of rent increase form.
- Link to more information on rent increases: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/residential-tenancies/during-a-tenancy/rent-increases
Previous Maximum Rent Increases
The following table outlines the maximum allowable rent increases for the past few years:
| Year | Maximum Allowable Rent Increase |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 2.5% |
| 2018 | 4.0% |
| 2017 | 3.7% |
| 2016 | 2.9% |
| 2015 | 2.5% |
| 2014 | 2.2% |
| 2013 | 3.8% |
| 2012 | 4.3% |
| 2011 | 2.3% |
| 2010 | 3.2% |
| 2009 | 3.7% |
| 2008 | 3.7% |
| 2007 | 4.0% |
| 2006 | 4.0% |
| 2005 | 3.8% |
| 2004 | 4.6% |
Landlords may not retroactively apply a rent increase. If a landlord did not issue a rent increase in the previous year, or issued a rent increase that was less than the amount allowed by law, they cannot later apply a rent increase to catch up.
