Residential Tenancies Branch

s. 1(1), 116(1), The Residential Tenancies Act

Definitions

Room and board: a living arrangement where the landlord provides both the room and meals.

Tenancy agreement: a contract between a landlord and a tenant for a tenant that sets out the basic rules for living in a rental unit. It can be written, oral or implied.

The Residential Tenancies Act, including the rent increase guideline, applies:

• only when there are five or more rooms in a boarding house; and

• only to the room portion of a room and board tenancy agreement.

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The Branch has no authority to deal with disagreements between tenants and landlords concerning meals.

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Procedure

Overview

This policy is included as information for landlords, tenants and officers. If tenants and landlords aren’t able to solve a problem with the room portion of a room and board agreement on their own, they can ask the Branch for help.

Steps ▼

1.The officer encourages the landlord and tenant to share information, and to discuss the problem, to try to come to an agreement.

2.When a tenant or landlord asks the Branch to help settle room and board disagreements, the officer will:

• get information from the landlord and the tenant;
• explain that the Branch only deals with the room portion;
• help the landlord and tenant settle the disagreement through mediation.

3.If mediation isn’t successful, the officer refers the file for a decision and Order.

Forms & Form Letters

X-Referencing

For information on Mediation, see this section.
Details on Hearings are in Section 11.

Policy Developed

September, 1992

Last Revision

March, 2004

Other Resources

None

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