Rental Homes: Maintenance and Repair

Rental properties should be cared for by tenants and maintained by landlords. The Rental Property Standards of Maintenance Bylaw sets out minimum standards for rental housing to ensure the quality, safety, and livability of rental units.  Some roles and responsibilities for landlords and tenants are detailed below:

Landlords:
Tenants:

Inside the Unit:

  • Heating, plumbing, and electricity, 
    (cooling is not covered by the RTA)
  • Locks and keys
  • Insect and pest infestations 
  • Painting at reasonable intervals
  • Serious mold issues
  • Walls, floors and ceilings
  • Items included in tenancy agreement 
    (e.g. appliances)
     

Inside the Unit:

  • General unit cleanliness and maintenance of carpets
    Removal of garbage from the rental unit 
  •  Replacing light bulbs and standard fuses (i.e. stove) 
    Minor mold issues 
  • Wiping or vacuuming baseboards and baseboard heaters to remove dust and dirt
  • Steam cleaning or shampooing carpets at the end of 
    a tenancy (if the tenant has pets or has smoked on 
    the premises)
  • Repairing excessive damage from nail holes and cleaning marks on the walls (not responsible for reasonable wear and tear from normal usage over time like chipped paint, worn carpet, scrapes or scuffs on the floor)

In the Building:

  • Fire doors, fire escapes and 
    smoke detectors
  • Elevators
  • Access devices and intercoms
  • Light fixtures in common areas

In the Building: 

  • Tenants are not responsible for building maintenance

On the Property: 

  • Routine yard maintenance in apartment 
    buildings (i.e., cutting grass) 
  • Tree cutting and pruning
    routinely cleaning the outside of windows 

*Under the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA), landlords must ensure that a rental unit complies with all health, housing, and safety standards.

On the Property:

  • Tenants are not responsible for building maintenance.

Emergency Repairs

Not all repairs are emergencies. To be considered an emergency, repairs must be:
1)    Urgent;
2)    Necessary for the health or safety of people or property; 
3)    Relate to issues such as:
•    Major leaks in pipes or the roof
•    Damaged or blocked water or sewer pipes or plumbing fixtures
•    Primary heating system issues
•    Damaged or defective locks that give access to a rental unit
•    Electrical system issues

Repairs that do not meet all three criteria are not considered an emergency.  

A step-by-step guide for emergency and non-emergency repairs are detailed below.