Quick answer
The maximum rent increase in British Columbia for 2026 is 2.3%. A landlord can raise your rent only if it has been at least 12 months since the rent was set or last legally increased, must give you three full months of written notice on the official RTB-7 form, and cannot carry over unused amounts from previous years. The 2027 limit is 2.2%.
If you rent a home or apartment in Surrey, Langley, Delta or White Rock, the rent increase rules come from the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB), the provincial branch that handles tenancy questions and disputes.
This guide is for information only and is not legal advice. If a notice looks wrong, read it against the rules here before you pay, and contact the RTB.
The 2026 cap: 2.3%
The Province of BC lists the 2026 rent increase limit for residential tenancies as 2.3%. The 2027 limit is listed as 2.2%.
The limit is a ceiling, not a target. Your landlord can raise rent by less, or not at all. Increases above the annual limit are only possible through an Additional Rent Increase application to the RTB (see below).
Example: if your rent is $2,000/month, 2.3% of that is $46/month ($2,000 × 0.023). Landlords can't round up when calculating the allowable increase.
How often rent can be raised
A landlord can only increase rent if it has been at least 12 months since the rent was set or since it was last legally increased.
Landlords also cannot carry forward unused increases from prior years. If your landlord raised rent by less than the allowed amount in a previous year, they cannot add the leftover to 2026's 2.3%.
The 3-month notice rule and the RTB-7 form
Landlords must give tenants three full months of notice of a rent increase. The notice must be in writing and the landlord must use the Notice of Rent Increase — Residential Rental Units (RTB-7) form.
The notice must state:
- The exact dollar amount of the increase
- The date the increase takes effect
If the notice does not use the RTB-7 form, or does not give three full months, contact the RTB before you agree to pay the higher amount.
Tip: Keep a copy of the notice and a record of the date you received it, so you can check the three-month period.
What landlords can't do
- Round up when calculating the allowable increase.
- Raise rent before 12 months have passed since the rent was set or last legally increased.
- Carry forward unused increases from previous years.
- Raise fees or utilities that have been agreed upon in writing. Utilities and other fees can only be increased with the tenant's agreement.
Disputing an illegal increase
If you receive a notice that breaks the rules above, you have two options.
1. Don't pay the unlawful part. Tenants do not have to pay an increase higher than the law allows. If you have already paid more than the legal amount, you can deduct the overpayment from future rent. Explain the deduction to your landlord in writing.
2. Apply for dispute resolution. If the landlord insists, you can apply to the RTB using the Tenant Application for Dispute Resolution (Current Tenancy), form RTB-12T-CT. To use the online application you need a Basic BCeID account. The RTB also accepts paper forms by mail, fax or in person; see the contact details below.
The RTB offers four dispute resolution processes: direct request (written submissions only, limited to specific situations), facilitation (a case facilitator helps landlords and tenants resolve the dispute by agreement), a participatory hearing (both sides present evidence and testimony to an arbitrator) and an expedited hearing for emergency situations, which the RTB tries to schedule within 12 days from the date the application is made. Claims for money must generally be for $35,000 or less.
Safety: Tenants must keep paying their rent, even while a dispute resolution process is under way. Pay the legal amount of rent and dispute only the amount you believe is unlawful.
Additional Rent Increase (ARI) applications
Landlords can apply to the RTB for an increase above the annual limit in certain situations.
Capital expenditures: examples include fixing, replacing or installing a major system or part to follow health, safety and housing rules. Examples the Province gives are a roof replacement, window upgrades and a new boiler. The expense must have been incurred within the 18 months before applying to the RTB, the work must be completed when the landlord applies, and the improvement should not need replacing for at least 5 years. Deferred maintenance, expenses covered by insurance and routine upkeep are not eligible. Landlords apply online to the RTB.
Expenses: examples include significantly higher utility bills or property taxes, unforeseen financing costs when buying a property, and significant repairs to a manufactured home park. Landlords use form RTB-52, which cannot be filed online and must be printed and submitted in person. The application fee is $300 plus $10 for each affected unit, to a maximum of $600.
For capital expenditures, the cost is amortized over a 10-year period and divided by the number of rental units affected. The increase is limited to 3% per phase plus the annual rent increase, and any excess can roll into a Phase 2 and Phase 3. Approved increases use notice forms RTB-53-P1, RTB-53-P2 and RTB-53-P3.
Manufactured home parks
If you rent a pad in a manufactured home park, the 2026 allowable increase is 2.3% plus a proportional amount. The proportional amount is the change in local government levies plus the change in regulated park utilities, divided by the number of manufactured home sites in the park. Landlords must still give three full months' notice and can only increase rent once every 12 months.
Who to call
The Residential Tenancy Branch provides information on tenancy rules and handles dispute resolution applications.
- Lower Mainland (Surrey, Langley, Delta, White Rock): 604-660-1020
- Elsewhere in BC: 1-800-665-8779
- Victoria: 250-387-1602
- Email: HSRTO@gov.bc.ca (replies can take up to 5 days; you cannot apply for dispute resolution by email)
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm, except statutory holidays (last Wednesday of each month, 11 am to 4 pm)
- In person: 400-5021 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4A5
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the BC rent increase for 2026?
The Province of BC lists the 2026 rent increase limit for residential tenancies as 2.3%.
How much notice does a landlord have to give for a rent increase in BC?
Landlords must give three full months of written notice, using the RTB-7 form. The notice must include the exact dollar amount of the increase and the date it takes effect.
Can my landlord raise my rent more than once a year?
No. A landlord can only increase rent if it has been at least 12 months since the rent was set or last legally increased.
What happens if my landlord raises my rent more than the allowed amount?
Tenants do not have to pay an increase higher than the law allows. If you have already paid more than the legal amount, you can deduct the overpayment from future rent, and you can apply to the RTB for dispute resolution. Keep paying your rent while any dispute is under way.
What is the BC rent increase for 2027?
The Province lists the 2027 rent increase limit for residential tenancies as 2.2%.
Official sources
- Rent increases — Province of British Columbia
- Rent increases to offset growing costs and expenses — Province of British Columbia
- Rent increases for manufactured homes — Province of British Columbia
- Tenancy dispute resolution — Province of British Columbia
- Contact the Residential Tenancy Branch
- Tenancy forms — Province of British Columbia
- Notice of Rent Increase — Residential Rental Units (RTB-7)
General information only, not professional advice. Rules and prices change, so check the official sources above before you act. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.