Ok so basically me and 2 other girls (all 22F) have been living in this basement suite for 3 months now. For reference, our landlord is a lady, but her husband name is also on the tenancy agreement. Let’s call her husband Bob. There are tenants on the main floor or this house as well as the top floor, and the property also has a laneway house with separate tenants. Our landlord’s husband does all the maintenance work/ lawnmowing etc.

When our 3rd roommate got here 2.5 months ago to do an internship, Bob started saying hello a lot more, as he speaks the same language as her. He has also called her work on a number of occasions but that was to help her find a bed/ mattress when she first came here (still weird though cause the landlords have our / her phone numbers, but also weirder cause he is like 65?). Anyways that’s not the issue here (even though he invited her to his birthday party lol)….

So Bob does a lot of yard work, is fixing the deck upstairs and is all around a very helpful and friendly guy. He has been very nice to me and my roommate, gave us a free used bench from his neighbour recently that I cleaned up, came with a handyman to replace a toilet that didn’t flush and a sub-par fan in the bathroom. So he has done some work and nice stuff which we greatly appreciated.

The problem is, when we are in our unit, he keeps entering when he assumes we are not here. I stay in my room and am quite quiet most of the time so he doesn’t think anyone is home.

This has happened at least once before where he has entered, I was asleep cause it was 10am and i was super sick. I heard him knock, enter, open the bathroom door to use it, toilet flush, and he leaves and locks the front door of the unit. I told our landlord (his wife), and she said she’s looking into it, later responding it was an emergency; he was doing yard work and is incontinent and it will not happen again. Super weird and a violation of our rights as tenants and our privacy but whatever, he’s old and if he’d asked I probably would have let him in. One of my roommates said yes to him using the bathroom when he was giving us a new fire extinguisher so I can see why he might think it’s ok? But also it’s clearly not.

Like him and his wife own this property…. but that doesn’t mean you can come in and use the bathroom whenever you want!

Anyways she said it wouldn’t happen again so fast forward to today, I’m in my room… I heard a knock (maybe??) next thing i know i hear him say “Hello??” as this is probably the third time he has entered like that. I heard the bathroom door close, some shuffling around, heard it open again and then heard the door to the unit shut. I leave my room to investigate, and there is a fat drop of piss on the seat! And the window is open (we don’t leave it open, and it was left open too the last time he did this). The door to the bathroom was shut and it was cold in there (hence why we don’t leave the windows open, we don’t have access to our thermostat- that is upstairs and controls the whole house). So i text my landlord to see what she has to say about this. Last time she profusely apologized for her husbands actions, said it was an emergency and he would have pooped his pants otherwise and that it wouldn’t happen again.

He obviously does this without her knowledge and maybe even did it to previous tenants too without their knowledge, but I don’t think apologies cut it here. Bob has for all intents and purposes been aware that we are likely not home when he uses the bathroom here. He could use the upstairs units bathroom (where he is working on their deck) but chooses not to ask them when I know they are home…. he comes down here instead to use our private bathroom because it’s quiet and he thinks he won’t get caught! Why would he not use theirs? The upstairs tenants? Heck even the bathroom of the laneway house about 25 metres away??? Like a male landlord entering the unit that three female tenants live in is violating!

Anyways, currently waiting to hear back what the landlord says about her husband’s behaviour…. I’d like to change the locks but i don’t think we would be allowed? It’s also such an unnecessary expense (keep in mind i’m concerned how much soap at toilet paper Bob might have used in breaking into our bathroom, since we are paying HIM/HIS WIFE to live on their property in the first place!!).

But yeah, lowkey debating attaching the photo i took of the urine on our toilet seat he left behind this morning but you get the picture… He’s violating our rights as tenants and i HATE IT! (no notice is ever given!)

TLDR: landlord keeps using our bathroom when he thinks we aren’t home… what do i do?

I am okay with small studios, I just need more personal space than getting used to live with a roommate. That is common in lots of the other cities, however not in Vancouver.
Most studios are over 2.2k/month or basements.
Why bachelor suit so hard to find?
Or I am also fine with those ensuite, I am ok with sharing the kitchen but not the bathroom.
I mean also why the secondary bedrooms in apartments are so small in Vancouver (also some main bedrooms) while the living room/ balcony is super large——that makes no sense at all—-most of time ppl don’t stay at those areas especially the balcony.
I don’t even understand how ppl have enough storage in those tiny mini apartment bedrooms. I saw lots of them using balcony as a storage which are completely strange—-it’s wet and cold mostly.
Can’t these building designers close the balcony to make more spaces? Can’t they make more spaces for bedrooms?
I am almost insane to find a proper apartment in Vancouver.
I will attach one of the most ridiculous 1b1b here. The 2 walls are all glasses, which completely specifically designed by the landlord himself. If I live here I will be completely watching by the landlord 24h, like a hamster.

It’s always fascinating to see how residential neighbourhoods turn out across different parts of the world

Hi there,

I am currently looking for a new roommate for an unfurnished bedroom house in a 4b-2br house in Kitsilano/Dunbar area

Located in Kits near Macdonald and W 21st
Room is available December 1st
Rent: $844 + 1/4 utilities (average ~$100 month)

The current roommates in the house are 2 girls and 1 guy. We are all in our 20s, active, love musics and crafts.

Looking for someone who is responsible, clean, tidy (must!), has a stable job. You can find more details and pictures in this posting:
https://www.craigslist.org/view/d/vancouver-private-room-available-for/aFH9iZr8VmwCeZsGywsuJw

Please send a message about yourself to the Craiglist posing above to show your interest. I'll schedule house viewing within the next two weeks.

The picture below is our living room. It pretty much sums up the vibe of the house. Hope that will pipe some interests :P

New to Vancouver, currently in Airbnb looking for place to live

So the landlady is asking for 6 months rent in advance. This is possible, despite the large amount and I tried to negotiate lower but they said firm on 6. I have to move out of my Airbnb in 5 days, and this unit is available before then technically but I have not yet confirmed a move in time with them (given I pay the advance).

Also, I am worried that if I pay 6 months rent in advance, they have the opportunity to kick me out within those 6 months thus losing out etc. Do I have any protection from them kicking me out or I assume I can ask them to implement protection in the contract?

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Edit:

After seeing my foolishness (+ your advice) I have decided on getting another Airbnb for a couple weeks 👍🏻 thanks everyone for the help

Vancouver continues to struggle with homelessness, unaffordable rents, and a shortage of housing that people on lower incomes can actually afford.

Meanwhile, there are vacant commercial buildings, unused industrial spaces, empty residential properties, and buildings sitting idle while awaiting redevelopment.

It raises an interesting question:
Could Vancouver establish a legal framework allowing suitable vacant buildings to be converted into temporary, affordable, resident-managed housing?

I’m not suggesting people simply break into buildings and start living there. I’m interested in whether we could establish a legitimate system that makes better use of existing property.

Here’s one possible approach:
Identify suitable vacant buildings. Focus on properties that have been unused for extended periods, particularly those awaiting redevelopment.

Negotiate temporary occupancy agreements. Property owners could receive incentives to make buildings available for three to five years rather than leaving them empty.
Establish nonprofit or cooperative housing. Residents could collectively manage their accommodation, share responsibilities, and contribute to maintenance and improvements where appropriate.

Create a streamlined approval process. The City could establish a pathway for temporary residential occupancy while maintaining essential fire, structural, health, and safety standards.

Provide legal protections. Residents would have clearly defined occupancy rights, responsibilities, and protections against arbitrary displacement.

Explore permanent solutions. Successful projects could potentially transition into long-term cooperatives, community land trusts, or nonprofit housing.

Vancouver already has some relevant mechanisms, including cooperative housing, community land trusts, vacancy taxation, and temporary-use permits.

In January 2026, the City launched a pilot program allowing certain vacant commercial storefronts in the Downtown Eastside to be used temporarily through a simplified permitting process. That program isn’t intended for residential housing, but it demonstrates that alternative uses of vacant property are already being explored.

The challenge isn’t necessarily inventing an entirely new housing system. It may be finding ways to connect existing mechanisms.

Of course, there are legitimate obstacles: property rights, zoning, insurance, building codes, conversion costs, liability, and the economics of temporary accommodation.
Not every vacant building is suitable for housing, and converting commercial or industrial space isn’t necessarily inexpensive.
But surely it’s worth investigating whether some buildings could accommodate people safely and affordably rather than remaining unused.

I’d be particularly interested in a pilot project involving a suitable building accommodating perhaps 20–50 people, operated by a nonprofit housing organization or resident cooperative.
Before proceeding, we’d need answers to some basic questions:
How many genuinely vacant, structurally suitable buildings exist in Vancouver?

What legal changes, if any, would be necessary to permit temporary residential occupancy?

Could property owners be incentivized to participate?

Could residents contribute to maintaining and improving their living spaces?

Would the cost per resident compare favourably with other housing programs?

Could the City establish a pilot using powers it already has?

I’m curious what people think.

Is this a realistic opportunity we’re overlooking, or are there legal, financial, and practical obstacles that make it unworkable?

I’d especially appreciate hearing from people involved in housing policy, architecture, construction, property management, municipal planning, cooperative housing, or community organizing.

Rather than another debate about whether Vancouver has a housing crisis, I’m interested in discussing whether this particular idea could actually work.

If Vancouver wanted to test this with one building, what would it take to make it happen?

In our building residents need to get to their floors via elevator with a key fob. The doors from the stairs are locked and majority of residents do not have the keys.

So the only way they can get to their floor is via elevator?

We had 5 fire alarms in less than 2 weeks and there is no way back to your floor until the firemen reactive the elevator. Then there is a huge queue for the elevator because no one can use the stairs to get back up.

The last time the firemen just turned the elevator off completely until a company can come out and fix it because it keep causing the alarm to trip. And residents were stranded in the middle of the night until someone from the strata came and manually opened the doors to each floor.

Is it legal to not give stairs access to residents?

Hey everyone!

I moved out of my last place and gave my forwarding address September 26th. Inspection went well as I knew it would, I’ll be getting my deposits back 100%. I’ve rented with the company in a couple different buildings, I’ve always gotten my deposits back and it’s normally taken a couple of days at most. As of today I have still not gotten my deposits back. My building manager did tell me that after 15 days I can submit a direct request application, potentially requesting more.

Now here’s where I’m confused. When I look online, it says 15 days. It doesn’t say anything about business days, holidays, etc. just after 15 days. Other places, I’ve seen it say 20 days. Again, nothing about business days, holidays, etc. Then I’ve also been told 15 business days, excluding weekends and holidays.

Can I get some insight as to which one it actually is?? 15 days or 20 days? Business days or calendar days? I don’t want to apply too early (especially since there’s a $100 application fee) but I also really need my deposits back. If I moved and gave my forwarding address September 26th, what exactly is my timeline looking like??

Thank you all in advance! 🙏

Edit: thank you so much for the additional information and providing me some clarity on the situation!! Very helpful, thank you all!!

Hi guys, im currently I'm paying $1800 for a 1 bed in the west end, my 1 year lease at this building ends in December (then I go month to month). I like the building a lot but I'm hoping for something lower, in the 1650 - 1700 range, I've been seeing these cheaper places pop up but they are definitely still rare.

Right now I have a viewing set up for a 1 bed in the same neighborhood, the rent is $1700 and the square footage is larger with a better view. Now ideally I'd rather not move but if this place is nicer than my current place then I would consider it.

I'm wondering if I have enough cause to ask my LL to lower the rent in exchange for signing another 1 year lease. I've noticed they were renting out another in the building for $100 more but it sat vacant for a few months. I have a good relationship with the property manager and always pay rent on time and I know the market is currently pretty bad for landlords but not sure how high my odds are. I just don't want to sour my relationship with the LL by doing so.

Any advice appreciated 🙏

Hey everyone!

i am a new landlord and looking for advice. How do you keep track of rent, repairs, and paperwork? Spreadsheet? where do you find the best results for posting your listing. What do you check/Vet before accepting a tenant?

Have you attended a Facilitated settlement hearing with the RTB? I'm curious about the process if a settlement is not reached, if parties are typically allowed to add evidence afterward. Is there any determination at that point by a facilitator whether evidence is admissable or not, or if more detail or supporting statements should be added?

I haven't found many accounts of people who have been through the facilitated settlement so would be grateful to hear any aspect of your experience, whether you settled or went ahead to hearing afterward... thanks in advance!

Current and former renters, especially downtown: what’s your experience been when you’ve needed something dealt with by property management?

What happened, how long did a response take, and did it get resolved? Good and bad experiences welcome.

Please share only your own experience and leave out staff names, unit numbers and private contact information.

They also want the make and model of our car and two references in additional to our next of kin.

I will be giving pay stubs and just crossing out the part of the application that's asking for this information. I'll also see if my bank can provide a letter of good standing.

But...is this normal?

Do they need our SIN numbers to run a credit check?

UPDATE

I texted the agent and politely expressed surprise that these questions were in the application. I expressed disappointment because we loved the unit and thought it was a good fit but were really taken aback by the request for so much personal info. I apologized for having wasted his time if it turned out we couldn't go any further given we weren't comfortable providing it.

He apologized for asking for so much but said they had recently had some bad experiences.

I then asked if they would accept a standard template that the province provides, and he said that would be fine and that he was looking forward to receiving it.

Know your rights guys! Thank you for helping me know mine so I could politely try to understand what was going on.

When your building gets a new manager, do outstanding requests carry over?

Do they seem to have the previous records, or have you had to explain everything again? Curious how other buildings handle this.

I am offering two distinct, well-maintained suite options available for rent within my home. These living spaces are in excellent, gently lived-in condition and offer comfortable, private accommodations suitable for various needs. Each space features functional layouts with hardwood flooring or carpeting, ample natural light, and modern bathroom amenities, including a walk-in shower with stylish subway tiling. Whether you need a dedicated workspace or a relaxing bedroom retreat, these suites provide a cozy and inviting atmosphere. If this advertisement is still live, the suites are still available, so feel free to reach out and make this your next home base before someone else snatches it up for their own grand adventure! Features include: - Bright and spacious floor plans - Modern bathroom with walk-in shower - Dedicated desks and workspace areas - Cozy bedroom setups - Hardwood and carpet flooring.

$1,300.00/ suite

Only single persons per suite

Persons must be gainfully employed, non smoking, no pets, references required.
For more details email: [dynacool1@gmail.com](mailto:dynacool1@gmail.com)

Looking for a person to share 1bdrm in a house in Fraserview Area(Victoria Dr./Marine Dr.) You will be SHARING THIS BDRM WITH another individual and common area, Kitchen and bath with others. 600/mo everything is included. Available immediately. No Smoking, no drinking and no pets please. Need Referrals. Call CK for more info-604-340-1411

Just as the question sounds.

I was lucky got into a subsidized housing unit last year and i just got the reapplication to submit my last 6 months of bank statements. from what i understand your rent is determined by what 30% of your income is.

last time the property manager said he was looking for tenants that would make the rent at least a certain amount , which i thought felt wrong since it was a charity building just for subsidized housing with a lot of the units built to accommodate disabled folk.

to be clear, just being on provincial disability benefits (PWD) and canadian disability (federal) , would make the 30% of income as rent way too low.

at the time i was a pet sitter, i would live in other peoples houses for sometimes a full month at a time so i was able to make a lot more money back then. even so, the amount i made in the 6 months then was still low so he then based it off my last 3 months instead which was summer months and an unusually high average.

basically my rent was never actually 30% of my income since moving, especially because my mental health got worse in many ways and worked a lot less. now im still self employed but it’s definitely not going to be in the income bracket he was looking for.

if my memory is correct, there isn’t supposed to be a minimum income in subsidized housing. it wouldn’t make sense.

the issue is when i refill out my bc housing application, im supposed to give it to my property manager for them to file and submit.

i am beyond terrified. i only have until mid next week to submit it as well.

does anyone have any reassurance for me? ways to protect my self? things i can do?

thanks in advance. this charity that owns runs the building has the literal motto of trying to end homelessness, so if i can get evicted over this that’s screwed up.

Is there any downside to doing this? They're using a standard form from the RTB and everything looks fine except it's dated from October 1, 2026 and I moved into this place in November 2016. Do I lose anything by signing this?

Thanks!

There are nice units in Station Square in Metrotown that meet our budget. Any experiences regarding station square towers?

Of course we will review all strata docs, and have an inspection and everything before we finalize a deal.

Edit: thanks for all the insights! Damn it seems these newer units are full of red flags :( and the older units available in Vancouver are in need of extremely expensive repairs.

Any warnings regarding the condos around the Hamilton Homer and Smithe St?

Some units there meet our budget but (a) the buildings are quite older and (b) the Fire Hall noise?

Hi! I am moving out of my apartment at the end of this month. There are a few things that I expect will be genuine reasons for the landlord to keep some of our damage deposit - a chip in the counter, some damage to a corner wall edge from moving in and out of the unit.

However, I understand the general advice is not to agree at the move out inspection to arbitrary withholding as they should need to show what it is going to cost to repair these.

So what exactly do I do in this scenario, where I do expect some will be withheld? Is there a specific form or information that they are supposed to provide me?