Craig Johnston Personal Real Estate Corporation · Brokerage: Royal LePage Elite West
Coquitlam · Tenanted sales
If your Coquitlam home is tenanted, BC's Residential Tenancy Act protects the tenant during the sale process. Understanding what you can and cannot do is critical — Coquitlam sellers who get this wrong face costly disputes and delayed sales.
5.0 across 36+ Google reviews Top 1% Team — Greater Vancouver REALTORS®, 2023–2025 47+ years in the Tri-CitiesQuick Answer
What should you know about tenant rights when you sell a tenanted Coquitlam home?
If your Coquitlam home is tenanted, BC's Residential Tenancy Act protects the tenant during the sale process. Understanding what you can and cannot do is critical — Coquitlam sellers who get this wrong face costly disputes and delayed sales. Craig Johnston, Top 1% Team — Greater Vancouver REALTORS®, 2023–2025 and 47+ year Tri-Cities resident, can walk you through the local context. Free Strategy Call ends with a written one-page plan in 24 hours.
Tenanted sales · Coquitlam
BC has some of the most tenant-protective rental laws in Canada. When you sell a tenanted Coquitlam home, the tenant's rights largely transfer to the new buyer. Here is what every Coquitlam seller needs to know.
You must give 24 hours written notice for each showing. Tenant cannot unreasonably refuse. Best practice: coordinate showing windows with tenant in advance.
If the tenant has a fixed-term lease, the buyer takes over as the new landlord with the same lease terms. If month-to-month, same rules apply.
If the buyer or buyer's close family member intends to occupy the home, the landlord can serve a 3-month notice to end tenancy on the buyer's behalf under section 49 of the RTA — on the RTB's portal-generated purchaser-use form (RTB-32P). Tenant gets one month's free rent compensation. See the full sequence + a printable guide for you and your tenant.
BC Bill 14 (2024) tightened renovation evictions. The buyer cannot easily evict a tenant simply to renovate. Evictions for purposes other than personal occupancy face high evidence requirements.
Sellers must provide buyers with all current tenancy information, including current rent, security deposit held, lease terms, and any disputes. Concealing tenancy issues = liability.
Cannot evict tenant for the purpose of marketing the home as 'vacant possession'. If the home is sold tenanted, it is sold tenanted.
Craig Johnston is a 47-year Coquitlam resident and licensed REALTOR® at Royal LePage Elite West. Top 1% Team — Greater Vancouver REALTORS®, 2023–2025. Talk through your specific situation — no pressure, no obligation.
Selling a home with tenants adds a layer of rules that protect everyone involved. Six things owners and buyers should understand.
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A sale does not automatically end a tenancy. In general the new owner takes on the existing tenancy, so both seller and buyer need to plan around it.
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Provincial rules govern the notice a tenant must receive for various situations. Following the correct process and timelines is essential and protects the sale from disputes.
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A landlord’s right to show the home is balanced against a tenant’s right to notice and quiet enjoyment. Coordinating access respectfully, within the rules, keeps things smooth.
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Where a purchaser in good faith intends to occupy the home, specific rules and notice requirements apply to ending the tenancy. The process is defined and must be followed precisely.
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Ending a tenancy in certain circumstances can require compensation to the tenant. Factoring that in avoids surprises and keeps the transaction compliant.
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Residential tenancy rules change, and the details matter. Confirm the current requirements with the Residential Tenancy Branch or a professional before acting.
The essential point is that a tenanted sale is entirely doable, but it runs on a set of rules designed to treat tenants fairly while allowing owners to sell. Understanding those rules — notice, entry, occupancy and compensation — up front lets sellers plan a clean, compliant sale and lets buyers know exactly what they are taking on.
Residential tenancy law in BC is detailed and changes over time, and the correct process depends on the specific situation. Treat this as an orientation rather than legal advice, and verify the current rules and required notices with the Residential Tenancy Branch or a qualified professional before you list a tenanted home or write an offer on one.
Free download
Selling a Tenanted Home in B.C.
Want these rules on paper to share with your tenant? It’s a printable two-sided guide. One side is for you as the seller-landlord. The other is written for your tenant and covers notice, showings and the two ways a sale can end.
Download the guide (PDF, 2 MB)Want the detail? Read selling a tenanted property in BC.
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Only on grounds permitted by the BC Residential Tenancy Act. 'I want to sell' is not a ground. Proper grounds include: cause (e.g., non-payment, material breach) or owner-use (you or your close family member moving in).
24 hours written notice per showing. Notice must include date, time window, and purpose. Tenant cannot unreasonably refuse but can negotiate timing.
Yes. The buyer takes over as the new landlord, subject to the existing lease. Some buyers prefer tenanted properties (immediate income); some demand vacant possession.
If the buyer or their close family member will occupy the home, the landlord serves a 3-month notice to end tenancy on the buyer's behalf under section 49 of the RTA, using the RTB's portal-generated purchaser-use form (RTB-32P). Tenant receives one month's rent as compensation. Notice cannot be served until subjects are removed (deal is firm).
Only within BC's annual allowable rent increase (e.g., 2.3% for 2026; check the BC RTB website for the current year's percentage). Rent increases also require 3 months' written notice on the prescribed form.
The fixed-term lease survives the sale. The buyer cannot end the lease early on owner-use grounds until the fixed term ends, unless the lease itself includes a vacate clause permitted by the RTA.
No — you must provide reasonable showing access. But you can refuse unreasonable showing demands (e.g., 5 showings/day, no notice). Most disputes happen here; a clear schedule with the tenant prevents most issues.
No — the security deposit transfers to the new landlord (the buyer) and remains with the tenant's tenancy. The seller and buyer should formally adjust the deposit at closing.
Document each refused showing in writing. If the tenant repeatedly refuses reasonable access, you can apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch for an order. In practice, a friendly conversation and a showing schedule resolves most issues.
Vacant often appeals to more buyers in Coquitlam because the buyer pool is larger (owner-occupiers + investors vs. investors-only). Trade-off: ending the tenancy properly takes 3+ months (the purchaser-use notice period), plus you carry the property unrented during that period. Run the numbers with your REALTOR®.
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