Selling a Tenanted Home in BC: Notices, Showings and Your Buyer's Plans

Selling a home with tenants in it takes extra planning. The tenancy doesn't end just because you sell, notice periods are set by law, and your buyer's plans for the home shape the whole process. Here is how it works in BC.

The short version

Decide early: tenanted or vacant?

You can sell with the tenants staying, which can suit an investor, or sell to a buyer who wants to move in. Before you list, gather the tenancy agreement and confirm the rent, the deposits held and whether the tenancy is month-to-month or for a fixed term. It helps to ask your tenants early whether they would like to stay, so buyers know what to expect, and your contract of purchase and sale should say clearly whether the tenancy continues.

Investors will also look at the rent. In BC, the maximum allowable rent increase is 2.3% for 2026 and 2.2% for 2027, and a landlord can raise the rent only once every 12 months, with three months' notice.

If your buyer wants to move in

Under the Residential Tenancy Act, you can end the tenancy for your buyer only if all of the following are true:

• You have agreed in good faith to sell, and all subjects have been removed (in the Act's words, all the conditions on which the sale depends have been satisfied).
• The buyer asks you in writing to give the notice.
• The buyer is an individual, or a qualifying family corporation, and the buyer or a close family member intends in good faith to live in the unit. A close family member means a parent, spouse or child, or the parent or child of a spouse.

The Province says serving the notice can't be made a subject of the sale. The notice itself must be generated through the Province's Landlord Use web portal, which has been required since July 18, 2024. You will need a Basic BCeID, your buyer's written request and details of the sale.

Notice, compensation and the 12-month rule

• Notice period. At least three months after the tenant receives the notice, ending the day before rent is due. If the tenancy is for a fixed term, the notice can't end it before the term ends.
• Dispute period. The tenant has 21 days to dispute the notice. If they don't, they are presumed to accept it and must move out by the effective date.
• Compensation. The tenant is entitled to one month's rent, paid on or before the effective date, or they can withhold their last month's rent.
• Leaving early. If the tenancy is month-to-month, the tenant can move out sooner by giving 10 days' written notice, paying rent only to their move-out date, and they still receive the compensation.
• The 12-month rule. The buyer or their close family member must move in within a reasonable time and live there for at least 12 months. If not, the buyer may have to pay the former tenant 12 months' rent, unless there were extenuating circumstances.

Timing your dates

Because the notice can only be given once all subjects have been removed, and it must run at least three months, set your completion and possession dates with that in mind. Allow for how the notice is delivered too: a notice handed to the tenant in person counts as received that day, one sent by mail counts five days later, and one left in the mailbox or attached to the door counts three days later. A text message doesn't count.

If your buyer wants to keep the tenants

The tenancy continues on the same terms, and your buyer becomes the landlord. No new tenancy agreement is needed. The owner at the time the tenant moves out is responsible for returning the security and pet damage deposits, so the deposits are usually dealt with in the contract and on the statement of adjustments.

Showings with tenants in place

• Written notice. Give at least 24 hours' and no more than 30 days' written notice for each entry, for entry between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., unless the tenant agrees otherwise. Notice by text message isn't valid.
• Reasonable showings. Tenants are entitled to reasonable privacy. The Residential Tenancy Branch suggests agreeing on a written showing schedule, and says all-day showings every Saturday for several weeks could be unreasonable.
• Who attends. The tenant may be present, a lock box needs the tenant's permission, and the landlord or their agent must attend.

Keeping your tenants informed and working with their schedule goes a long way toward smooth showings.

Who gives the notice

BCFSA notes that only the landlord, or a licensed rental property manager acting for them, can give a notice to end a tenancy. As your REALTOR®, I can help you plan the timing, but the notice comes from you as the landlord.

Questions sellers often ask me

Can I sell my house with tenants in BC?

Yes. The tenancy continues with the new owner unless it is ended properly, for example at the buyer's written request once all subjects have been removed.

How much notice do tenants get when a home is sold in BC?

At least three months, ending the day before rent is due, and not before the end of a fixed term. The tenant has 21 days to dispute the notice.

Do tenants get compensation when the buyer moves in?

Yes. The tenant is entitled to one month's rent, paid on or before the effective date of the notice, or they can withhold their last month's rent.

How much notice do I need to give for showings?

At least 24 hours' written notice, for entry between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. unless the tenant agrees otherwise. A text message doesn't count as notice.

What happens if the buyer doesn't move in?

If the buyer or a close family member doesn't move in within a reasonable time and live there for at least 12 months, the buyer may have to pay the former tenant 12 months' rent, unless there were extenuating circumstances.

For the rest of the process, read the BC selling process from listing to completion and my seller's checklist.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Tenancy rules change, so check the current guidance or get legal advice before you give notice. For the Province's guide, see selling a rental property.