Owner guide · residential tenancies
How to screen a tenant in BC
Screen every applicant the same way, in 7 steps: pre-screen, application, previous landlord references, proof of income, a credit report with written consent, photo ID seen but not copied, and a meeting in person. In BC you cannot charge an application fee, a security deposit is capped at half a month's rent, and each application stays on file for at least one year.
For owners of houses, condos, suites and small buildings · 11 min read · Checked against OIPC, BC Human Rights Tribunal and gov.bc.ca pages, September 2026
What you may collect from an applicant
OIPC guidance
- Always
Name and contact, photo ID viewed, tenancy history, landlord references, pets
- With a reason
Proof of income, credit report with consent, date of birth
- Almost never
Human Rights Code grounds, social media, smoking habits, banking details before the tenancy
Summary of the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC's guidance for private sector landlords. The detail is in the table below.
What can a landlord ask a tenant in BC?
Three sets of rules apply before a tenancy starts. The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) limits what you may collect from an applicant, and it applies to anyone offering a property for rent, including the owner of one condo or a basement suite. The BC Human Rights Code limits what you may base the decision on. The Residential Tenancy Act sets the deposits and fees. This is general information, not legal advice.
The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC (OIPC) has published guidance for landlords that sorts applicant information into what is always reasonable to collect, what is reasonable only in some circumstances, and what is almost never reasonable. The test throughout is what a reasonable person would consider appropriate, and a landlord may not require more than is necessary to decide on the tenancy.
Swipe sideways to see the full table
| Information | OIPC position | How to handle it |
|---|---|---|
| Name and contact details | Always reasonable | Collect on the application. |
| Government photo ID | Always reasonable to view | Look at it, match the name, hand it back. Do not photocopy, scan or write down the licence or passport number. |
| Current and previous tenancies | Always reasonable | Where they rented, for how long, whether they were ever evicted, and whether they left over a dispute with the landlord or neighbours. |
| Previous landlord references | Always reasonable, with consent | Keep the conversation to suitability as a tenant: rent payment history, complaints and damage. |
| Pets | Always reasonable | Ask whether they have pets. Strata bylaws may limit number or size. |
| Proof of income or employment | Reasonable to establish that the tenant can pay the rent | Ask for one document: recent pay stubs, an employer letter, a tax assessment, or a statement showing payroll deposits with the rest blacked out. Keep questions to current employment. |
| Credit check | With consent, late in the process | Put the consent on the application. Run the report only on the one or two applicants you are close to choosing. |
| Social Insurance Number | Optional at most | Full name and date of birth usually identify a person to a credit agency. Make the SIN field optional or leave it off. |
| Date of birth or age | Only for a reason | To confirm an adult (19 or over) where in doubt, to identify the person for a credit check, or for a 55-plus building. |
| Criminal record check | Rarely | The OIPC says it will not be necessary in most tenancies and cannot be made a condition unless it is. |
| Banking details, credit card numbers | Not before the tenancy | A landlord cannot require banking information from an applicant. Collect payment details after you have chosen the tenant. |
| Social media and search engines | Not reasonable | These are not public sources under BC privacy law. Viewing counts as collecting, so do not look applicants up. |
| Whether the applicant smokes | Not reasonable | Put the no-smoking term in the agreement, and ask the previous landlord whether the tenant smoked on the property. |
| Emergency contact, vehicle and plate | After you choose the tenant | Reasonable for running the tenancy, not for choosing between applicants. |
Summarized from the OIPC guidance document Private Sector Landlord and Tenants (September 2019) and OIPC Investigation Report P18-01 (March 2018), with the Province's Residential Tenancy Branch page on listing and showing a rental unit. Where the two OIPC documents differ, the 2019 guidance prevails. Read the originals at oipc.bc.ca before you write an application form.
Two points surprise most owners. First, consent has to be informed and specific: tell the applicant what you are collecting and why, in writing where you can, and do not rely on a clause that lets you collect anything from anyone. Second, court records and published Residential Tenancy Branch decisions are public sources under PIPA, so consent is not needed to search them, but the OIPC says you must tell the applicant that you will.
What can a landlord not ask or screen on?
The BC Human Rights Code prohibits refusing to rent to someone because of a protected characteristic. The OIPC adds that because a landlord cannot lawfully use this information, collecting it is generally not reasonable either. So the questions stay off the form and out of the showing: no marital status, no ages of children, no country of birth, no question about where the income comes from beyond whether it is lawful and enough.
BC Human Rights Code
Protected in tenancy
- Race, colour, ancestry and place of origin
- Indigenous identity
- Religion
- Marital status
- Family status, which includes having children
- Physical or mental disability
- Sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression
- Age (19 and over)
- Lawful source of income, such as income assistance, a disability pension or a rent subsidy
Personal characteristics protected in the area of tenancy, as listed by the BC Human Rights Tribunal.
Still allowed
What you can decide on
- Rental history and previous landlord references
- Whether verified lawful income supports the rent
- Credit history, read with consent
- Pets, where you or the strata restrict them
- Willingness to accept the terms: no smoking, term, move-in date
Apply each one the same way to every applicant.
The exceptions are narrow. The Code allows buildings reserved for people aged 55 and over, housing reserved for people with disabilities, and it does not apply where the tenant will share sleeping, bathroom or cooking facilities with the owner. A landlord may also refuse to rent to a minor. If you think an exception applies to you, read the Code and ask a lawyer before you rely on it.
How do you screen a tenant, step by step?
The order matters. It puts the checks that involve the least personal information first, which is what the OIPC's guidance asks for, and it means you only run a credit report on people you are seriously considering. Apply all seven steps, in this order, to every application.
- Before the showing01
Pre-screen before you book a showing
Put the facts that settle most mismatches in the listing and the first reply: rent, deposit, move-in date, term, what is included, the pet and smoking rules, and the strata's rules if it is a condo. Then ask every inquiry the same short questions: when do you need to move, do you have pets, and can you provide landlord references and proof of income. Do not ask who is in the household or how old they are.
- Application02
Take a written application
One form for every adult applicant. It states why you are collecting the information, names the checks you will run and asks for consent to each one. The OIPC's investigation found that blanket clauses allowing collection from any source do not amount to valid consent, so be specific. You cannot charge a fee to accept or process an application.
- References03
Call the previous landlords
The OIPC calls a tenant's actual rental history the most reliable predictor of suitability. Call the current landlord and the one before. The earlier landlord has nothing to gain by being generous. Ask about rent paid on time, complaints, damage, notice given and whether they would rent to the person again. Stay on suitability as a tenant, which is all the guidance allows landlords to exchange.
- Income04
Verify income and employment
The Province's guidance lists verifiable income and employment as something a landlord may request. Ask for one document that proves the income, and confirm the job with the employer using the consent on the application. Count all lawful income: wages, self-employment, pensions, benefits and subsidies.
- Credit05
Run the credit report, with written consent
Do this near the end, on the applicants you are close to choosing. The Province refers to the applicant's written approval, and the OIPC says to tell the applicant what the report is for. Read the payment history and any collections, not only the score. A thin file is common for newcomers and young renters and is not a bad file.
- Identity06
Check photo ID in person
Government photo ID, seen at the showing or the signing and matched to the name on the application. Look at it and return it. Both the Province and the OIPC say a landlord should not make or keep a copy.
- Decision07
Meet, decide, and write down why
Meet every adult who will sign, at the home. Decide on what you verified: rental history, income against rent, credit and references. Write one or two lines on why you chose one applicant and declined the others. If a decision is ever questioned, that note and a process applied the same way to everyone are your answer.
What are the red flags, and how do you weigh them fairly?
A red flag is a reason to ask another question, not a reason to stop reading the application. The fair way to weigh one is to ask whether it bears on the two things screening is for: will the rent be paid, and will the home and the neighbours be treated well. If it does not, set it aside.
A reference you cannot verify
A landlord reference who only answers a mobile number and cannot describe the unit. Weigh it by checking that the person is the owner or manager of that address, and by calling the landlord before that one.
Documents that do not agree
An employer letter, pay stub and application that give different employers, dates or income. Ask once, plainly. Honest applicants explain a gap in a sentence.
A prior eviction or tenancy dispute
You may ask about it, and Residential Tenancy Branch decisions are published. One dispute years ago with good references since is different from a pattern. Read what happened, not only that it happened.
Rent that is a stretch on verified income
A legitimate reason to decline, provided you count every lawful source of income and apply the same threshold to everyone.
Pressure to skip steps
An offer of several months' rent in cash in exchange for no application, or a need to move in tonight. The answer is the same process, faster, not a shorter one.
An adult who will not be on the agreement
Every adult who will live there should apply and sign. Someone who will live in the home but not apply is a gap in your screening.
What is not a red flag on its own: a thin credit file, a new job in the same field, income from a pension or benefits, being new to Canada, or having children. None of them predicts unpaid rent, and the last three touch grounds the Human Rights Code protects.
How much income should a tenant have?
There is no legal rent-to-income ratio in BC. The common rule of thumb among landlords is that rent should be about 30% of gross household income, the same threshold Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation uses to define affordable housing (shelter costs below 30% of before-tax income). Some owners state it the other way round, as income of roughly three times the rent.
The 30% rule of thumb, worked
Swipe sideways to see the full table
| Monthly rent | Household income per month | Household income per year | Maximum security deposit |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $8,333 | $100,000 | $1,250 |
| $3,500 | $11,667 | $140,000 | $1,750 |
| $5,000 | $16,667 | $200,000 | $2,500 |
Rule of thumb only: rent divided by 30%. Common practice, not law. The deposit column is the legal maximum of half of the first month's rent under the Residential Tenancy Act.
Treat it as a guide. In Vancouver many reliable tenants pay more than 30% and have done so for years, which is exactly what a previous landlord reference shows. Count the whole household and every lawful source, including pensions, benefits and rent subsidies, because source of income is protected. A strong rental history at a similar rent is better evidence than a ratio.
What deposits and fees can a landlord take in BC?
½ month
Maximum security deposit
No more than half of the first month's rent
½ month
Maximum pet damage deposit
Regardless of the number of pets
$0
Application fee
No fee for accepting, reviewing or processing an application
15 days
To return or claim deposits
From the end of the tenancy and receiving the forwarding address in writing
The Residential Tenancy Branch is direct on all four. If a landlord takes more than the limit, the tenant can deduct the overpayment from rent. If a landlord misses the 15 days, the RTB says the landlord may be ordered to pay the tenant double the deposit. The Province also sets the interest owed on deposits each year, and publishes a calculator.
The deposit is only as good as the paperwork behind it. At move-in the landlord offers the tenant two opportunities to inspect, walks the unit with them, completes the condition inspection report (form RTB-27 or equivalent) and gives the tenant a copy within 7 days. The RTB says a landlord who skips those steps loses the right to claim against the deposits. Use the Province's tenancy agreement form, RTB-1, and give the tenant a copy within 21 days. Both are covered on our long-term rental management page.
What should you keep on file, and for how long?
Keep every application for at least one year after you decide, including the ones you declined. PIPA requires an organization to keep personal information it used to make a decision about a person for at least a year so that the person can ask to see it, and the OIPC's investigation found that landlords who shred unsuccessful applications straight away are not complying. After the year, securely destroy what you no longer need for a legal or business purpose.
- Keep: the application and signed consents, your reference call notes, the income document, the credit report, and your short note on why you chose or declined.
- Do not keep: a copy of anyone's photo ID, or a Social Insurance Number you did not need.
- Store it safely: the OIPC's examples are a locked cabinet in a locked room, or an encrypted computer or secure server. Encrypt anything on a phone or USB stick.
- Expect requests: an applicant can ask for the personal information you hold about them, and with some exceptions you must provide it.
Tenant screening checklist
Tenant screening checklist
BC residential tenancies · apply every line to every applicant
Before you list
- Rent, deposit, term, move-in date, inclusions, pet and smoking rules written into the listing
- Strata bylaws and rules read for rental, pet, move-in and age restrictions
- Application form states the purpose of collection and asks for specific consent to reference, employment and credit checks
- No questions on the form about marital status, children's ages, birthplace, religion, disability or source of income
- SIN field removed or marked optional
Pre-screen and showing
- Same short questions asked of every inquiry: move date, pets, references and proof of income available
- Showing in person, every adult applicant invited
- No application fee or holding fee charged
Verify
- Current and previous landlord called; ownership or management of that address confirmed
- One proof of income document reviewed; employment confirmed with the employer
- All lawful income counted; rent-to-income guide applied the same way to everyone
- Applicant told if court records or Residential Tenancy Branch decisions will be searched
- Credit report run with written consent, on shortlisted applicants only
- Government photo ID viewed and matched to the application, not copied
Decide and sign
- Decision and the reason for it written down for each applicant
- RTB-1 tenancy agreement signed; tenant's copy delivered within 21 days
- Security deposit no more than half a month's rent; pet damage deposit no more than half a month's rent
- Move-in condition inspection report completed with the tenant; copy delivered within 7 days
- Strata Form K signed by the tenant and delivered to the strata corporation
Afterwards
- All applications, successful or not, stored securely for at least one year
- Files securely destroyed once no longer needed
Vancouver specifics, cost and timing
- Most Vancouver rentals we see are strata condos. The strata's bylaws bind your tenant. Give the tenant the current bylaws and rules, and deliver a signed Form K (Notice of Tenant's Responsibilities) to the strata corporation within two weeks of renting. Read the pet, move-in and age bylaws before you list, because they change who can apply.
- What screening costs. Because application fees are not allowed, the owner pays for the credit report and spends the time on calls and showings. If you hand it off, David's tenant placement fee is half of the first month's rent: $1,750 on a home renting at $3,500. See tenant placement in Vancouver.
- How long it takes. It depends on price, season and condition, so we do not quote a number of days for finding the tenant. Once a complete application is in, most of the verification time is spent waiting for previous landlords and employers to call back, so ask applicants to warn their references.
- Placement or management. Screening is one part of placement. Whether you then run the tenancy yourself is a separate choice, set out in tenant placement vs full management. To set the rent before you list, use the rental income calculator, or contact us.
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Rental properties handled across Metro Vancouver
Owner questions
Want a second opinion on an application?
Tell us the address, the rent and what is worrying you about the file, without sending the applicant's personal documents. We will tell you what we would check next, or take the placement on for you.
David Siccia Properties handles leasing and management. Property sales are executed by Lawrence Siccia, REALTOR®, Engel & Völkers Vancouver.
Related
General information, not legal advice
This guide summarizes BC's Personal Information Protection Act as explained in guidance from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC, the tenancy protections in the BC Human Rights Code as described by the BC Human Rights Tribunal, and the Residential Tenancy Act as described on the Province's Residential Tenancy Branch pages, as we understand them in September 2026. OIPC guidance is not a ruling, exceptions exist, and the rules change. The 30% income figure is a common rule of thumb, not a legal test. Confirm your situation with a lawyer before you rely on anything here.