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Landlord registry offering peace of mind to owners, renters

VANCOUVER (NEWS 11300 – Finding a good landlord is about to get a little easier in BC, thanks to a new online registry.

The Landlord Registry is a voluntary program set up by Landlords BC where property owners take an online course and exam on the Residential Tenancy Act. If they pass, landlords receive a competency certificate that is posted on the Landlords BC website where prospective renters can check for free.

“It gives (landlords) knowledge and gives them a tool that they can use in the future to refer back to if they are uncertain about certain parts of the act,” Landlords BC’s David Hutniak says.

“It’s basically a marketing tool for them, so now they’ll be able to differentiate themselves in the market because they’ll have this certificate.”

Tenants can also rest easy knowing their landlords knows their rights and the rules they must follow, according to Hutniak.

The program costs $39 for a three-year certification, so landlords need to continuously prove they know the act, even if it’s updated.

More than 30 per cent of BC uses rental housing and Hutniak estimates that number jumps to nearly 50 per cent in Vancouver. With the introduction of the Vancouver vacant housing tax, he expects the program to help with the expected increase in landlords.

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