Rentals & TenanciesJuly 9, 2026 · 7 min read

Renting Out Your Strata Unit After Bill 44 in BC

Since Bill 44, BC stratas can't ban or cap long-term rentals. Here's how to legally rent out your strata lot: your duties to the strata, the RTA, and the Airbnb exception.

Since Bill 44 took effect on November 24, 2022, BC strata corporations can no longer enforce bylaws that ban rentals or cap how many lots are rented — so in almost every case you can now rent out your strata lot, even if the bylaws still say you can't. The main exceptions are short-term (Airbnb-style) rentals and your ongoing duties to the strata and to your tenant.

What Bill 44 actually changed

The Building and Strata Statutes Amendment Act, 2022 — better known as Bill 44 — came into force on November 24, 2022. Overnight, it made two kinds of strata bylaw unenforceable across BC:

Rental bans — a bylaw prohibiting owners from renting out their strata lots.
Rental caps — a bylaw limiting the number or percentage of lots that can be rented at once (the old "waitlist" bylaws).

The Province's goal was to free up housing supply. The practical effect for owners is simple: if your only obstacle to renting was a rental-restriction bylaw, that obstacle is gone. You don't need the strata's permission, and the strata can't put you on a waitlist.

Bill 44 also removed most age-restriction bylaws, with one carve-out: buildings can still keep a 55+ age minimum (with an exemption for a live-in caregiver and for residents who already lived there before the bylaw). That matters if you plan to rent to a household with children in a 55+ building — the age rule can still apply to the occupants.

Old bylaws may still be on the books — and that's fine

Here's a wrinkle that trips owners up: many stratas still have a rental-restriction bylaw sitting in their registered bylaws. Bill 44 didn't require anyone to delete them; it just made them unenforceable. So you may read your bylaws, see "no rentals," and worry for nothing.

An unenforceable bylaw has no teeth. A tidy council will repeal it by 3/4 vote at an AGM, but until they do, it simply can't be applied to you. If a council or manager tries to enforce a rental ban or cap, they're on the wrong side of the law.

The big exception: short-term rentals

Bill 44 did not touch a strata's power to restrict short-term rentals. A strata can still pass a bylaw that bans or limits rentals under a set period (commonly 30 days), and those bylaws are fully enforceable — with fines up to $1,000 per day.

On top of that, BC's Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act (in force May 1, 2024) added a province-wide layer. In many communities, short-term rentals (under 90 consecutive days) are limited to the host's principal residence, and every host must register for a provincial registration number and display it on their listing. If you're eyeing Airbnb, read our guide on whether your strata can stop Airbnb first — the rules stack, and the strictest one wins. For ordinary long-term tenancies (the focus of the rest of this guide), none of that applies.

Your obligations to the strata when you rent

You can rent freely, but you're not off the hook with the strata. As the landlord-owner, you must:

Give your tenant a current copy of the bylaws and rules before move-in.
Give your tenant a signed Form K (Notice of Tenant's Responsibilities) under section 146 of the Strata Property Act, and give the strata a copy of the signed Form K within two weeks of renting.
Stay responsible for the lot — you still owe the strata fees, you're still on the hook for special levies, and you remain the strata's point of contact.

A few things the strata can still do: fine your tenant (or you) for bylaw breaches, and — if a bylaw allows it — charge a move-in/move-out fee of up to $200 per move. A few things it can't do: screen or approve your tenant, demand a rental deposit, or charge you a fee simply for choosing to rent.

The money side: fees, tax, and insurance

Strata fees stay yours. The owner always owes strata fees, not the tenant — even if your lease says otherwise. We break this down, including the tax angle, in who pays strata fees when you rent.
The building policy isn't your tenant's insurance. Strata insurance covers common property and original fixtures, not your tenant's belongings or a deductible charged back to your lot. Require tenant's (renter's) insurance, and confirm your own landlord/loss-assessment coverage — see water damage and the strata deductible.
Rental income is taxable. Report it, and keep receipts for deductible expenses.

Your obligations under the Residential Tenancy Act

Renting a strata lot is still a residential tenancy, so the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) governs your relationship with the tenant:

Use a written tenancy agreement with the RTB standard terms.
Collect no more than a half-month security deposit (plus up to a half-month pet deposit).
Do a condition inspection at move-in and move-out.
Increase rent only once every 12 months, on Form RTB-7, with three months' notice, and only up to the annual cap — 2.3% for 2026.
End a tenancy only on a ground the RTA allows — you can't evict "just because." See grounds to evict a tenant in BC.

A quick landlord checklist for renting your strata lot

Before your tenant moves in:

Give the tenant a current copy of the bylaws and rules.
Have the tenant sign Form K (Notice of Tenant's Responsibilities).
Sign a written tenancy agreement and complete a move-in condition inspection.
Collect no more than a half-month security deposit.

Within two weeks of renting:

File the signed Form K with the strata.
Confirm your contact details with the strata manager or council.
Confirm your landlord/loss-assessment insurance and require tenant's insurance.

Should you self-manage or hire a manager?

Renting is legal and often straightforward — but screening, deposits, inspections, rent increases, repairs, and the RTB dispute process add up. If you'd rather not field the 11 p.m. leak call, a licensed rental manager handles it end to end. Here's what property managers charge in BC so you can weigh the trade-off.

Frequently asked questions

Can my strata still stop me from renting in 2026? No — not for a long-term tenancy. Rental bans and caps have been unenforceable since November 24, 2022. The exceptions are short-term rentals and 55+ age rules for occupants.

Do I need the strata's approval to rent? No. There's no permission and no waitlist. You do have to give your tenant the bylaws and a Form K, and file the signed Form K with the strata within two weeks.

Can the strata fine my tenant? Yes. Tenants must follow the bylaws and rules, and the strata can fine for breaches. As owner, you can ultimately be held responsible — which is why screening and a clear lease matter.

What if our bylaws still say "no rentals"? That bylaw is unenforceable and can't be applied to you. Ask council to repeal it by 3/4 vote so it stops confusing future owners.