The prospect of being forced from your home is an uncomfortable one, to say the least. While facing an eviction can be overwhelming, there are immediate steps you can take to help gain back your sense of control.
- Re-read the Eviction Notice
Make sure what you’re dealing with is a legitimate eviction notice. Landlords are required to provide tenants with a Notice to End Tenancy. This needs to be served in hard copy and must be filled out exactly. If this isn’t what you’ve been given, then it might not be a valid eviction notice. For help in determining the legitimacy of your notice, contact a DDM lawyer here.
- Decide If You Disagree
Does the Notice to End Tenancy say that you’ve been a noisy tenant, but you don’t even own a set of speakers? If so—or if you have any other reason to challenge your landlord’s eviction decision—you may submit an Application for Dispute Resolution.
The deadline for submitting the application depends on the type of notice you’ve been served, ranging from 5 to 15 days after you’ve received it. A lawyer will help you fill out the Application for Dispute Resolution as quickly and effectively as possible, and take you through the steps that follow, from collecting evidence to attending a hearing.
- Get Familiar with Your Tenant Rights
If the eviction isn’t about what you’ve done, but what your landlord is planning to do—that is, if you’re facing the dreaded Vancouver “renoviction,” for example—make sure your tenant rights aren’t being violated. From the amount of notice needed, to the requirement for monetary compensation, to the “right of first refusal” back into the new building, a lawyer can help you navigate tenancy law and make sure your legal rights are protected.