How to fill in BC Form RTB-7 (Notice of Rent Increase)

A field-by-field walk through British Columbia's Form RTB-7, using only the words printed on the form itself: its form directions, its field labels and its "Important Information for Landlords and Tenants" section. The source is the official RTB-7 (PDF), version #RTB-7 (2024/08), linked from the gov.bc.ca Rent increases page. This page is not the form. Download it from gov.bc.ca and fill in the official form. Last verified: 2026-11-09.

To get your own figures for the rent fields, use the BC rent increase calculator. After you press Calculate, follow its "Fill in Form RTB-7 with these figures" link and your numbers will show here, with the dates already in the form's DD/MM/YYYY style.

1. What the form is for

The form says: "This form is used by the landlord to notify a tenant of a rent increase. The landlord must give the tenant at least three months' notice. See page 2 for further information."

Page 2 adds: "The landlord must use this form, Notice of Rent Increase, and must serve according to the RTA." It also says: "It is an offence for a landlord or a landlord’s agent to collect a rent increase in any other way other than in accordance with Part 3 of the RTA."

2. Before you start (the form directions)

"If completing sections by hand, please print clearly, using dark ink."
"It’s important to note that you cannot save the completed form to your computer, therefore, after you complete the form, make sure you review the form for accuracy and print the number of copies you require before you leave the document or shut down the program/computer."

So have every figure ready before you open the form. The box above shows them if you came from the calculator.

3. The form, field by field

Field on the RTB-7 (its own label)	What goes in it	From the calculator
"To the Tenant(s):"	The tenant names (first and middle name, last name; there is room for two), then the "Mailing Address:" with phone numbers. There is a separate "Rental Address:" block, to fill in if it differs from the mailing address.	Nothing
"From the Landlord: (if applicable enter full legal business name in last name)"	Your name or your business's full legal name, your address and phone numbers.	Nothing
"Date of Last Rent Increase:"	The form says "(landlord must complete either option a or b)": a) "Date last rent increase came into effect:" or b) "If this is your first rent increase enter the date rent was established:" Both in DD/MM/YYYY.	The date you entered as the last increase (or when rent was set)
"The current rent is:"	A dollar amount, then tick weekly, monthly or other.	Your current rent (monthly)
"The rent increase is:"	A dollar amount, then tick weekly, monthly or other.	The maximum increase at the limit (monthly)
"Your new rent will be:"	The new dollar amount.	Current rent plus the increase
"Payable starting on:"	The date the new rent starts, DD/MM/YYYY.	The effective date you entered
"Landlord Signature:"	The form's statement reads: "I, certify that the information provided on this form is true and accurate." Then the date (DD/MM/YYYY), your printed full name, and the "signature of landlord or business".	Nothing

The calculator gives the most you can charge at the year's limit. You can ask for less. On page 2 the form says: "A landlord may only impose a rent increase up to the amount calculated in accordance with the regulations or as ordered by an arbitrator. If a tenant believes that the rent increase is more than allowed by the regulations, the tenant may contact the Residential Tenancy Branch for assistance."

4. Timing (from page 2 of the form)

"Once a year, the landlord may increase the rent for the existing tenant. The landlord may only increase the rent 12 months after the date that the existing rent was established with the tenant(s) or 12 months after the date of the last legal rent increase for the tenant(s), even if there is a new landlord or a new tenant by way of an assignment."
"A landlord must give a tenant at least 3 whole months' notice, in writing, of a rent increase." The form's example: "For example, if the rent is due on the first day of the month and the tenant is given notice any time in January, even January 1st, there must be 3 whole months before the rent increase begins. In this example, the months are February, March, and April, so the rent increase would begin on May 1st."
"A Notice sent by mail (which is one method of service) is deemed to be received on the 5th day after it was mailed." The form's example: "For example, a rent increase given personally to a tenant on or before January 31st, could be effective May 1st; a rent increase given by registered mail should be mailed on or before January 26th for the increase to be effective on May 1st."

The date by which the calculator says the tenant should receive the notice matches the form's hand-delivery example (May 1 needs notice by January 31). It does not take off the 5 days for mail. If you came from the calculator, the box above shows the date 5 days earlier, following the form's own registered-mail example. The form does not list the other ways of serving a notice. For those, see the gov.bc.ca rent increases page and the Residential Tenancy Branch.

5. Disputes and where to read more

"A tenant may not apply for dispute resolution to dispute a rent increase that complies with Part 3 of the RTA."
"For further information on rent increases, see Part 3 of the RTA and Part 4 of the Residential Tenancy Regulation."

The form lists the Residential Tenancy Branch's contact details on page 2. This page cannot tell you whether your tenancy is covered by the Residential Tenancy Act, or whether your notice is valid. For that, follow the Branch and the official form. It is not legal advice.

Official links

Related workbook

To record rent received and expenses for each property over the year, see the Rental Property Income & Expense Tracker, a paid spreadsheet by Kyle Falk. The Small Landlord Records Bundle includes it with three other landlord record sheets. This page stays free either way.