Personal Use Eviction BC: RTB-32L Three-Month Notice for Landlords

The Web Portal Is Mandatory — Paper Forms Are Invalid

Since June 18, 2025, every landlord personal use notice (Form RTB-32L) must be generated through the Landlord Use Web Portal. You log in with a Basic BCeID, enter the required information, and the portal produces the notice with a unique Notice ID in the top left corner.

If you fill out a paper PDF form instead, the notice is legally void. An RTB arbitrator will dismiss it, and you'll need to restart the entire three-month process from scratch. This is the single most common mistake landlords make with personal use notices — one that routinely surfaces in BC legal forums and RTB decisions.

Who Qualifies as "Close Family"

Under the RTA, only specific family members qualify for a personal use eviction:

• The landlord themselves
• The landlord's spouse
• A child of the landlord or their spouse
• A parent of the landlord or their spouse

That's it. Siblings, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, in-laws beyond the parent level, and corporate officers do not qualify. If the intended occupant doesn't fall within this list, you cannot use the personal use ground.

The Five-Unit Rule

You cannot serve a personal-use notice if the building has five or more rental units and is not strata-titled, or if it is strata-titled and has five or more rental units owned by the same owner.

If you own a single strata condo in a 50-unit building with other owners, you can still serve an RTB-32L for that unit. The restriction applies to a strata building with five or more rental units owned by the same owner.

Three-Month Notice Period and Timing

The notice period is three months, calculated from the date of deemed receipt (not the date you generate the notice). The effective move-out date must align with the rental payment cycle — typically the last day of a calendar month.

Example: You generate the notice on the portal and hand-deliver it on January 5. Deemed receipt is January 5 (same day for personal delivery). The three-month period covers February, March, and April. The effective move-out date is April 30 at 1:00 PM.

If you serve by registered mail instead, deemed receipt is five days after mailing — which could push the effective date into the next month.

The tenant has 21 days from deemed receipt to file for dispute resolution. If they dispute, the notice is suspended until the RTB hears the case in a participatory hearing.

Mandatory Compensation: One Month's Rent

You must pay the tenant compensation equal to one month's rent on or before the effective date of the notice. The tenant can choose to withhold their last month's rent instead of receiving a separate payment — that's their statutory right, not something you can override.

Don't wait until the last day. If you miss the compensation deadline, the notice may be challenged as defective.

The 12-Month Use Requirement

For notices given on or after April 3, 2024, after the tenant vacates, you or your family member must use the unit for the stated purpose for at least 12 months, beginning within a reasonable period after the effective date. The RTB often considers 15 days a reasonable period to begin. For notices given before April 3, 2024, the use period is six months.

If you do not take steps to accomplish the stated purpose within a reasonable period, or the unit is not used for that purpose for the required period, section 51(2) requires additional compensation equal to 12 times the monthly rent, unless the RTB excuses payment because of extenuating circumstances.

The landlord or purchaser seeking an exemption carries the burden of proving "extenuating circumstances" prevented compliance. Policy Guideline 50 treats this as a fact-specific test and includes an employer delaying a previously approved transfer as one possible example. A purchaser deciding the unit does not suit their needs after taking possession is not likely to qualify.

Generating the Notice: What the Portal Requires

When you log into the Landlord Use Web Portal with your Basic BCeID, you'll need to provide:

• The rental property address and unit details
• Your full legal name and the name of the intended occupant
• The legal birthdate of the landlord, the intended occupant, and the close family member (if different)
• The intended occupancy start date

This information is retained by the RTB for post-eviction compliance audits. The Compliance and Enforcement Unit can investigate whether you actually followed through on your stated intention.

If you're generating the notice on the final day of a rental cycle and intend to serve it in person before the next cycle begins, access the portal before 9:00 PM and serve the notice in person that day.

Before You Serve

Personal-use evictions carry the highest risk of any landlord-initiated notice in BC. The three-month wait, mandatory compensation, 12-month use obligation, and additional section 51 compensation mean this is not a tool for removing a difficult tenant or temporarily vacating a unit.

The Ending a Tenancy in British Columbia guide covers the complete personal use workflow — from BCeID setup through portal generation, deemed service calculation, compensation payment, and the 12-month compliance period.

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