Moving Out When Renting

Do give your landlord in writing a forwarding address where your security deposit can be sent. Don’t move without giving at least one full month’s written notice if you have a month-to-month tenancy agreement.

Giving notice

The landlord must receive your notice no later than the day before your rent is due. For example, if you pay your rent on the first of the month and you are moving on May 31, your notice must be received on or before April 30. Your notice must be in writing. Include your name and address, and the date you are moving out. Sign and date your letter. Keep a copy for yourself.

Taking back your notice

If you have given written notice that you are moving, and the landlord learns that you will not move on the day that you said you would, the landlord can apply for an order to take possession of the place on the day you were supposed to move. In other words, you can’t give notice that you are moving and then change your mind unless the landlord agrees in writing to let you stay.

Short notice

If you don’t give your landlord one full month’s notice in writing, and your landlord can’t find a new tenant right away, you could lose money. Your landlord could keep your security deposit or even try to make you pay the next month’s rent. If you are breaking a lease, you could be responsible for rent until the landlord re-rents the place or the lease ends.

Serving notice

The landlord can be the owner or the manager of your building, or even another tenant renting to you. There are different ways to serve the notice to your landlord that you are moving:

1. In person Give the notice to the landlord at home or at the place where he or she carries on business as a landlord. You can also give the notice to an adult who lives with the landlord, or you can give the notice to the landlord’s agent. Bring a witness who has read the notice with you. Write down on your copy of the notice the time, date and place where you delivered it, and get your witness to sign it. Do not give the notice to a child. Make sure you have a witness. The law says the notice is received the same day if you deliver it in person.

The testing of the claims in a court proceeding at a formal hearing before a judge with the jurisdiction to hear the proceeding. The parties present their evidence and arguments to the judge, who then makes a decision resolving the parties' claims against one another that is final and binding on the parties unless successfully appealed. See "action," "appeal," "argument," "claim," "evidence" and "jurisdiction."

In law, the re-examination of a term of an order or agreement, usually to determine whether the term remains fair and appropriate in light of the circumstances prevailing at the time of the review. In family law, particularly the review of an order or agreement provided for the payment of spousal support. See "de novo," "family law agreements," "order" and "spousal support."

A mandatory direction of the court that is binding and enforceable upon the parties to a court proceeding. An "interim order" is a temporary order made following the hearing of an interim application. A "final order" is a permanent order, made following the trial of the court proceeding or the parties' settlement, following which the only recourse open to a dissatisfied party is to appeal. Failing to abide by the terms of an order may constitute contempt of court. See "appeal," "consent order," "contempt of court," "decision" and "declaration."

In law, the right to have the control and use of a thing. One can have a right to the possession of a thing without owning it, as in the case of a car lease, or ownership without possession, as in the case of a landlord who rents an apartment suite. See "ownership."

An agreement that requires payment for the use of property, under which the owner of property, like a car or an apartment, gives up the right to occupy and use that property in exchange for a sum of money. A "lessor" is the person who retains ownership of the property and receives money for its use. A "lessee" is the person who purchases the right of possession and use of the property.

In law, someone acting on behalf of someone else, with that person's express permission and normally at their express direction.

A person with direct, personal knowledge of facts and events relevant to the issues before the court; a person giving oral evidence in court on oath or affirmation as to the truth of the evidence given. See "affirm," "evidence," "oath" and "opinion evidence."

A person who is younger than the legal age of majority, 19 in British Columbia. See "age of majority."