Legal Resources

Find websites and materials written in plain language.

Logo with six rectangles and a circle in six bright colours to represent people, and "People's Law School."

Buying or Selling a Home

People’s Law School
This resource helps potential buyers and sellers understand the steps to real estate transactions including understanding paperwork and contracts.
Last reviewed July 2025
Logo is the wordmark “BCFSA” in dark blue and green, above the organization name in dark blue.

Your Real Estate Buying Journey

BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA)
This guide will walk you through the buying process and provide you with resources you can use to help you make an informed decision that is best for you. The guide follows the progression of a real estate transaction beginning with helping you determine if you are ready to purchase and ending with information on making an offer.
Last reviewed July 2025
Logo with six rectangles and a circle in six bright colours to represent people, and "People's Law School."

Discrimination in Housing

People’s Law School
Explains how to identify discrimination in housing and what steps to take if you’re discriminated against. Whether you’re renting, living in a strata, or buying a home, you can’t be treated badly or unfairly because of certain parts of your identity, such as race, sex, or any disability.
Last reviewed July 2025
Organization logo of "TRAC" with the "A" shaped like a house.

Your Tenancy: Locks and Keys

Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre (TRAC)
This resource explains the rules landlords must follow about locks and keys. It includes what you need to know when starting a tenancy, during a tenancy, and when ending a tenancy. It includes information on dispute resolution, with previous Residential Tenancy Board decisions.
Last reviewed July 2025
Organization logo of "TRAC" with the "A" shaped like a house.

Your Tenancy: Template Letters

Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre (TRAC)
If you’re experiencing a problem in your tenancy, you should consider putting your concerns in writing to your landlord. TRAC offers the following template letters: Request for Repairs, Request for Return of Deposit, Response to Illegal Eviction Notice, Loss of Quiet Enjoyment, Bed Bugs, and more.
Last reviewed July 2025
Organization logo of "TRAC" with the "A" shaped like a house.

Your Tenancy: Roommates

Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre (TRAC)
Discusses different types of roommate arrangements: co-tenants, tenants in common, and occupants/roommates. The page emphasizes the importance of having a roommate agreement to prevent disputes and outlines the legal avenues for resolving conflicts. It also includes a template for a roommate agreement.
Last reviewed July 2025
Organization logo of "TRAC" with the "A" shaped like a house.

Your Tenancy: Roommate Agreement Template

Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre (TRAC)
An agreement template to get you and your roommate or roommates to think about what rules you want to agree to before living together. It can be used when some or all of the roommates will be on the tenancy agreement, or when you’re already living in a rental unit and a roommate will be moving in.
Last reviewed July 2025
Organization logo of "TRAC" with the "A" shaped like a house.

Your Tenancy: Repairs and Maintenance

Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre (TRAC)
This resource includes a list of repair and maintenance issues that landlords are generally responsible for, what to do when you need an emergency repair, and what is considered reasonable wear and tear versus damage that the tenant must fix.
Last reviewed July 2025
Organization logo of "TRAC" with the "A" shaped like a house.

Your Tenancy: Quiet Enjoyment

Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre (TRAC)
As a tenant, you have the right to reasonable privacy, and freedom from unreasonable disturbances from both neighbours and landlords. Learn about the rules for when the landlord can enter your unit, and what you can do about excessive noise and other breaches of quiet enjoyment.
Last reviewed July 2025
Organization logo of "TRAC" with the "A" shaped like a house.

Your Tenancy: Moving Out

Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre (TRAC)
Discusses your responsibilities when moving out. This resource gives tips on giving notice, your cleaning responsibilities, inspection reports, and getting your damage deposit back.
Last reviewed July 2025