The official maximum rental increase may be 3.7%, but increasingly landlords are using one year lease agreements whereby at the end of the lease the new rent can be increased by whatever amount the landlord desires.

In a balanced rental market prospective tenants could simply refuse and take their business elsewhere, but the metro Vancouver vacancy rate ranges well under one percent. And no sign of this changing anytime soon. Estimates from one UBC study tracking rents indicate the increase for last year is more along the lines of 20%, a far cry from 3.7%.

The Province stated last year that they were going to look at this practice, but renters are still waiting. Perhaps before the election renters will get a pre-vote party favour?