B.C. landlord and tenant relationship deteriorates over bedroom lock
A bedroom lock caused a rift between a tenant and landlord, according to a BC Civil Resolution Tribunal dispute.
The applicant in the case, the renter, was asking the tribunal to order the landlord to pay damages of $1,162.50 for a damage deposit refund, along with the first month’s rent.
In defence, the landlord said the tenant wasn’t entitled to a refund for rent, adding that she had already refunded the deposit.
In February 2024, the renter responded to an ad for the room for rent. It was in a basement with two other rooms that had been rented out, and the landlord lived upstairs. The renters would all share the upstairs kitchen with the landlord.
On Feb. 26, 2024, the tenant viewed the rental, and the landlord agreed to rent the room to the applicant after checking references. She requested a damage deposit, and the tenant transferred over $387.50 for the deposit along with $775 in rent.
Neither party submitted an advertisement nor a written rental agreement as evidence.
On March 1, 2024, the tenant travelled to the home to move in. Upon arrival, he realized the bedroom door had no lock. While the tenant probably should’ve checked out all those little details before he moved in, he asked the landlord if she could put a lock on his door.
Texts that were submitted as evidence suggest that the landlord said she’d think about it.
The tribunal points out that the landlord didn’t say no. In response, the tenant said he would not stay in the room without a lock and requested a refund. After that, she relented and agreed to put a lock on the door. The tenant then said he would only stay for a month and then move out, and the landlord replied that she would not buy a lock for just one month’s use.
On March 2, 2024, the tenant texted the landlord to terminate the rental, asking for a refund of his damage deposit and the March rent. The next day, the landlord told the tenant he wasn’t entitled to a rent refund but agreed to return the deposit when he returned the house key. On March 4, 2024, the tenant texted that the house key was in the mailbox and again asked for a full refund. She replied that she would refund the deposit.
The landlord told the tribunal that she had been renting rooms in her house for 12 years before this incident, and no one in that time ever asked for a lock. The tribunal found that the landlord did not breach an agreement by failing to provide a lock and that the tenant was not entitled to a rent refund for March.
While there is evidence that the landlord sent an e-transfer for the deposit to an unknown cell number, the tenant had specifically requested it to be sent to his email, adding that he didn’t receive it. For that reason, the tribunal awarded the tenant $450, which included the deposit and tribunal fees.
This tribunal case is a reminder that if you expect a lock on your bedroom door, or any other feature in your rental, it might be the best bet to check that out before you agree to move in.