One Month Notice to End Tenancy in BC (RTB-33): How It Works

This article is general information, not legal advice. Use the current official form from BC's Residential Tenancy Branch, and confirm the rules for your situation with the Branch or a qualified legal professional.

In British Columbia, when a landlord wants to end a tenancy for cause — because of something the tenant has done or failed to do — the form is the One Month Notice to End Tenancy, Form RTB-33. It is the BC counterpart to Ontario's fault-based N-notices, and like them it is a first step, not an automatic eviction: the tenant has a short, strict window to dispute it. Here is how it works.

What the RTB-33 is

The RTB-33 is the official Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) form a landlord uses to end a tenancy on one month's notice for cause (or, in some cases, for the end of employment that came with the unit). Its full official title is the "One Month Notice to End Tenancy For Cause or End of Employment." It is governed by BC's Residential Tenancy Act, administered by the Residential Tenancy Branch.

Who serves it, and against whom

The landlord serves the RTB-33 on the tenant. The landlord must have a valid cause under the Residential Tenancy Act — the form lists the permitted grounds, and the landlord must select and be able to support the specific one that applies.

The grounds

The RTB-33 sets out a defined list of "for cause" reasons. The list below covers the most common ones, but it is not exhaustive — the form itself enumerates the full set, and the landlord must identify the specific ground that fits:

• The tenant or their guest significantly interferes with or unreasonably disturbs another occupant or the landlord.
• The tenant has seriously jeopardized the health, safety, or lawful right of another occupant or the landlord.
• The tenant causes extraordinary damage to the unit or property.
• The tenant does not repair damage they are responsible for within a reasonable time.
• The tenant breaches a material term of the tenancy agreement and does not correct it after written notice.
• The tenant is repeatedly late paying rent.
• The tenant or their guest has engaged in illegal activity that has, or is likely to, damage the property or disturb or jeopardize others.
• There are too many occupants in the unit, or the tenant has assigned or sublet without the landlord's consent.

The RTB-33 also handles end-of-employment terminations, where the rental unit was provided as part of the tenant's job — for example, when employment ends or the landlord needs the unit for a new caretaker, manager, or superintendent. Other grounds set out in the Residential Tenancy Act, such as terminations required by a government order, may apply too. Whatever the ground, it must be one the Act allows and the landlord can support.

The effective date — one full month

A One Month Notice must give the tenant a full rental month. The effective date of the notice — the date the tenancy ends — must be the day before the day in the month that rent is due, and not earlier than one month after the tenant receives the notice. In practice, if rent is due on the first, the effective date is the last day of a month, at least a full month out. If the landlord writes in a date that is too early, the law corrects it to the earliest date that is valid rather than voiding the notice.

The tenant's 10-day window to dispute

This is the defining feature of the RTB-33, and the deadline is strict. A tenant who disagrees with the notice has 10 days from receiving it to dispute it by filing an Application for Dispute Resolution with the Residential Tenancy Branch.

• If the tenant disputes within 10 days, the notice does not take automatic effect — the matter goes to a dispute resolution hearing, where the landlord must prove the cause.
• If the tenant does not dispute within 10 days, they are presumed to accept that the tenancy is ending and must move out by the effective date.

That 10-day clock is why both sides need to act promptly: for the tenant, it is the only window to challenge the notice; for the landlord, it is what makes an undisputed notice enforceable.

What happens next

If the tenant does not dispute and does not move out by the effective date, the landlord can apply to the RTB for an Order of Possession. A landlord cannot change the locks or remove a tenant on their own — enforcement of an order of possession in BC runs through the Supreme Court and a court bailiff, not self-help. For the body behind all of this, see what the RTB is.

Using the form well

• Use the current official RTB-33 from the Residential Tenancy Branch, not a third-party copy.
• Select the correct ground and be ready to prove it — a vague or unsupported cause is unlikely to survive a dispute hearing.
• Calculate the effective date correctly — a full rental month, ending the day before rent is due.
• Keep proof of how and when you served it, and keep dated records supporting the cause. Lease management and rent tracking in Habyn keep them in one place.

Where to get the official RTB-33 form

The RTB-33 is published free by BC's Residential Tenancy Branch: the official RTB-33 form (PDF). Always use the current official version. Habyn does not host or reproduce RTB forms.

Frequently asked questions

What is a One Month Notice to End Tenancy in BC?

It is Form RTB-33, the notice a landlord serves to end a tenancy on one month's notice for cause (or end of employment) under BC's Residential Tenancy Act.

How long does a tenant have to dispute an RTB-33?

10 days from receiving the notice. The tenant disputes by filing an Application for Dispute Resolution with the Residential Tenancy Branch within that window.

When does a One Month Notice take effect?

On an effective date that is the day before rent is due in the month and at least one full month after the tenant receives the notice. If the landlord writes an invalid date, it is corrected to the earliest valid date.

What happens if the tenant doesn't dispute the notice?

They are presumed to accept that the tenancy is ending and must move out by the effective date. If they stay, the landlord can apply to the RTB for an Order of Possession.

Where do I get the official RTB-33 form?

From BC's Residential Tenancy Branch, which publishes it for free. Always use the current official version rather than a third-party copy.