Can a BC landlord increase rent above the annual cap?

Direct answer

Generally no. For 2026 the maximum allowable rent increase in British Columbia is 2.3%, set by the Residential Tenancy Branch under the Residential Tenancy Act and fixed for the whole calendar year. A landlord may raise the rent only ONCE in any 12-month period, and must give three full months' written notice on Residential Tenancy Branch form RTB-7. Three narrow exceptions allow above-cap increases: (1) Application for Additional Rent Increase — a landlord may apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch for a hearing arguing the cap is insufficient to recover unusually high cost increases (e.g., a >50% property-tax jump, a major capital improvement); approval is rare and requires substantial documentation. (2) Vacancy resets — when a tenancy ENDS and a new tenant moves in, the landlord can re-list at any market rent. The cap applies only to the existing tenancy. (3) Tenancies outside the Residential Tenancy Act — commercial premises, hotels, transient accommodation, and certain supportive-housing categories — are not covered by the cap. Most above-cap increases a tenant encounters are simply not permitted: they can be disputed through the Residential Tenancy Branch, and an increase that breaches the cap or the notice rules is unenforceable. Bill 14 (2024) tightened the related "personal use" eviction rules, making it harder for landlords to convert below-market tenancies through eviction.