LOCAL RULES

British Columbia rental inspection report requirements

Your British Columbia rental inspection report has 12 rules to meet. ReportDraft puts every one on your checklist and checks your draft before you sign.

  • The landlord's address for service
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In British Columbia, the Residential Tenancy Act requires a condition inspection at the start and at the end of a tenancy, and the Residential Tenancy Regulation lists what the condition inspection report must contain. Here is each rule with a link to the official text, and how to turn your walkthrough notes into a report that meets it.

Last reviewed October 8, 2026 against the official sources listed below.

Rental inspectionBRITISH COLUMBIA / SAMPLE

Sample notes, 87 words

Move-in inspection
Address: 22 Cedar Court, Unit 4B, Victoria, BC
Date: 2026-09-30
Landlord: Pinecrest Property Management
Tenant: Jordan Lee and Priya Raman
...
FREE PREVIEW OF THESE NOTES
61%of your draft is ready from these notes

We sorted 13 items into 6 sections and flagged 5 to fix soon.

  • Fix soonLiving and dining areas

    Carpet has a stain near the sofa wall.

  • Fix soonKitchen

    Dishwasher not working.

  • Fix soonKitchen

    Counter chipped near the sink.

12 British Columbia rules on your checklist, including the landlord's address for service.

Still to add

  • British Columbia lawDate the tenant is entitled to possession
  • British Columbia lawLandlord's address for service
  • RecommendedNotes for entry and hallways

Filled in for you

Inspection typeMove-in
Rental unit address22 Cedar Court, Unit 4B, Victoria, BC
Inspection dateSep 30, 2026
Landlord's full legal namePinecrest Property Management
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What British Columbia requires

When an inspection is required

The landlord and tenant inspect the unit together on the day the tenant is entitled to possession, or another day they agree on, and again at the end of the tenancy, on or after the day the tenant moves out and before a new tenant moves in (sections 23 and 35 of the Act).

The landlord must offer the tenant at least 2 opportunities to do the inspection. If the first time does not work, the landlord proposes a second one using the approved notice form. Inspections happen when the unit is empty of the tenant's belongings, between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., unless both sides agree otherwise. A tenant can send an agent, after telling the landlord in advance.

What the report must contain

Section 20 of the Regulation lists the standard information: the full legal names of the landlord, the tenant and any agent for the tenant; the address of the unit; the date the tenant is entitled to possession; the landlord's address for service; and the date of the inspection.

The report states the condition of each room, including the entry, living and dining areas, kitchen, stairs, halls, bathrooms, bedrooms, storage, basement or crawl space, other rooms, the exterior with any balcony, patio and yard, and the garage or parking area, as they apply. It also covers the floor and window coverings, appliances, furniture, fixtures, electrical outlets and connections provided for the tenant, and it identifies any damage or items needing maintenance or repair.

It ends with space for the tenant to agree or disagree with any item and add comments, the tenant's statement in the words the Regulation sets out, and signature spaces for both the landlord and the tenant. The report must be in writing, in type no smaller than 8 point, and easy to read.

The Residential Tenancy Branch offers its own Condition Inspection Report, form RTB-27, but landlords can use their own form as long as it contains everything above.

Move-out reports

At move-out the report must also set out, separately from everything else, the damage the tenant is responsible for. If the landlord and tenant agree on a deduction from the security deposit or pet damage deposit, the report records the amount, with the tenant's signature agreeing to it and the date they signed.

When the tenant leaves, they must leave the unit reasonably clean and undamaged except for reasonable wear and tear, and return all keys and other means of access.

Signing and sharing the report

Both the landlord and the tenant sign the report. The landlord then gives the tenant a copy: within 7 days after a move-in inspection, and within 15 days after the later of the move-out inspection and the day the landlord receives the tenant's forwarding address in writing.

If the tenant takes part in neither of the 2 offered opportunities, the landlord makes the inspection and completes and signs the report without them.

Why it matters at the end of the tenancy

In a dispute, a report completed under these rules is evidence of the unit's condition on the inspection date, unless the landlord or tenant has a preponderance of evidence to the contrary.

The inspection also decides who keeps a claim on the deposits. A tenant who takes part in neither offered inspection loses the right to get the deposits back. A landlord who does not offer the 2 opportunities, or does not complete the report and give the tenant a copy, loses the right to claim against the deposits for damage.

From walkthrough notes to a finished BC report

Walk the unit room by room and note each one, including the rooms in good shape and anything that is not there. ReportDraft turns those notes into a room-by-room report with each item marked, writes up the damage and repairs, and adds the tenant's comment space, the tenant's statement and signature lines for both of you at the end. Move-out reports also get the separate list of damage the tenant is responsible for and the deposit deduction lines.

The completeness list flags a missing legal name, address for service, possession date or unmarked item before you sign. Every PDF uses type no smaller than 8 point. Sign the report in ReportDraft, then have the tenant sign the printed copy or the PDF.

Common mistakes

  • Skipping the move-in inspection. Without it, the landlord loses the right to claim against the deposits for damage.
  • Offering only one time to inspect. The tenant must get 2 opportunities, the second with a notice in the approved form.
  • Leaving out the landlord's address for service or the date the tenant is entitled to possession.
  • Mixing tenant-caused damage into the general notes at move-out instead of itemizing it separately.
  • Giving the tenant their copy late: 7 days after a move-in inspection, 15 days after a move-out inspection, counted from the later of the inspection and receiving the forwarding address in writing.

Sources

Last reviewed October 8, 2026. Next review due January 8, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs.