When the RTB considers applications eligible to join
The form requires applications involving the same matters in dispute with the landlord, filed under the same relevant statutory sections, and concerning the same landlord and building, residential property or manufactured home park. Each application must already have its own fee paid or approved waiver. A common example is tenants from one apartment building filing related applications about the same common-area repair problem. The RTB decides whether combining those files would be fair, efficient and logically consistent.
Complete page one: dispute, lead applicant and respondent
- Dispute address: Give the complete property or manufactured home park address.
- Lead applicant: Enter the primary tenant's legal name, parent file number, unit or site number, date and signature.
- Other applicant: For each additional tenant, enter their legal name, individual RTB file number, unit or site number, date and signature.
- Authorization: Each participating tenant indicates whether they authorize the lead applicant or another named person to represent them in the joined matter.
- Respondent: Enter the landlord's complete name; for a landlord business, use the form's business-name instruction.
Use page two when multiple tenants are participating
The second page has additional applicant/file number entries, signatures, unit or site numbers, and representation-authority choices. Give every participant an opportunity to read what they are signing. A joint hearing request does not remove any applicant's rights or responsibilities or replace their underlying dispute application.
File RTB-19 with the application
BC directs tenants to submit the joining request with their application. Filing RTB-19 does not replace the separate RTB dispute applications or their normal filing fees, service and evidence requirements. Retain every file number and hearing notice. If the RTB does not approve the joining request, the matters may proceed separately; do not assume one applicant's materials were automatically filed in another's case.
Joining versus cross-applications and co-tenants
A landlord's and tenant's opposing disputes can be cross-applications, processed separately from a tenant-to-tenant joining request. Multiple co-tenants on the same tenancy agreement may instead file one application, adding applicants using RTB-26; this avoids unnecessary separate applications when appropriate. A landlord requesting to join their own applications uses RTB-18.
Common mistakes and deadlines
Missing individual signatures or file numbers, failing to identify a parent file, omitting each tenant's representation choice, assuming that a shared building by itself makes unrelated issues joinable, or ignoring an existing hearing date. Until the RTB confirms a change, follow every existing hearing and service deadline.