Who can use an RTB-32L notice?
Under Residential Tenancy Act section 49, the landlord must genuinely intend that the landlord or a qualifying close family member will occupy the rental unit as living accommodation. For this purpose, a close family member generally means a parent, spouse or child of the landlord, or a parent or child of that spouse. An aunt, cousin or friend does not automatically qualify. The landlord must act in good faith and intend the qualifying person to occupy the unit for at least 12 months after the tenancy ends.
Check the building and the fixed-term agreement first
A landlord generally cannot use personal-occupancy eviction for a rental unit in a building with five or more rental units if the building is not strata-titled or, if strata-titled, the relevant units are owned by the same owner under section 49(6.1). Review the actual building ownership and the legislation; do not assume that every strata unit is exempt. For a fixed-term tenancy, the effective move-out date cannot be earlier than the legally applicable end of that term.
Generate and serve the real notice
- Log in to the official Landlord Use Web Portal and enter the names, rental address, qualifying occupant, monthly rent, tenancy dates and other requested information accurately. The generated notice has a unique Notice ID.
- Check the generated notice's effective date, which must allow the required three months after legal receipt and must generally align with the rental period. Allow extra days for legally deemed receipt where applicable.
- Give the tenant the complete portal-generated notice using a legally permitted service method and keep proof. An old RTB-32 paper form, an edited sample, or an independently created PDF is not a valid replacement.
- If generating the notice on the last day of a rental cycle for personal delivery that day, heed the RTB's 9 p.m. portal-generation cutoff as described in its current guidance.
Tenant's 21-day dispute deadline
The tenant must apply to the RTB within 21 days after receiving or being deemed to receive a current three-month RTB-32L notice. This is a much shorter deadline than the three-month move-out period. In a dispute the landlord must demonstrate the statutory eligibility, genuine intent and valid notice and service. An RTB order of possession, if granted, must be enforced through the lawful process; the notice alone does not authorize changing locks.
One month's rent and early move-out rights
Under sections 50 and 51, a tenant with a qualifying notice is generally entitled to one month's rent in compensation by the effective date; a tenant may instead withhold the equivalent of one month's rent as permitted by law. A tenant in a periodic tenancy can generally give at least 10 days' written notice to end earlier and receive any applicable prepaid rent refund without losing this compensation. For fixed-term tenancies, additional restrictions may apply to the early termination date.
What if the stated person does not occupy for 12 months?
If the landlord fails to take steps to achieve the stated purpose within a reasonable time, or the rental unit is not used for that purpose for at least 12 months, the tenant may be entitled to an additional 12 months' rent under section 51, subject to the RTB's assessment and any legally recognized extenuating circumstances. Keep the Notice ID, rental documents and information supporting a possible compensation claim.
Dates, older notices and common mistakes
The current three-month / 21-day periods apply to landlord-use notices received on or after June 18, 2025. Older notices have different transition rules; do not apply today's deadlines retroactively. Common mistakes include relying on a blank PDF instead of a portal notice, omitting the Notice ID, selecting an ineligible building or occupant, giving the wrong move-out date, and counting the 21-day dispute deadline from the date sent rather than legally received.