When is RTB-9 required?
It is used for eligible expedited RTB disputes, such as a landlord's application to end a tenancy early for extremely serious circumstances, a tenant's application for possession after an illegal lockout, or a tenant's emergency-repair application. The applicant first serves the RTB's Notice of Dispute Resolution Proceeding package in accordance with the instructions for that expedited hearing, then submits proof of service.
The important proof-of-service deadline
BC's expedited-hearing guidance requires the applicant to submit RTB-9 one day after serving the hearing package and at least two days before the hearing. Missing this requirement can cause the hearing to be rescheduled. Because expedited hearings may be scheduled very soon after application, read the actual hearing notice and its service instructions immediately; do not assume ordinary-hearing time limits apply.
Complete both pages
- Identify the type of expedited application, RTB file number, applicant, respondent and full rental-unit address.
- Record the date and time of service, the recipient and the address where the documents were delivered.
- Select the service method actually used; permitted methods can differ depending on how soon the hearing is scheduled and whether substituted service has been authorized.
- Complete the special details, confirmation and signature sections on page two. Attach supporting proof such as a signed receipt, witness statement, registered-mail receipt and tracking, evidence that the email address was designated for service, or the RTB's substituted-service order as applicable.
Special rules for expedited service
The Province permits some additional delivery methods, such as posting on a door or emailing a designated address for service, when the hearing date falls 12 to 16 days after the application. Those options are not automatically available for every expedited hearing. For email, merely knowing the other party's email address is not enough: keep proof it was provided as an address for service, such as RTB-51.
Common mistakes
Submitting RTB-9 without the date or time of service; leaving the confirmation section blank; treating a delivery screenshot alone as proof of consent to email service; or missing the one-day-after-service and two-days-before-hearing deadline. Keep the entire served package and all proof of delivery together.