Landlords, tenants, and others navigating the often-complex landscape of residential tenancy law in British Columbia should prepare for a new level of transparency. The Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) has introduced a significant change—one that makes monetary order decisions far more visible to the public.
For years, the RTB chose not to disclose personal identifiers in its published decisions. Tenant names, individual landlord names, and rental property addresses were withheld, with only corporate landlords identified. The system was intentionally discreet.
As of July 31, 2025, however, that era of anonymity has shifted. The RTB has embraced a new approach—one where, quite literally, money talks.
🗞️ Say What? The RTB Is Going Public
The key update is straightforward:
The RTB will now publish its monetary orders in a publicly searchable online database.
For monetary claim decisions made after July 31, 2025, and once 15 days have passed from the date the decision is issued, the RTB will publish:
- 🏷️ Landlord names
- 🏷️ Tenant names
- 📁 RTB Dispute File Number
- 📍 Rental property address
- 💵 Amount of the monetary order
- 👤 Who is responsible for payment
The RTB states that this change is designed to promote transparency and accountability—ensuring that monetary outcomes under the Residential Tenancy Act are visible to the broader public.
🤐 The Right to Remain Silent (…Almost)
For individuals concerned about their personal information being published, the RTB offers a limited path to prevent disclosure—but only in circumstances involving safety risk.
A party may request an exemption by submitting the mandatory RTB-59 Publication Exemption Form within 15 days of the monetary order’s issuance.
📝 Supporting documentation may include:
- A letter from a victim services worker, legal advocate, social worker, or police
- A restraining order or protection order
- A sworn affidavit outlining specific safety concerns
🛡️ Circumstances the RTB may consider:
- Experiences of family or intimate-partner violence
- Employment in the justice sector (e.g., law enforcement, prosecutors, judges)
- Being under a current protective order or active safety plan
- Verified threats to personal safety from a third party
After evaluating the request, the RTB will issue a written decision. If the safety concerns outweigh the public-interest rationale for disclosure, an exemption may be granted.
Importantly, exemptions apply only to the specific monetary order in question. If another monetary order is issued in the future, a new exemption request must be submitted.
📰 Read All About It
The RTB’s monetary-order database is expected to launch within the next few weeks. Some details remain unclear—for example, whether the published orders will also include the name of the arbitrator or adjudicator who issued the decision.
Given the RTB’s stated commitment to transparency, such inclusion would not be surprising, but confirmation is still pending.
📞 Need Help Navigating the New Rules
These changes may affect how landlords, tenants, and property managers approach dispute resolution. The Residential Tenancy Group is available to provide guidance.
For assistance, all are encouraged to contact any member of the team.
