You moved out. Now you want your deposit back, in full.
In British Columbia the rules are firmly on your side here. Once you give your landlord a forwarding address in writing, they have 15 days to return your deposit or apply to keep part of it. Do nothing, and they can end up owing you double.
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In 30 seconds, here's what's true
- A security deposit in BC can be no more than half of one month's rent. A pet damage deposit is capped at half a month's rent too, and they are separate.
- After your tenancy ends, give your landlord your forwarding address in writing. That starts the landlord's 15-day clock to act.
- Within 15 days, the landlord must either return your deposit with any interest, or apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch to keep some or all of it.
- If the landlord does neither within 15 days, they lose the right to claim against your deposit and can be ordered to pay you double.
- A landlord cannot keep your deposit for normal wear and tear, and cannot keep it at all without your written agreement or an RTB order.
The steps your landlord must follow
Do the move-out inspection together
At the end of your tenancy the landlord has to offer a move-out inspection and fill out a condition inspection report with you. Take part in it. If you skip the inspection, you can lose the right to get your deposit back. If the landlord skips their inspection duties, they lose the right to claim your deposit for damage.
Give your forwarding address in writing
This is the step that starts everything. Put your new address in writing and give it to the landlord, and keep a copy with the date. The RTB has a form for it, but any clear written note works. You have up to a year to do this, and if you never do, the landlord is allowed to keep the deposit.
Wait out the 15 days
From the later of your tenancy ending and the day you give your forwarding address, the landlord has 15 days. In that window they either send your deposit back with any interest owed, or they apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch to make a claim against it. They can only hold money back for real damage or unpaid amounts, not for ordinary wear and tear.
Know the double-your-money rule
If the landlord does neither by day 15, the law is blunt: they can no longer claim against your deposit, and an arbitrator can order them to pay you double the amount. It isn't automatic, though. You usually have to apply to the RTB to get that order, so don't just wait forever.
Apply to the RTB if they don't pay
If your deposit doesn't come back, you can apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch. Once your tenancy has ended and you've given your forwarding address, you can use a direct request after 20 days. In general you have up to two years from the end of the tenancy to apply, but the sooner the better.
What to do next
- Check your deposit was never more than half a month's rent (and any pet deposit no more than another half).
- Take part in the move-out condition inspection and get a copy of the report.
- Give your landlord your forwarding address in writing, and keep a dated copy.
- Count 15 days from the later of your move-out and the day you gave the address.
- Expect the deposit back with interest, or an RTB application, within those 15 days.
- Don't accept deductions for normal wear and tear, and don't agree in writing to deductions you dispute.
- If nothing happens, apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch (a direct request is available 20 days after you gave the address).
- Get free help: the Residential Tenancy Branch (1-800-665-8779), People's Law School, or an advocate through Clicklaw.
Common myths
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| My landlord can charge whatever deposit they want. | No. In BC a security deposit can't be more than half of one month's rent, and a pet damage deposit is capped at half a month's rent on top of that. |
| The landlord can just keep my deposit if they decide to. | They can't. Without your written agreement or an order from the Residential Tenancy Branch, a landlord has no right to keep your deposit. |
| They can hold back money for the place looking a bit worn. | No. You're not responsible for normal wear and tear. A landlord can only deduct for actual damage beyond that, or for unpaid rent or cleaning you owe. |
| It's on me to chase them, and there's no penalty if they stall. | There's a real penalty. If the landlord doesn't return the deposit or apply to the RTB within 15 days, they lose the right to claim it and can be ordered to pay you double. |
| I don't need to tell them where I moved. | You do. The landlord's 15-day clock only starts once you give a forwarding address in writing. Wait more than a year to give it and they're allowed to keep the deposit. |
| Skipping the move-out inspection is no big deal. | It can cost you. If you don't take part in the move-out inspection, you can lose the right to have your deposit returned, so show up and get the report. |
| My landlord owes me a big chunk of interest on the deposit. | Probably not right now. BC sets the deposit interest rate each year, and for 2026 it is 0%, so in many recent years little or no interest has built up. |
| Fighting for my deposit means going to court. | It doesn't. You apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch, not a courtroom, and an arbitrator decides. Free help is available from People's Law School and Clicklaw. |
Last reviewed July 2026
Written and reviewed by the founder of PLAIN, checked against primary government and legal sources. How we research these guides
Sources
PLAIN gives legal information, not legal advice. It is not a substitute for a lawyer or paralegal — and we'll point you to free ones. Laws change; we review these pages regularly, but always confirm current rules with the Residential Tenancy Branch.
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