Vancouver's Heating and Cooling Rules for Rentals
by Platuni | 23 Sep, 2026 | 5 mins read
Platuni
23 September, 2026
5 mins read
#1. The heating minimum you're already working under
Vancouver's Standards of Maintenance By-law requires every building except lodging houses to be able to maintain a minimum of 22°C, measured at a point five feet off the floor in the centre of the room. Lodging houses run their own split schedule: not below 20°C between 8 a.m. and midnight, and not below 16°C overnight. This obligation doesn't scale down for an older building; the standard is the same whether the heating system is from this decade or the 1970s.
[Cite: City of Vancouver, Standards of Maintenance By-law, ss 18.1, 21.13(b)]
#2. Why there's no maximum temperature, and what that leaves open
Neither the Residential Tenancy Act nor the BC Building Code sets a maximum indoor temperature for an existing rental. The 2024 edition of the Building Code does require one living space in new residential buildings to stay at or below 26°C, but that requirement doesn't apply retroactively, so it does nothing for the building stock most landlords are actually renting out. In practice, this meant a landlord could refuse to allow any cooling device at all, and until recently, that was legal in Vancouver specifically because nothing said otherwise.
[Cite: Residential Tenancy Branch, Air Conditioning (AC) Units information sheet; BC Building Code, 2024 edition]
#3. The rule that actually changed in June 2026
Vancouver amended its Licence By-law to prohibit landlords from banning or unreasonably restricting a tenant's use of a portable air conditioner in a unit that doesn't already have central cooling. This isn't a mandate to install anything; a landlord still doesn't have to provide air conditioning. What changed is narrower and more specific: if the tenant brings their own portable unit, you can no longer say no by default. Fines for violating this run up to $1,000 per offence.
[Cite: City of Vancouver, Licence By-law, as amended June 2026]
#4. What "unreasonable" limits might look like
The by-law doesn't spell out every scenario, but a blanket no is the clearest violation. A landlord can likely still set reasonable conditions, such as requiring safe window-unit installation to prevent it falling, without that counting as a ban. The line sits between a genuine safety condition and a preference dressed up as one.
[Cite: City of Vancouver, Licence By-law, as amended June 2026]
Frequently asked questionsw on Vancouver's heating and cooling rules for rentals
What minimum temperature must a Vancouver landlord maintain?
22°C, measured five feet off the floor in the centre of the room. It applies to nearly every rental building regardless of age. Lodging houses follow their own schedule: at least 20°C from 8 a.m. to midnight and 16°C overnight.
Do landlords in Vancouver have to provide air conditioning?
No. Neither the Residential Tenancy Act nor the building code requires cooling in an existing building. The 2024 BC Building Code does require one cooled living space in new residential buildings, but that doesn't apply to existing buildings.
Can my landlord ban a portable air conditioner?
Not in Vancouver, if the unit has no central cooling. Since June 2026, the city's Licence By-law stops landlords from banning or unreasonably restricting a tenant's own portable air conditioner. Breaking the rule can cost up to $1,000 per offence.
What conditions can a landlord put on a portable AC unit?
Reasonable safety conditions are likely still allowed, such as requiring a window unit to be installed securely so it can't fall. A blanket no is the clearest violation. If your electrical system genuinely can't handle the load, get a professional assessment in writing before you refuse on that basis.
Is a broken heating system an emergency repair in BC?
Yes. A primary heating system that doesn't work is one of the emergency repairs defined in the Residential Tenancy Act. If the tenant can't reach you after two attempts on your emergency contact number, they can arrange the repair themselves and you have to reimburse reasonable costs.
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