---
title: "Vancouver landlords fined $90,000 for housing 17 tenants in illegal sleeping rooms"
description: "B.C.'s tenancy enforcement unit imposed the penalties after City of Vancouver inspectors found 21 makeshift rooms in a single-family home zoned for residential use."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/news/vancouver-landlords-fined-90k-rtb-october-2026"
last_updated: "2026-10-31T17:03:10.094Z"
---

Five Vancouver landlords have been ordered to pay $90,000 in fines after City of Vancouver inspectors found 17 tenants living in a single-family home that had been divided into 21 makeshift sleeping rooms, CTV News reported on October 30.

B.C.'s Residential Tenancy Branch Compliance and Enforcement Unit issued the decision in July 2026. The provincial government published it on its website in October 2026.

## What the inspectors found

City of Vancouver inspectors visited the property in July 2025. The enforcement decision says they identified 21 sleeping rooms spread across the main floor, attic, and basement of a pre-1930 house that is zoned for a single-family home.

The City documented concerns about unpermitted construction, fire safety equipment, plumbing, electrical systems, and the overall safety of the building for people to live in. Inspectors said the property needed extensive repairs to meet the required standards. The City issued an order for the property to be vacated in August 2025. The Residential Tenancy Branch began its investigation the same month.

The address of the property is redacted from the decision.

## The violations and the fines

The Residential Tenancy Branch's director of compliance and enforcement ruled that three violations of B.C.'s Residential Tenancy Act had occurred.

The landlords had failed to maintain the property to the health and safety standards required by law. They had also failed to make urgent and necessary repairs to plumbing and electrical systems. One of the five landlords was found to have given false or misleading information at six RTB dispute resolution hearings.

CTV News reported that the director calculated the fine for the first violation at $5,000 per proven tenancy. With 17 proven tenancies, that amounted to $85,000. The second violation added $5,000. The total joint fine for all five landlords is $90,000, plus a $3,800 penalty for the landlord found to have given false information at the hearings.

None of the five landlords responded to the enforcement process, according to the decision.

## Context

The decision names a company called Livewell Homestay and Cleaning Limited as the operator listed on tenancy documents. The RTB enforcement decision was issued in July 2026 and published online in October 2026. CTV News reported that the landlords were given until October 2, 2026 to pay their fines.

CTV News asked the provincial government whether payment had been made. The Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs said the government was in caretaker mode after the recent provincial election and could not comment on anything other than critical health and public safety information.

Vancouver renters who have concerns about health or safety conditions in their home can file a complaint with BC's Residential Tenancy Branch or contact the City of Vancouver's 311 service to request a property inspection.

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