Episode 207: When Enough Is Enough: My First Eviction in 6 years, Part 2 with Dr. Jennifer Salisbury
Summary
This follow-up episode continues the landlord’s firsthand account of a drawn-out eviction in British Columbia that nearly spiraled into a six‑month nightmare. What begins as a quiet tenancy unravels after unauthorized pets and additional occupants move in, leading to legal notices, hearings, and mounting frustration. The host walks listeners through every step — from warning letters and Residential Tenancy Branch disputes to the looming possibility of a Supreme Court enforcement and bailiff intervention. In a twist, the story reveals how due diligence, proper documentation, and patience ultimately led to a peaceful resolution: the tenant left voluntarily, leaving only minor damage behind. The episode closes on a reflective note about professionalism, persistence, and the reality that in property management, prevention and process are everything.
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This Week’s Blog Post:
In this episode, I share part two of my first eviction in six years, a process that began as simple lease violations and turned into an eviction nightmare in slow motion. I explain how what started as a tenancy in 2021 in British Columbia became a procedural odyssey through the Residential Tenancy Branch and even the Supreme Court. This episode traces every step, each notice, delay, and painful discovery as one self-managing landlord learns just how slowly justice can move.
How It Started
The situation came to light during our annual maintenance walkthrough in mid-May, when we discovered unauthorized occupants and unauthorized pets in a two-bedroom unit with a single authorized tenant. The lease was clear: no pets and no additional occupants without written permission. Over time, neighbors, staff, and repeated visits confirmed extra people, two large dogs, and ongoing use of shared laundry facilities. Emails and reminders were met with silence, and in hindsight, I recognize that hoping the issue would go away was a mistake.
Warnings and the Final Straw
By August and September, the red flags were undeniable. I issued a detailed warning letter outlining steps to bring the lease current, qualify additional occupants, and address the dogs. Despite multiple follow-ups, no applications were submitted. The final straw came when cleaners reported fleas, pet hair, and cigarette butts in the shared laundry. At that point, I served a one-month notice to end tenancy for cause, properly documented and delivered both electronically and in hard copy, citing unauthorized occupants, health and safety risks, and breach of material terms of the tenancy agreement.
The Eviction Process
Although the tenant had the right to dispute the notice, in this case she did not, and I provided 58 days for her to vacate to ensure proper notice. November 30th came and went with no communication. When my team and I entered the unit, we found it empty, with keys left behind and normal wear and tear, though there was smoke damage and mold from lack of airflow. I returned the security deposit with proper interest within the required timeframe, deciding that the grief-to-dollars ratio was not worth prolonging the fight.
The Takeaway
I share both how bad this eviction could have gone and how it actually did go, because tenants are part of the asset and this is a business relationship. Knowing your local rules, understanding timelines, documenting everything, and being patient as the process plays out are critical. In the end, the unit was re-rented less than three weeks later to a single mom with two kids, just in time for Christmas. This experience reinforced that landlords must know their game, play it well, and be prepared for the hardest part of all: waiting it out.