FAQs

Welcome to Nicholls Property Management FAQ's

Honoured to be the 2025 Platinum Award Winner for Property Management in Delta, BC

In 2026, the British Columbia rental market continues to evolve. Whether you own a heritage home in Ladner or a modern suite in Vancouver, our goal is to provide transparent, expert guidance centred on protecting your investment. Below are the most common questions we receive regarding the current rental market.

📍 Our Service Areas

Which communities do you serve? While our primary focus is South Delta, we manage a dedicated portfolio across the Lower Mainland:

• South Delta: Ladner and Tsawwassen.

• Vancouver: All neighbourhoods west of the Knight Street/Clark Drive corridor.

• Other Core Areas: Richmond, North Delta, North Surrey, South Surrey, White Rock, New Westminster, Langley, and Abbotsford.

🏠 For Property Owners

What is the BC Rent Increase limit for 2026? The provincial government has set the maximum allowable rent increase for 2026 at 2.3%. As your manager, we ensure that all RTB-7 notices are served with the required three full months' notice, ensuring you stay 100% compliant with the Residential Tenancy Act.

How is the Vancouver rental market performing as we start 2026? While vacancy rates in Metro Vancouver have slightly eased to around 3.7%, demand for high-quality, professionally managed units remains high. In areas like Vancouver West and South Delta, we are seeing a strong "flight to quality," where well-maintained homes with professional oversight attract the most stable, long-term tenants.

How do you find and vet tenants? We perform a deep dive that goes beyond a simple credit check. This includes income verification, direct conversations with previous landlords, and a personal interview. Our goal is to find a tenant who will treat your property with the same respect you do.

🔑 For Tenants

How do I report a maintenance issue? Communication is our priority. For all routine requests, please log in to your Tenant Portal to submit a service ticket so we can track the history of the repair.

• For Urgent Emergencies: (Water leaks, loss of heat, or safety issues), please call or text us directly at 604-749-4676 immediately.

What is the policy on pets? As a local company, we know pets are family. Whether a pet is permitted depends on the property owner’s preference and the building’s specific strata bylaws. If permitted, a pet damage deposit (equal to half a month’s rent) is the maximum allowed by BC law.

🏢 Medium-Term & Executive Rentals

What is a "Medium-Term" rental? A medium-term rental (MTR) typically ranges from 90-days to 11 months. This model is ideal for owners who want more flexibility than a standard one-year lease allows. It specifically targets high-quality tenants such as:

• Executive Relocations: Professionals moving to the Lower Mainland for work contracts.

• Insurance Claims: Local families displaced from their homes due to floods or fires who need a fully-furnished, stable environment while their home is repaired.

• Digital Nomads & Seniors: Those spending a season in the beautiful Lower Mainland of British Columbia.

Why choose Medium-Term over Short-Term (Airbnb style)? With BC’s strict regulations on short-term rentals (stays under 30 days), the 30-day-plus medium-term market is a safe, legal, and highly profitable alternative. It avoids the high turnover of a vacation rental while commanding a premium over traditional long-term rents.

What specific "Medium-Term" areas do you manage? We manage medium-term executive suites across our entire service area, with a particular focus on oceanfront luxury in the South-Eastern Lower Mainland of Greater Vancouver; Delta, BC, [Tsawwassen, Ladner, & North Delta], Surrey, White Rock, Vancouver (West of Knight Street / Clark Street, New Westminster, Richmond, Langley and Abbotsford.

What is considered a short-term rental in British Columbia?

In British Columbia, a short-term rental generally means accommodation provided to members of the public for less than 90 consecutive days in exchange for payment.

A rental period of 90 consecutive days or more is generally not considered a short-term rental for the purposes of provincial short-term rental classification. However, other rules may still apply (including strata bylaws and municipal requirements).

What is the difference between a short-term rental and a medium-term rental?

This distinction is commonly described by length of occupancy:

• A short-term rental generally refers to accommodation provided for less than 90 consecutive days.

• A medium-term rental generally refers to accommodation provided for 90 consecutive days or more, for a defined time period that is shorter than what many people think of as a “typical” long-term lease.

Note: “Medium-term rental” is commonly used as an industry term. Once a rental is 90+ consecutive days, it is generally treated as a residential tenancy rather than a short-term rental, subject to applicable tenancy rules and other regulations.

What is the difference between a medium-term rental and a long-term rental?

In everyday usage (not as a formal legal category), the difference is mainly the intended duration:

• Medium-term rental: commonly used to describe rentals of 90 days up to about 11 months, where the occupant is seeking housing for a defined, temporary period.

• Long-term rental: commonly used to describe rentals intended for 12 months or longer, or a tenancy intended to continue on a month-to-month basis after an initial fixed term.

In practice, both are generally treated as residential tenancies once the rental period is 90 consecutive days or more, and both must comply with applicable rules.

Does a rental of 90 days or more require a short-term rental licence or permit?

Generally, no — a rental period of 90 consecutive days or more is generally not classified as a short-term rental under provincial short-term rental rules.

That said, other requirements may still apply (for example, strata bylaws, municipal business licensing, zoning, or safety rules).

What happens if a tenant ends a medium-term or long-term tenancy early?

If a tenancy is entered into with an initial intended term of 90 consecutive days or more, and later ends early due to a change in circumstances, this does not automatically mean the arrangement becomes a short-term rental.

However, early endings must not be predetermined, pre-arranged, or implied (in writing or otherwise). Agreements and communications should not suggest that the tenancy is expected to end early as part of its design.

Any early end should occur only through lawful processes and reflect genuine circumstances, not a planned outcome.

Are there other rules that may still apply to medium-term or long-term rentals?

Yes. Even where a rental is not considered a short-term rental, it may still be subject to other legal requirements, including:

• The Residential Tenancy Act

• Municipal zoning or business licensing rules

• Strata bylaws

• Other applicable provincial or local regulations

PLEASE NOTE:
Strata bylaws may impose different or more restrictive rules regarding minimum rental terms (for example, requiring a minimum lease term of six months). Any property located within a strata corporation should carefully review the applicable bylaws to ensure compliance before entering into a tenancy agreement.

Why is the 90-day threshold important?

The 90-day threshold is used under British Columbia’s short-term rental framework to distinguish between short-term accommodation and residential tenancies intended for housing rather than temporary or vacation use.

📞 Still have a question?

The rental market moves fast, and legislation changes even faster. If you need a market evaluation or want to discuss how to maximize your rental income in 2026, let’s chat.

Call or Text Nicholls Property Management: 604-749-4676

Email: Greg@NichollsPropertyManagement.com

Office: 1333 56th St, Delta, BC (Located in the Tsawwassen Royal LePage Building)