The Court granted a petition for judicial review of a decision of the Residential Tenancy Branch, which had ordered the Respondent landlord to pay $1,500 in damages to his former tenant, the petitioner. The petitioner had complained that his landlord had unlawfully disposed of his personal possessions while he was away from his apartment. The statutory obligations of the landlord under section 25(1) of the Residential Tenancy Act, in relation to abandoned goods, did not apply to the facts. The dispute resolution officer’s decision to award damages based on the irrelevant consideration of non-existent statutory breaches by the landlord, without considering the tenant’s rights as a bailor at common law, was patently unreasonable.
Administrative law – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Residential Tenancy office – Landlord and tenant – Residential tenancy agreements – Termination – Tenant’s goods – Bailee – Damages – Judicial review – Compliance with legislation Bello v. Ren, [2009] B.C.J. No. 2323, 2009 BCSC 1598, British Columbia Supreme Court, November 23, 2009, L. Fenlon J. ...