If the CRT accepts your claim application, we will issue a Dispute Notice package. This package includes the Dispute Notice and instructions for responding to the claim.
The Dispute Notice is a legal document and must be delivered (“served”) to each respondent in the claim. Here’s what a CRT Dispute Notice looks like.
If you’re the primary applicant, the CRT will ask if you want to serve the Dispute Notice package or if you want the CRT to serve it for you. In some cases, the CRT will tell you that you must serve the respondents yourself.
- If you chose to have the CRT serve the Dispute Notice package for you, there’s nothing you need to do. The CRT will mail the package to the respondents by regular mail. It is usually considered served 20 days after the day the CRT issued the Dispute Notice. The CRT will contact you about the next steps for your claim.
- If you’re serving the Dispute Notice package yourself, read on.
What happens if I don’t serve the Dispute Notice package?
If you don’t serve all the respondents in your claim, the CRT can refuse to continue your claim.
How do I serve the Dispute Notice package?
Follow the instructions below according to who the respondent is.
You have 90 days to serve the Dispute Notice package to all respondents. This starts on the day the CRT issued the Dispute Notice. The “Issued Date” is shown on the first page of the Dispute Notice.
If the CRT tells you that you must serve the respondents for a third-party claim, you have 30 days to serve the Dispute Notice package. You must also include the original Dispute Notice and all Dispute Responses. Learn more about third-party claims.
You must submit a Proof of Service form within 10 days of serving a respondent. You must submit a Proof of Service form for each respondent you served. This is required to continue your claim. It proves to the CRT that you served the Dispute Notice properly.
The instructions we sent you with the Dispute Notice package explain how to log in to your CRT Account and submit Proof of Service. Or see other ways to submit Proof of Service on our Forms page.
Once you serve the Dispute Notice package on each respondent and submit your Proof of Service form, the respondents will have an opportunity to respond to the claim. They have 14 calendar days to respond, from the day they received the Dispute Notice package (30 days if they received it outside BC).
Once they respond, the claim usually moves to the negotiation stage. We'll contact you with next steps.
If they don't respond to the claim by the deadline, you may be able to ask for a default decision. We'll contact you with next steps.
Ways to serve the Dispute Notice package
Choose what type of respondent you’re serving. (If you’re not sure, check the Dispute Notice or contact us.) Only these service methods are acceptable under the CRT Rules.
See the CRT Rules to learn more.
The respondent is…
- Send the package by registered mail (not XpressPost) or courier. A signature on delivery is required. Keep your tracking number, you must enter it in your Proof of Service form.
- Or you can hand the package directly to a person. You can’t leave it under a door, in a mailbox, or on a desk. Keep a record of the date you delivered it, the location, and the name of the person you handed it to.
- Or you can send the package by email, text message, or another type of messaging platform. The respondent must reply to the email, text, or other message to confirm they received it. Or the package may be considered served if the person contacts the CRT about the claim, or confirms receipt of the Dispute Notice in some other way. If they don’t, you must serve the Dispute Notice package by one of the other methods above.
After you serve the Dispute Notice package to a respondent, submit your Proof of Service form within 10 days.
The instructions we sent you with the Dispute Notice package explain how to log in to your CRT Account and submit Proof of Service. Or see other ways to submit Proof of Service on our Forms page.
- Send the package by registered mail (not XpressPost) or courier to the company’s official office address filed with the BC Corporate Registry. This might be a head office, a lawyer’s office, or another address. Learn how to find a registered office address. A signature on delivery is required. Keep your tracking number, you must enter it in your Proof of Service form.
- Or you can deliver it in person to the company’s official office address.
- Or you can hand the package directly to a receptionist or someone who appears to manage or control the company, at the company’s official address or the company’s place of business. Or you can hand the package to a director, officer, liquidator, trustee in bankruptcy or receiver manager of the company. You can’t leave it under a door, in a mailbox, or on a desk. Keep a record of the date you delivered it, the location, and the name of the person you handed it to.
After you serve the Dispute Notice package to a respondent, submit your Proof of Service form within 10 days.
The instructions we sent you with the Dispute Notice package explain how to log in to your CRT Account and submit Proof of Service. Or see other ways to submit Proof of Service on our Forms page.
What is an extraprovincial company? To carry on business in BC, a company must be registered in BC even if it was incorporated in another province. For example, a company incorporated in Ontario that opens an office in British Columbia must register as an extraprovincial company in the BC Corporate Registry.
Serve the Dispute Notice package using one of these service methods:
- If the official office address filed with the BC Corporate Registry is a head office in BC, you can send the package by registered mail (not XpressPost) or courier to the company’s head office. Learn how to find a registered head office address. A signature on delivery is required. Keep your tracking number. You must enter it in your Proof of Service form.
- Or you can send the package by registered mail (not XpressPost) or courier to the official address filed with the BC Corporate Registry for the company’s attorney (lawyer). Learn how to find a registered address. A signature on delivery is required. Keep your tracking number. You must enter it in your Proof of Service form.
- Or you can deliver it in person to one of the official addresses above. You can’t leave it under a door, in a mailbox, or on a desk. Keep a record of the date you delivered it, the location, and the name of the person you handed it to.
- Or you can hand the package directly to a receptionist or someone who appears to manage or control the company, at the company’s place of business in BC. Or you can hand the package to a director, officer, liquidator, trustee in bankruptcy or receiver manager of the company. You can’t leave it under a door, in a mailbox, or on a desk. Keep a record of the date you delivered it, the location, and the name of the person you handed it to.
After you serve the Dispute Notice package to a respondent, submit your Proof of Service form within 10 days.
The instructions we sent you with the Dispute Notice package explain how to log in to your CRT Account and submit Proof of Service. Or see other ways to submit Proof of Service on our Forms page.
- Send the package by registered mail (not XpressPost) or courier to one of the partners. A signature on delivery is required.
- Or you can deliver it in person to a partner.
- Or you can deliver it to the partnership’s place of business by handing the package directly to a receptionist or someone who appears to manage or control the partnership’s business there. You can’t leave it under a door, in a mailbox, or on a desk. Keep a record of the date you delivered it, the location, and the name of the person you handed it to.
After you serve the Dispute Notice package to a respondent, submit your Proof of Service form within 10 days.
The instructions we sent you with the Dispute Notice package explain how to log in to your CRT Account and submit Proof of Service. Or see other ways to submit Proof of Service on our Forms page.
- Send the Dispute Notice package by registered mail (not XpressPost) or courier to the strata corporation’s official mailing address filed with the BC Land Title Office, or to a council member. A signature on delivery is required. Keep your tracking number, you must enter it in your Proof of Service form.
- Or you can deliver it in person to the strata corporation’s official mailing address filed with the BC Land Title Office. Or you can hand the package directly to a strata council member. You can’t leave it under a door, in a mailbox, or on a desk. Keep a record of the date you delivered it, the location, and the name of the person you handed it to.
- If you’re serving a section of a strata corporation, you can hand the package directly to an executive member of the section. You can’t leave it under a door, in a mailbox, or on a desk. Keep a record of the date you delivered it, the location, and the name of the person you handed it to. Or send the package to an executive member of the section by registered mail (not XpressPost) or courier. A signature on delivery is required. Keep your tracking number. You must enter it in your Proof of Service form.
After you serve the Dispute Notice package to a respondent, submit your Proof of Service form within 10 days.
The instructions we sent you with the Dispute Notice package explain how to log in to your CRT Account and submit Proof of Service. Or see other ways to submit Proof of Service on our Forms page.
- Send the Dispute Notice package by registered mail (not XpressPost) or courier to the society or association’s official office address filed with the BC Corporate Registry. Learn how to find a registered office address. A signature on delivery is required. Keep your tracking number, you must enter it in your Proof of Service form.
- Or you can deliver the package in person to the society or association’s official office address.
- Or you can hand the package directly to a director, officer, receiver manager, or liquidator of the society or cooperative association. You can’t leave it under a door, in a mailbox, or on a desk. Keep a record of the date you delivered it, the location, and the name of the person you handed it to.
After you serve the Dispute Notice package to a respondent, submit your Proof of Service form within 10 days.
The instructions we sent you with the Dispute Notice package explain how to log in to your CRT Account and submit Proof of Service. Or see other ways to submit Proof of Service on our Forms page.
- If your claim is about a motor vehicle accident, the CRT will email the Dispute Notice package to ICBC.
- If your claim is against respondents insured by ICBC, then ICBC will usually accept service of the Dispute Notice package on their behalf and notify the respondents.
- Otherwise, ICBC has 7 days to tell the CRT that it won’t accept service. If ICBC doesn’t accept service, we will contact you with next steps. You’ll have to serve the respondents yourself, and submit a Proof of Service form within 10 days.
- If your claim is against an insurance company other than ICBC, follow the service instructions above for a corporation (company).
- Send the Dispute Notice package by registered mail (not XpressPost) or courier to a clerk, deputy clerk, or similar official in the municipality. A signature on delivery is required. Keep your tracking number, you must enter it in your Proof of Service form.
- Or you can hand the package directly to someone at the place of business. This must be a clerk, deputy clerk, or similar official. You can’t leave it under a door, in a mailbox, or on a desk. Keep a record of the date you delivered it, the location, and the name of the person you handed it to.
After you serve the Dispute Notice package to a respondent, submit your Proof of Service form within 10 days.
The instructions we sent you with the Dispute Notice package explain how to log in to your CRT Account and submit Proof of Service. Or see other ways to submit Proof of Service on our Forms page.
If you or the CRT think a respondent is a minor (a child under 19), you must serve the Dispute Notice package to the respondent and their parent or guardian.
- Send a Dispute Notice package by registered mail (not XpressPost) or courier. A signature on delivery is required. Keep your tracking number, you must enter it in your Proof of Service form.
- Or you can hand a package directly to a person. You can’t leave it under a door, in a mailbox, or on a desk. Keep a record of the date you delivered the package, the location, and the name of the person you handed it to.
- Or you can send a package by email, text message, or another type of messaging platform. The person must reply to the email, text or other message to confirm they received it. Or the package may be considered served if they contact the CRT about the claim, or confirm receipt of the Dispute Notice in some other way. If they don’t, you must serve the Dispute Notice package by one of the other methods above.
After you serve the Dispute Notice package to a respondent, submit your Proof of Service form within 10 days.
The instructions we sent you with the Dispute Notice package explain how to log in to your CRT Account and submit Proof of Service. Or see other ways to submit Proof of Service on our Forms page.
If you or the CRT think an adult respondent has impaired mental capacity, you must serve the Dispute Notice package to the respondent and anyone you think has legal authority for them. This may be a committee of estate, a representative appointed in a representation agreement, or a lawyer appointed in an enduring power of attorney.
- Send a Dispute Notice package by registered mail (not XpressPost) or courier. A signature on delivery is required. Keep your tracking number, you must enter it in your Proof of Service form.
- Or you can hand a package directly to a person. You can’t leave it under a door, in a mailbox, or on a desk. Keep a record of the date you delivered the package, the location, and the name of the person you handed it to.
- Or you can send a package by email, text message, or another type of messaging platform. The person must reply to the email, text or other message to confirm they received it. Or the package may be considered served if they contact the CRT about the claim, or confirm receipt of the Dispute Notice in some other way. If they don’t, you must serve the Dispute Notice package by one of the other methods above.
After you serve the Dispute Notice package to a respondent, submit your Proof of Service form within 10 days.
The instructions we sent you with the Dispute Notice package explain how to log in to your CRT Account and submit Proof of Service. Or see other ways to submit Proof of Service on our Forms page.
If you need to serve the Dispute Notice package to a type of respondent not listed above, contact us for instructions.