Officials have issued a public warning against B.C. real estate agent Matthew Kuras, who is under investigation for allegations of unauthorized business activity, including illegal short-term rentals.

The B.C. Financial Services Authority (BCFSA), the regulator of real estate professionals, stated in a June 4 consumer alert it is investigating Kuras for allegedly renting out multiple client properties as short-term rentals without the owners’ knowledge and authorization.

In order to do so Kuras is alleged to have advertised his unlicensed property rental services under false pretenses and falsified contracts. Kuras is also accused of making “false or misleading statements” in a licensing renewal application.

While those allegations remain unproven before a hearing panel, the regulator is asking any tenants and landlords currently dealing with Kuras to cease any payments and contact BCFSA directly.

Kuras has also refused to cooperate with investigators, including withholding bank and tax records, which resulted in a $27,000 administrative fine against him in 2025.

According to the regulator, some of Kuras’ clients have been fined for short-term rental strata violations.

And while BCFSA does not regulate short-term rental regulations, it stated it does oversee rental property managers, as they must be licensed to provide those services through a brokerage.

“BCFSA will investigate if a licensee engages in conduct that is contrary to the best interests of the public, undermines public confidence in the real estate industry, or brings the real estate industry into disrepute,” the alert noted.

On May 22, Kuras’ real estate licence was surrendered by and he was terminated from The Residential Group Tri-Cities Realty Ltd./The Residential Group Realty Property Management (TRG) due to conducting property management services under his unlicensed company, MetroVan Realty (doing business as MetroVan Realty Property Management), according to the alert.

Prior to the licence being surrendered, Kuras faced a BCFSA hearing on Nov. 27, 2025 with the regulator seeking to suspend his licence without further notice.

Senior hearing officer Andrew Pendray found that while “there are reasonable grounds to believe that Mr. Kuras has engaged in professional misconduct,” his licence was not suspended as “this matter was not of sufficient urgency.” Thus, Kuras was only ordered to provide his bank and tax records since 2021 to move the investigation along.

Kuras appealed Pendray’s order to the Financial Services Tribunal, which dismissed the application on Jan. 7, and re-ordered the documents to be handed over within 10 days.

Since then, “Kuras has refused to cooperate with BCFSA investigators, despite numerous attempts by BCFSA to obtain documentation required for its investigation,” the alert stated.

Complaints to BCFSA against Kuras began in July 2023, according to the hearing submissions.

Kuras received six complaints from landlord clients claiming Kuras covertly subletting their properties on a short-term basis.

One complainant claimed Kuras “likely conducts this on both an ongoing basis and on a large scale.”

The complaints led BCFSA to open-source records of civil claims against Kuras including:

• A May 3, 2022 civil claim in which it was alleged that while their property was managed by TRG Realty it was used for short-term rentals without the owner’s knowledge and consent. This was the same party who filed the 2022 application to the special compensation fund.
• An enforcement order under the Residential Tenancy Act dating to August 28, 2023, in which Kuras was ordered to pay $4,900 to the landlords regarding their rental unit. A garnishing order was subsequently issued in a B.C. Provincial Court in association with that order.
• An enforcement order dating to June 10, 2024, issued under the Residential Tenancy Act where Kuras was ordered to pay $11,057 to the landlord regarding the rental of their unit.
• A Nov. 8, 2024 enforcement order issued under the Residential Tenancy Act where Kuras was named as a tenant and ordered to pay $3,073.01 to the landlord.

Business in Vancouver was unable to reach Kuras by phone or email.

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