Archive for the ‘Credit checks’ Category

BC Landlords Are Facing Challenges In 2021…But Also Opportunities!

Saturday, January 2nd, 2021

BC Landlords have had a very challenging 2020.

With the Covid pandemic many tenants couldn’t (or just didn’t) pay rent and this led to financial stress on many of us. Despite some help from the province, many did not collect full rent and others faced late rent regularly.

No Rent Increase

Small BC landlords know how our costs are rising and how important it is to increase the rent to try to cover your costs. Unfortunately, the NDP government won’t allow small landlords to raise our rents until July 2021.

Opportunities in 2021

Experienced and successful British Columbia landlords know there will also be opportunities in 2021.

When the economy gets stronger there will be more people coming to our province to work. These more qualified tenants will be on the way and looking for great rentals.

Students will also be returning. This will lead to a very strong rebound in the student rental sector.

Tenant Screening

Make sure you continue to screen your potential renters carefully. This should include references, employment proof and a credit check.

You can join the BC Landlords Association and begin running checks for under $10/check.

BC Landlords Face Challenges And Opportunities in 2021

Make sure you take advantage of the opportunities and make sure you screen all potential tenants with a credit check.

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B.C. Rent Freeze Extended To July 2021

Wednesday, November 11th, 2020

Despite All The Challenges Small BC Landlords Already Face, Now Rents Are Frozen Until July 2021

It wasn’t long ago that British Columbia landlords were informed we could  raise the rent by up to 1.4% in 2021. 

This has now changed.

B.C. rent freeze extended to July 2021

Premier John Horgan’s NDP government has extended the freeze on rent increases until July 10, 2021, one of the government’s first initiatives since being re-elected on Oct. 24.

Tenants Need Help To Pay Landlords The Rent They Owe

The rent freeze will not help most tenants as the rate for 2021 was already at a low of only 1.4%. If the Premier wants to help tenants not be be evicted he needs to extend other programs as well.

BC Landlords Association Calls For Extension Of The $500-a-month Rental Assistance Program

Our province was the leader in Canada in helping hard working tenants pay rent and help small landlords (who need rent for our businesses to survive) at least get some rent.

In many cases our tens of thousands of BC landlord members said when tenants were getting government help, it allowed landlords to work out payment plans with our tenants to avoid evictions.

Let’s Continue To Help Tenants And Help Landlords Avoid Evicting Our Tenants

The BC Landlords Association has always been grassroots.

We don’t have “spokesmen” with high salaries who aren’t even landlords giving empty speeches and expensing their lunches and cocktails at 5 star hotels.

They shamefully got all excited after our grassroots association took off and they tried to cash in and have failed landlords across British Columbia!

We’re landlords just like you!

Rent Increases Are Frozen Until July 2021, And We Need An Extension By the Premier To Extend Help For Tenants

Let’s continue to be the leader in fairness for both tenants and landlords and work together to through these challenging times

BC Landlords Association Want A Win-Win Solution For Landlords and Tenants

Let’s get this done and be the example other provinces in Canada will follow…and countries around the world will follow!

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BC Landlords – Run Criminal Checks For Huge Discounted Prices

Wednesday, August 5th, 2020

With So Many Problems From A Small Group of Bad Tenants Out There More Landlords Are Using Criminal Checks to Protect Their Rental Properties…And Now You Can Too For a Discounted Price!

BC landlords are excited about how many great tenants are out there.  These are tenants who pay their rent on time and respect both the rental property and their landlord in a mature and professional manner.

Many BC landlords have faced problems with their tenants during the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s now more important than ever to protect yourself and your property!

Take Your Tenant Screening System To A Higher Level (Not Just Credit Checks, Social Media and References)

It’s time to make sure you run criminal background checks on your potential tenants. And you can now do so with our Protection Membership.

The BC Landlords Association has brought forth a revolution in tenant screening over the past decade.

Experienced and successful landlords in our community were the ones who educated others on the importance of screening your tenants very carefully.  Before we came along there was very little talk about landlord issues and few BC landlords even knew they could run credit checks on tenants (and why they should run them).

With so many good people looking for a place to ‘call home’ and rent from you, it is essential that small landlords avoid the professional tenants out there.

These professional tenants know how to manipulate the system and can lead small landlords to not only sleepless nights, but to financial ruin.

Professional Tenants Hurt Good Tenants, Not Only Their Landlord

These types of people who make leave huge damages and owed rent behind not only hurt the landlord, it hurts good tenants who are looking for a nice rental property. Landlords who face huge financial losses often leave the industry.  Or they will raise rents to help pay for the repair costs.

Sadly, we continue to see some landlords not being careful and being ripped off by these professional tenants.

We Are Proud To Be Partners With TRITON

Triton is the leading background company in Canada.

Regular criminal check price: $59.00/check + $75.00 set up charge

BC Landlord Member Price: $24.95/check and no set up charge

And it’s all for only a one time fee (no annual fee). We landlords just like you and we know how tight the budgets are for many BC Landlords and this is why we want to keep your costs down for the best services out there.

BC Landlord Tenant Criminal Checks – Become a BC LANDLORD PROTECTION Member And You Can Add Criminal Checks To Your Tenant Screening System For A Huge Discount!

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BC Evictions Begin Sept 1 And More!

Friday, July 17th, 2020

BREAKING – Big changes are finally on the way for BC landlords.

The BC government will be lifting the moratorium on evictions Sept 1. Renters have until July 31, 2021 to pay arrears. The province is keeping rent increases frozen until the end of the year.

The rental repayment framework will apply once the ban on issuing evictions for non-payment of rent is lifted. It requires the landlord to give the tenant until July 2021 to repay any outstanding rent, as long as monthly installments are paid.

The repayment framework is designed so renters will not have to make their first payment until the 1st rent due date following 30 days notice of repayment plan. This will be Oct. 1 for most renters, assuming landlord provides repayment plan before the end of August.

Need Help With New Rules And Dealing With Your Tenants?

Join the largest landlord forum in Canada. Get help and advice from experienced and successful landlords in BC and around the country.

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It’s Important To Pay Your Rent To Your Small Landlord

Saturday, April 18th, 2020

My name is Laura and I post under my name on the BC Landlords Forum. I’ve been active there for years to try to help other tenants and give some of my advice to help small landlords too.

These are crazy times for everyone.

And while tenants are suffering it’s also important to know your landlord might be suffering too. This pandemic is hurting everyone.

We Need To Stick Together

I used to own a house and we rented our basement out years ago and it really helped us cover our mortgage. When my husband died my children were grown so I decided to sell the house and rent.

Renting has a lot of advantages.

I don’t have to worry about any maintenance issues and my landlady has a service to cut the lawn and plow the snow.  My landlord cover my utilities so she can get just one payment each month to keep things uncomplicated.

My landlady is a teacher and her husband has his own contracting company and they are terrific.

“Are You Going To Pay The Rent?”

When all this chaos started in March and the government said ‘tenants don’t have to pay rent” my landlady called me and asked me if I was going to pay the rent.

I told her “of course I will”. She was thankful and said if I needed a break just call her.

My Landlady Is Professional and Kind, And I Make Paying Rent A Priority

I’m in a pretty good situation where I don’t need to worry about buying food and my children are adults now.  I know others might not be as safe as I am.

I’m going to pay the rent not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because I want to keep my excellent relationship with my landlady and know that if I don’t pay rent it could hurt her financially (and even lead to her selling this place).

Pay You Rent And If You Can’t Call Your Landlord

My landlady isn’t some big global corporation. She and her family invested and thanks to them I have a great place to stay at a great price.

Rent Strike Hits Small Landlords, Not The Corporate Landlords

-Not paying rent will just get rid of the small nice landlords who care about you.

-Not paying rent will not impact the big heartless corporations.

-The whole “rent strike” people are likely corporate landlords who want to get rid of small landlords who are their competition.  At least that’s what I think.

Stay Home and Stay Safe!

I’m so happy to have a great rental with a great landlady. I feel safe and don’t ever want to move.

With Love And Wishing Everyone Stays Safe,

Laura

 

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Join Us For Help and Great Services For BC Landlords!

Wednesday, May 20th, 2015

BC Landlords Association Membership

Join us for a One-Time Registration Fee (No Annual Fee!) For Real Help For Landlords and Property Managers

BC landlords are waking up to the fact you need to screen tenants carefully to avoid renting to the “pro tenants” out there.

Sure there are a lot of great tenants out there. However, times have change and it’s important for landlords to protect themselves, their properties and their wallets.In the past you could rely on a handshake with tenants before you handed over the keys. Oh, those were the days!

Experienced BC landlords know there are lots of great people looking to rent safe and affordable properties from friendly and professional small landlords and also lots of not so good tenants who can end up costing you thousands of dollars in losses and months of stress.

It’s up to you to make sure you find good tenants and rent to them. And you now have the services and tools you need to identify good tenants, avoid the bad tenants out there, and become a successful BC landlord for an incredible low price.

Lots of Great Tenants, And Some Others You Need To Avoid

Landlords across British Columbia are still shocked at how a couple of serial bad tenants managed to rip off so many landlords in a short period of time.

They eventually paid one of the landlords what they avoid to avoid jail time, but there are still lots of landlords who they owe money to and the legal process for B.C. landlords seeking justice is slow and stressful.

You Can’t Get Blood From a Stone

This old saying applies for BC landlords.

If you rent to bad tenants who don’t pay rent and rip you off you will have to go to court to try to get your money back.

Canada doesn’t have debtors prisons and if your ex-tenants don’t have any money you won’t see a cent.

This is why it’s important to run tenant credit checks and rent to good tenants and avoid all the hassles of chasing bad tenants who will never pay you the rent they owe and you will never be fully paid for the stress they gave you!

Why Do BC Landlords Rent to Bad Tenants?

There is an excellent article at the Globe and Mail on this topic.

The Globe interviewed Rochelle Johannson who is a lawyer who deals with landlord and tenant disputes.

According to Rochelle too many small landlords base their decision on who to rent to on whether they “like the person or not.”

Too many landlords rely on their “gut feeling” and don’t verify what the people who want to rent your rental property say.

Even when some landlords do a bit of digging they often don’t do it the right way.

Calling a reference the renter gives you might be a friend acting as a former landlord or former employer. They will tell you lies to help their pal rent from you…and rip you off!

Get Terrific Services for BC Landlords (for only a one time registration fee!)

Join us for an affordable one-time registration fee and get access to networking, the BC Landlord Rental Kit, and premium easy to use credit check services. 

Here’s what you get, it’s an incredible deal for landlords!

1. One time registration fee only

No annual membership fee. Once you join you never have to pay another cent. Compare this with other BC landlord groups who charge you $50 just to get set up, and then they keep on charging you year after year.

2. BC Landlord Rental Kit  

Get all the documents you need in your own Rental Kit library that you can download 24/7.

3.  Landlord Community Center and LANDLORD PROFESSIONAL Forum

Network with thousands of other landlords in BC and across Canada. Get tips and advice from a huge nation-wide network of experienced and successful landlords.

4. Handbooks and Manuals

Landlords can get ahead to the line with premium landlord education.

5. Premium Credit Checks

Start running premium credit checks on tenants to protect your investment.

Property Management Companies

You can join get our BC landlord services for a one time fee just like smaller residential landlords can. Why spend thousands of dollars when you can join our landlord and property management community?

BC Landlords Help

We are not affiliated with the government. We are run by successful residential landlords and property managers not bureaucrats getting salaries.  We have worked hard to offer the best deal possible to help landlords succeed.

Our group charges only a one-time registration fee for great services including premium tenant credit check service and access to the BC Landlord Rental Kit with leases and applications! There are not “annual fees” because we understand BC landlords are on a tight budget.

Join Us and Welcome To Our Community! Get Great Tools and Services For a Low One-Time Registration Fee (No Annual Fee!)  WE ARE REAL HELP FOR SMALL RESIDENTIAL LANDLORDS!

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British Columbia Landlords: Find Good Tenants! Use Credit Checks

Tuesday, April 15th, 2014

BC landlords good tenants credit check

Use our BC landlord services to Find Great Tenants And Avoid the Serial Bad Tenants Out There!

Get The Best Tenant Credit Checks Available! We Are Landlords and We Help Landlords!

ONLY A ONE-TIME SET UP FEE FOR PREMIUM CREDIT CHECKS AND THE RENTAL KIT AND MORE! 

The report of the CBC investigation of serial bad tenants is a huge wake-up call for landlords all across our province.

The report is about serial bad tenants who don’t pay rent.

It has landlords demanding a bad-tenant registry in British Columbia.

We had a Vancouver landlord email us the following:

“I also rented to some bad tenants. I was lucky they left owing only a month of rent and left the rental property pretty clean with the keys in the door.

I know see how lucky I was and will never rent to anyone without screening them properly!”

A landlord in Kelowna wrote in:

“This type of tenant scam happens all the time. Only now the media finally reported it!”

We even had an Alberta landlord write in with advice:

“Don’t wait for the government to do anything because they won’t. Make sure you check out anyone who wants to rent your property because this type of bad renter behaviour is happening not just in British Columbia.”

What Makes a Tenant A Good Tenant?

The good news is most of the tenants are there are good. These are the people you need to rent to. They treat you and your property with respect and pay the rent on time.

What is a Bad Tenant?

As we see from the CBC news report, bad tenants don’t pay the rent.

It’s also common for these types of tenants to cause damages to your rental property, leave a lot of garbage behind when they finally move, and cause a lot of drama with other tenants (and give their drama to you, the landlord).

How Can A Landlord Find Good Tenants? (And Avoid the Serial Ones)?

The most effective way is to be careful who you rent to.

A good tenant screening process includes a credit check.

It will provide you with a window on your tenant applicants financial history, as well as verify employment and past addresses.

What Will A Tenant Credit Check Show Me?

It’s exactly what successful landlords need to rent to the great tenants out there!

1. Credit Score

A credit score reveals the credit worthiness of a potential tenant.

If they have a history of paying their bills on time and being careful with the debts and finances it will result in a high credit score.

2. Current and Past Addresses

If any of the landlords had check their tenant’s credit they would have been able to see where they lived before and contacted those former landlords.

This way they would have found these tenants had a history of not-paying rent.

3. Employment

Are they currently employed? What about past employment?

4. Identification verification

Are they who they really say they are?

5. Past court judgments and other important information

Has anyone sued them and won a judgment against them? Do they owe anyone money? Are people chasing after them to try to collect debts owed?

All this is vital information about the people who are thinking of allowing into your investment property.

How Much Will This Cost?

Other groups charge members an annual fee to become a member.

Yikes! Those fees add up!

We don’t believe this is fair for small landlords.

For small landlords this large fee can add up, especially as you have to continue to pay year after year.

British Columbia Landlords – Get our services for only a one-time fee of only $99 and get access to the best credit checks available at a great price!

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Tenant Screening British Columbia: Fast and Affordable Tenant Credit Checks

Sunday, November 3rd, 2013

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We’re heard about a lot about the challenges British Columbia landlords faced this year.

Most of them involved residential landlords renting to tenants who didn’t pay their rent.

Or tenants who moved in and left leaving thousands of dollars in damages. It also included tenants who harassed their landlords.

Some tenants brag they feel justified in taking these actions because they claim landlords are ‘greedy.’

Tenant Screening

It’s essential landlords conduct proper tenant screening on prospective tenants.

In this day and age renting to someone based on a good conversation or a call to a previous landlord usually isn’t enough.

We’ve heard the stories.

Some of the worst “tenants from hell” were very charming when the landlord first met them.

Some had lots of personal references.This included glowing letters from ‘former landlords’ and ’employers’ and filled with promises to treat your rental property ‘as if it was their own.’

It is easy for landlords to find any kind of tenant for their rental property.  It is much more difficult to find the right tenant who will not pose a risk to your investment. 

There are lots of great tenants out there and you want to make sure you rent to them.

Garda Logo

How Can I Find Good Tenants?

Garda Background Screening Services is proud to partner with the the CLA to help owners screen prospective tenants using our secure online technology – available in French and English – with results available in as little as 24 hours.

Gardas customized suite of services includes a tenant credit check can help provide a snapshot of a renter’s financial history.

Fast and Efficient Tool For BC Landlords

Time-pressed landlords need a tenant screening process that is simple and easy to use. 

Potential renters need only to complete a  consent form. 

The consent form and two pieces of identification are faxed in toll free or emailed into a designated mailbox. 

Get our services and receive special rates.

Should you have any questions, our dedicated account representatives are here to help.

Payment is quick and easy.  Landlords can use a credit card.There are no account set up fees and no contracts to sign. 

British Columbia Landlords only pay for the services they use. 

Results of the checks are emailed to the landlord’s inbox in as little as one business day.

Let Garda help protect your investment and help ensure you find the right tenant.   

Garda is are the country’s largest Canadian-owned background screening company. Garda clients count on us to provide them with the tools to manage risk, reduce losses, and enhance security in a cost effective and timely manner.

Protect Your Investment

Landlords all over British Columbia are being careful who they rent to.

Join the our group and start doing premium credit checks with Canada’s leading background screening company.

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Education, Advocacy and Services For B.C. Landlords!

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012

BC landlords advice and help

Small residential landlords play an important role in providing high quality affordable housing in our province.

Small residential landlords play an important role in providing high quality affordable housing in our British Columbia.  Small landlords need to be listened to, our concerns heard, and actions taken to ensure we have the ability to continue to operate, make a profit, and continue to provide a high quality housing choice for tenants.

For too many years BC Landlords have lacked a voice and had no access to real help and real tools and services for success.  This website exists to help residential landlords succeed! Join our landlord community for a low one-time registration fee  (no annual fees).  We know small residential landlords are on tight budgets and we are here to help you. We offer you terrific services for only a one time fee…because we are small private landlords just like you!

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Posted in B.C. landlords, British Columbia landlords, Credit checks | 3 Comments »

BC LANDLORD PROTECTION Membership Is Now Available!

Thursday, March 5th, 0201

BC Landlord Protection Header

In These Challenging Times We Have Created A New Level Of Membership To Help BC Landlords Succeed

PROTECTION MEMBERSHIP Provides You With Tools & Services To Succeed For A ONE-TIME FEE

Landlords across the province know there are a lot of great renters out there. These are people who pay the rent on time and respect you and your rental property. They follow the rules and treat the rental like it’s their own home.

When you rent to these types of tenants being a landlord is a nice and often profitable experience. Being a BC landlord can be an exciting and profitable business.

Sure there are always stories of landlords facing problems in British Columbia.  But long term veterans know that if you have a professional tenant screening system and a strong network to assist you if any problems with tenants arise being a landlord can be fulfilling business investment. However, these same experienced landlords know we face new challenges.

BC Landlords Face A Lot of New Challenges

New landlords already know that one of the biggest challenges is the price just to buy your investment property.  We have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy a nice and attractive rental that good tenants are looking for.

With these types of prices we need to make sure we rent to tenants who pay on time and don’t make any damages. And while there are lots of great tenants out there, if you aren’t careful you ca get burned.

A Vancouver landlord was forced to set up a ‘Go Fund Me’ page after a tenant turned his rental condo into “brothel/ prostitute ring” and trashed his property.

BC landlords also face a lot of new rules such as the “vacancy tax” and more. What’s troubling is things that hard working landlords know are important for our success, such as allowing for fixed term leases, are being changed and it’s unfair.

We also have a new rent guideline formula.  For years we were allowed to raise the rent on existing tenants by the rate of inflation, plus an extra 2%.  So the rent increase guideline for 2019 was originally announce at 4.5%.

However, now the guideline has been changed and it’s only 2.5%.  Experienced landlords know our costs are going up and 2.5% is too low.

The list goes on and on (including legal marijuana) with one common theme: more rights for bad tenants and less rights for good landlords.

It’s why BC landlords need to network and help each other like never before.

A New Level Of Membership: BC LANDLORD PROTECTION MEMBERSHIP

With all these new challenges our BC team of landlords has come up with PROTECTION Membership to help landlords succeed. 

LANDLORD PROTECTION BUTTON LARGE

We’re landlords too and have “skin in the game” and are not bureaucrats getting a salary to ineffectively “defend landlord interests” with many false facts.  We know how important it is for landlords to protect ourselves and our rental properties!

For only an affordable one-time registration fee (no yearly fee) BC landlords get access to a ton of amazing tools and services that can’t be beat. Here are some of the benefits of membership:

BC Landlord Rental Kit

Get access to applications, notices and everything you need in our online library available to you 24/7.

Access To The Forums, Including the Private Members Forum Not Seen By The General Public

Network with other BC landlords and property managers as well as experienced landlords from across Canada to help you and your rental business succeed. In our Private Members Forum posts are not available to the general public and everyone is a verified landlord

Discounts on Premium Credit Checks

Get huge discounts on premium credit checks. We have partnered with Rent Check. They have over 40 years of experience in the industry and their checks PROTECT YOU FROM POTENTIAL COMPLAINTS TO THE PRIVACY COMMISSIONER AND THE HUMAN RIGHTS BUREAU. Rent Check is no intrusive and for only $9.99 you protect yourself.

Criminal Checks To Add To Your Tenant Screening System

We now offer low cost criminal checks to make sure you protect your rental property.

Insurance Discounts

Get access to great insurance products for a big discount

Property Management Software

Manage your rentals the right way with discounts on terrific property management software.

Become a BC Landlord PROTECTION Member and Get Amazing Tools and Services To Help Your Rental Business Succeed and Make Profits!

All for a one-time registration fee!  We help landlords because we’re landlords too!

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