Posts Tagged ‘Tenant rights’

BC Landlords Can Raise the Rent 1.4 % in 2021

Friday, September 4th, 2020

How Much Can A Landlord in BC Raise the Rent Next Year?

British Columbia landlords can raise the rent by up to 1.4% in 2021

How is the Rent Increase Guideline Calculated?

The rate is based on inflation. Unlike in past years only the inflation rate is used.

How Does This Compare to Other Provinces?

In Ontario, landlords are faced with the 2021 rent increase being capped at 0%

How Do I Give My Tenants Notice I’m Going to Raise the Rent?

Rent increase documents are available from government Residential Tenancy Branch here

What Does the BCLA Recommend Landlords Due Regarding the Rent Increase Guideline for 2021?

We recommend BC landlords raise the rent the maximum amount of 1.4% in 2021.

PAY YOUR RENT CAMPAIGN 2020

Monday, May 4th, 2020

Smart Tenants Will Pay Rent & Cooperate With Your Landlord For a Win-Win Situation

Small landlords know the challenges tenants face.  Because we faced them too!  Many us were renters before.

We want to work with you to keep you renting from us.

Please know that just because we own a rental property, or rent out our basement, doesn’t mean we are rich. We aren’t.

Many of us are working class people who have decided to avoid the crazy stock market and buy a rental property to help us when we retire.

We need rent to be paid so we can also survive and want to cooperate with you to make sure we have a win-win relationship. We have to pay our mortgage, property taxes, insurance, maintenance.

There are calls saying “Don’t Pay Rent” all over social media

We want to make sure tenants know good landlords want to work with you for all of us surviving.

We support tenants in need, but many of us are also on the financial edge!

To prove our support, thousands of landlords and this association are lobbying both the provincial and federal government to create a nation-wide “rent bank” that will help tenants in need get grants or low-cost loans to pay rent.

This will make sure there is no “landlord-tenant” conflicts or haggling and keep landlords in business and tenants safe in their rental homes.

Something similar to the Canada student loan system where people in temporary need get financial help from the government.

Landlords want to work with tenants (and tenant groups) to make this happen. And happen fast!

Avoid The “Don’t Pay Your Rent” Memes and Media

This isn’t a poor tenant vs. a rich evil landlord issue.

It’s a working class tenant facing challenges renting from a working class small landlord who is also facing challenges.

If you don’t pay rent (like so many are saying) it will lead to eventually being evicted with large debts, and your search for a new home will include no reference and bad credit.

Good Landlords and Good Tenants Working Together

Tenants make sure you pay your rent on time, or work it out with your landlord.

Short term easy answers like “don’t pay rent” will lead to unnecessary problems for tenants a few months from now.

These groups should be joining us to lobby for a nation-wide rent bank to truly help tenants instead of wanting to “stick it to the landlord” (which only lead to legal issues down the road). But it’s so sexy to be a revolutionary, right?

Be Smart

If you can’t pay rent work things out with your landlord who will give you a discount or deferred payments.

Paying Rent or Cooperating With Your Landlord On A Fair Payment Plan Is the Smart Move!

More “Rights” Coming for BC Tenants?

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012

May 22, 2012

 

Fight, Fight, Fight or a Search for Social Justice?

According to a story in the Peacearch News, BC tenants with may soon find it easier to fight their landlords.

The Surrey government has asked the Lower Mainland Local Government Association to lobby the province to amend the British Columbia Residential Tenancy Act.

Amend the BC RTA?

Surry councilor Judy Villeneuve received unanimous council support for a resolution calling for a change in Part 5 of the Residential Tenancy Act.

What is Part 5 of the Residential Tenancy Act about?

Part 5 of the RTA states how tenants can enforce their ‘tenant rights’ against landlords.  Tenants who have issues with their landlords must now go to court and present and prove their case.

So What’s Wrong With That?

According to Villeneuve having to make and defend your case is too difficult and too bureaucratic for tenants.

The Surrey resolution states:  “Tenants who wish to enforce their rights under the RTA must navigate a complex bureaucratic and legal process and be prepared to spend significant amounts of time and money to engage the process.”  It goes on to say “Creating barriers for tenants to access the RTA, especially tenants with low incomes of vulnerabilities.”

Villeneuve goes on to voice her concern that many rental properties in British Columbia were built 25 to 30 years ago.  She says “Tenants are living in untenable situations.”

Wait a Minute.  To Create More Private Rentals You Increase Government Interference in the Market?

Villeneuve and Surrey Council seem to think so.  Which is strange because even the former Ontario NDP government under Premier Bob Rae found out otherwise.  Our friends at the Ontario Landlords Association explain the NDP 1991 rent increase exemption here.

Let’s hope Villeneuve and Surrey Councilors come together and rent out their basements and invest in some private multiplexes to help create more high quality, new rental stock in the province.

Don’t hold your breath.