August 10th, 2012
Toronto city council: Proposal could mean mandatory air conditioning for renters
What’s the Story?
Two members of Toronto City Council want to re-evaluate laws determining temperatures for rental units.
Isn’t there already a Law?
Yes, there are laws for minimum temperatures. This means landlords must maintain a certain temperature in their rentals during the Winter months.
So What Is the Concern?
Matlow’s motion could lead to legally mandatory air conditioners for ever tenant. He said his idea might “inconvenience” landlords, however “it’s not only totally worthwhile, I think it’s a basic right and expectation. It’s not only a quality of life issue it’s a basic health issue.”
Did He Discuss the Costs Involved For this “Idea”?
No.
Certainly Matlow Spoke about How this Would Conflict with His Proposals on Green Energy?
No.
New air conditioning units in all rental properties would lead to a vast increase in energy consumption.
Doesn’t the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) Cover This Already?
The RTA already allows landlords and tenants to agree to terms that would allow air conditioners to be installed. Tenants pay for the true costs of this service.
So Matlow’s Proposal Wants Landlords to Pay for What Tenants Can Already Get?
Yes. Tenants can get the service if they pay for it.
Matlow Wants Landlords to “Eat the Costs”
It appears so.
This Proposal Seems Silly and Harmful to Landlords and Tenants!
Yes again.
The Ontario Landlords Association hopes Toronto Council look at the big picture with this proposal. We ask them to take a look and give sincere consideration to the overall social /economic/environmental impact of their ideas.
Trying to curry tenant votes for the next election, at the expense of our environment and the landlords who provide housing to tenants all over Ontario, is short-sighted, selfish, and destructive.
We hope the Councillors realize this. We also hope voters realize it.
To discuss this issue welcome to the Ontario Landlord Forums. The debate over this issue can be found here.
What a stupid idea! What is wrong with Toronto?
As always there are 2 sides to this.
As a renter, the temperature in my unit easily exceed 35 degrees in the summer, even with the windows open, and a fan.
Because I’m not crazy, and don’t want to roast my cats during the summer months, we bought an AC unit for the main room; unfortunately, the unit is older and has only 2 prong outlets available.
We’re looking to eventually purchase a home that will allow us to rent. While I don’t want my tenants to die from heat stroke in the top floor, I hope that the cost of the extra power is borne by them. I can supply the unit, that’s not expensive, its the power.
Also, as was pointed out, the power costs to the province could be serious. How many people will try to turn their apartments in to meat lockers, outting the temp to 17 degrees ona 30 degree day?
Well, my landlord cut down all of the trees on the south side of the building. I used to get along without air conditioning just fine, but now its always way too hot. The excuse was that there were going to be renovations to the front of the building. This was 5 years ago. As the building is old, there aren’t hydro meters for the individual apartments. The landlord wants $250 per season for the use of an air conditioner, and will not provide or install one. Energuide says the A/C unit will cost about $50 per season. So. Did why did the landlord cut down the trees? To squeeze $50 more per month from his tenants.
You know it’s not like there aren’t a lot of landlords out there looking to make a buck off this (I’m not saying all are.) I’ve been renting the same apartment for 10 years next month. I pay my rent on time every month, I keep to myself and I don’t damage the unit or make a lot of noise. I’m a good tenant.
My landlord (who bought the building about 2 years ago) has been a nightmare. My old landlord used to charge me $100/season (his figure, not mine) to run two 5000 BTU’s because my apartment was unliveable in the summertime otherwise, even then it only took the edge off, still wasn’t really cool. Every year he’d increase the fee by the same percentage he’d increase the rent. I was good with that and I didn’t run the AC every day or when it wasn’t necessary.
Then the new landlord bought the building and that summer refused to take the caps off the AC sleeves until tenants signed to accept their hydro (which had previously been included in our rent.) They didn’t tell us our rights either and just very subtly made it obvious that we would not be able use our ACs unless we did what they wanted. They also informed us that they would be charging $50 to each tenant to install/remove the ACs and that no one else but them was allowed to do it. None of this was legal but it took me threatening to go to the LTB and the newspaper before they relented. As it is, some tenants fell for it and signed for their hydro with only a tiny reduction in their rent. In the end I paid the same as I usually did.
The next summer they asked for $150 seasonal fee but said they would install/remove my units so I agreed. However, this year they issued a memo to all tenants putting the cost for me to circa $400 for the same service they only asked $150 for last year! When I tried to negotiate, they refused to even talk about it. I don’t even run the AC’s when I’m not home AND I tend to not run them every day either. If I don’t need to run both, I don’t.
After they refused to even speak to me on the issue, I had to contact the Landlord and Tenant Board who advised me that fee was definitely illegal and I got back to them and they still refused to budge. Finally I had to tell them I would be calling the local newspaper to tell them about the illegal fees and the situation and then they suddenly changed their minds. So it’s not always tenants who are at fault. I’m a very reasonable tenant and this landlord likes to screw his tenants around when he can…