Landlord and Tenant Forums: By Landlords For Landlords

Landlords left in the lurch


This is a question our family has been forced to look at this past year. This is also a huge warning to potential landlords.

We have had a home in Barrie and paid taxes to the city of Barrie for over 18 years now. Last year our family returned out west to work. We engaged a very large property management company in Barrie to lease our home. Its fees were called ‘Full service’ and its brochure advertised ‘Peace of Mind’.

This could not have been further from the truth.

The tenants placed in our home had bad credit, a very bad history of past evictions in Barrie and were known to the police. We then discovered the only reference that this company did have was a phone call to the tenants’ aunt.

When alerted, the company kindly gave us 30 days notice and left us on the other side of the country to deal with it. We then went through the legal process to have these people move off the property.

Of course, when we questioned as to ‘Why?’ people that have been evicted multiple times should be allowed to go through the system on a continual basis and hurt other families, we were told, ‘It was private and confidential.’

The day before eviction, County of Simcoe stepped in and paid the tenants’ bill in full.

In a nutshell, Ontario Works funded people, known to the police who do not pay one penny in rent, do not pay any utilities (which, we have been told will be added to our taxes) and do not even cut their grass.

We are now into August. The tenants continue to live for free and we are now faced with going through the whole legal process again.

We now have more than 8,000 in debts and legal fees. Who pays our bills?

Our family is close to financial ruin.

The government offices have offered no assistance whatsoever to our family.

The local MPs were not interested, the city is not interested.

The final irony; the insurance companies are now revoking policies to people who live out of province and have rental properties.

The government is crying there is not enough housing.

We will never rent again and we could lose our home because of it. If there is damage done to our property, who should be held responsible. The property management company? The County of Simcoe? What is wrong with the system?

There is a great deal wrong when funding goes to those, who year after year, live dishonestly and are rewarded for their deeds.

– Mary-Jane Fogel

Duncan, B.C.
http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/2012/0 ... -the-lurch

This is so true. With sooo many stories like this it's simply amazing the government hasn't acted.

In a nutshell, Ontario Works funded people, known to the police who do not pay one penny in rent, do not pay any utilities (which, we have been told will be added to our taxes) and do not even cut their grass.

Sadly many landlords have experienced problem with these tenants.

-the only tenants I have ever evicted where also on welfare.

Remember skitter one "know it all" tenant poster here basically admitted to welfare/ODSP fraud in numerous posts and was rather proud of himself for it.

This shows how broken the system is.

To the OP have you reported them to welfare fraud?

Every community has a hotline or you can use the 1-800 #..

http://niagara.cioc.ca/record/NIA3840

Also call the CAS and SPCA if they have children or pets as they are usually abusing and or neglecting them.

I read about so many bad tenants who are also on welfare. The government should do a careful study on the situation or who will want to rent to people on welfare?

they don't want to rent to people on welfare because they realize that they destroy everything they touch. That's why they are using the Human Right's Commissions to force us to not discriminate against them.

I currently have an OW prospective tenant. I have empty spaces in my rooming house. But, I want tenants there. The past times I've had OW persons, they don't fit into the international students lifestyle. They hang around all day long. And he has a girlfriend with 5 children. Concerned they may be over to visit. He is emailing again and again. I got his info. for a security check. I'd rather find someone else so I can tell him "I've found somebody more suitable". He is being kicked out of where he lives now because he lives with his girlfriend who is in subsidized housing and (I believe) also on OW.

I've taken a chance, many times, with OW tenants. But after years of being burned (I loose other tenants if I make a mistake on a tenant....living in a rooming house is close living) I am now gun shy of renting to the wrong person (not just OW's persons, but anyone my that makes my gut scream "NO").

So, I have empty rooms right now....and even though it's not great financially, I think a wrong decision would result on me coming to this forum in a panic down the road.

He is being kicked out of where he lives now because he lives with his girlfriend who is in subsidized housing and (I believe) also on OW.

-so he is a thief and commiting welfare fraud.

I think you know the answer to you concerns regarding having him as a tenant.

Oh, I do know Skitter. I'm just holding off telling him until I actually DO have somebody else in the room. It'll be easier...and less likely to result in an LTB issue....my gut is telling me he might be problematic in this area.

Where's the uproar about tenant cases being so difficult to proceed?

I forgot to mention....he said (after giving me his application) "Since I've given you the information you require, I need you to complete my Intent To Rent form". WTH, that form gets filled out AFTER I accept you, not before. Insanity

Insane. Talk about pushing the envelop.

JanetS, I hope some good honest tenants realize what a good landlord they will be getting if they rent from you.

[quote="JanetS"]I forgot to mention....he said (after giving me his application) "Since I've given you the information you require, I need you to complete my Intent To Rent form".

yeah right!

ANOTHER RED FLAG!!

REJECTED

Thank you Lee. I think I'm a great Landlord, but I'm not the pushover I once was. I'm still too soft, but not nearly the fool I was....when trends happen (OW tenants are more often problems than others), then one cannot help but worry. Would I rent to an OW person again....sure. But, my radar is up now. I have to rent to tenants who are not going to cause me to loose sleep. OW tenants are "more" likely (though not guaranteed) to do that. And, other tenants (not on OW) also have signs that they are bad news. I listen to my gut a bit more than I used to.

I know this doesn't help you with your situation, but I read all your posts and admire you for being a great landlord and also being tough against tenants who don't have your best interests at heart.

You are the perfect landlord for good tenants!

You are an awesome person!