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TENANTS CAN NOW GET A FREE LAWYER TO HELP YOU FIGHT YOUR LANDLORD!

Monday, March 1st, 2021

EVICTION HELP: THE TENANT-LAWYER CONNECTION PORTAL

There was an excellent story by CBC news explaining how Tenants can now get free legal help from an Ontario lawyer.

YES, FREE LEGAL HELP FROM AN ONTARIO LAWYER.

Unlike the venomous “work for the highest bidder” low-life legal reps that want to evict tenants, hurt families and destroy lives, there are lots of good lawyers out there.

They are successful already and don’t have to be “bottom-feeders” like what many landlords are hiring to try to destroy tenant lives. Tenants face so many scary challenges these days. It ranges from defamation and illegal tenants lists (direct link here)  to landlords not keeping the rental property safe from fires.

Good lawyers believe in justice and fairness and they can protect you from the low-class sharks that are used as weapons against Tenants during the current corrupt LTB Hearing system.

They aren’t desperate to make a “quick buck” abusing the system to please their landlord paymasters.

A Lawyer Is Like Your Bodyguard Against Landlord Bullies!

“DON’T BULLY MY CLIENT LANDLORD! OBEY THE LAW OR GET WRECKED!”

Having your own lawyer makes sure your landlords treat you with respect! If they think you are weak they will bully you, but if they know you are protected they will change their tune fast!

The Ontario Bar Association has launched a new pro bono legal service to help tenants at risk of losing their homes when residential evictions resume across the province in the coming weeks.

The enforcement of eviction orders was paused in Ontario when the provincial government introduced a stay-at-home order on Jan. 14 to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Evictions have since resumed across most of the province, though the moratorium will remain for Toronto, Peel Region and North Bay-Parry Sound until at least March 8.

Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Board is expected to begin processing a growing backlog of cases as enforcement resumes more widely across the province.

“There will be a wave of hearings,” said Doug Ferguson, the bar association’s chair of pro bono work.

“And there will be a wave of evictions.”

The new service offers 30 minutes of free legal advice for tenants facing eviction hearings.

‘Tenants are stuck’

Ferguson said lawyers who volunteer for the program will walk clients through their tenant rights, and help them to negotiate agreements with landlords, such as deferring payments or delaying an eventual move-out date.

The goal, he said, is to better prepare tenants for hearings that have the potential to fundamentally disrupt their lives.

“The tenants are stuck,” Ferguson said. “When you don’t have the legal training or the information you need, it makes it very difficult to make your point.”

The bar association says it has enough volunteer lawyers to assist 100 clients per week. Some tenants in particularly complicated situations may receive more than the 30 minutes of free counsel, if the lawyer agrees to help them further.

The provincial government says it encourages tenants and landlords to reach “fair arrangements,” such as deferring rent or finding alternative payment arrangements.

Thousands of Toronto tenants facing evictions

Renters across Canada have reported difficulty making their rent throughout the pandemic, mainly due to job losses and increased economic instability.

A survey released in January by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation found that rent arrears increased nationally due to COVID-19, with 58.3 per cent of survey respondents reporting a higher rent arrears rate in 2020 than the previous year.

Toronto recorded the highest arrears rate, with 34,858 units, more than 10 per cent of the city’s rental stock, in arrears in 2020. The estimated amount of unpaid rent reached $55 million in Toronto last year.

Kiri Vadivelu is among the thousands of local tenants in arrears and now facing eviction. He hasn’t paid rent at his Scarborough apartment since April 2020 when he lost his job as a security guard.

“It is extremely, extremely frightening because if my landlord can evict me, I have no means to pay, and I have [nowhere] to go. What am I going to do?” said Vadivelu.

He and his wife are awaiting the birth of their first child this spring.

“I’m afraid our family is going to be homeless.”

Vadivelu is also an organizer with the tenant advocacy group Toronto ACORN, which has called on the provincial government to ban all residential evictions, hearings and orders until the pandemic ends.

The Ontario NDP has made similar demands.

Ferguson, of the bar association, did not echo those calls, though he did raise similar concerns about the possibility of tenants across the province being pushed out of their homes.

“At this point in the pandemic, to have thousands of people homeless cannot be good for our communities,” he said.

“Not good for public health and not good for our economy.”

Don’t Estimate The Depths Landlord Desperate Legal Reps Will Go!

“I will evict each and everyone of these tenants so I can finally make enough cash to buy my Ferrari and Miami beach luxury condo!”

Tenants know that landlords (including small landlords) are hiring expensive legal help to try to steamroll Tenants and kick us out of our homes.

Get Help Here.

With LTB hearings now online, many Tenants claim adjudicators (judges) at the Landlord and Tenant Board are stomping on our legal and human rights!

Make sure you get a free lawyer and make sure your landlord knows you have a lawyer helping you so they must RESPECT YOU!

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Posted in bill 184, COVID-19, evictions, Good Tenant Tips, Landlord and tenant board hearing, Landlord and Tenant News, landlord credit bureau | Comments Off on TENANTS CAN NOW GET A FREE LAWYER TO HELP YOU FIGHT YOUR LANDLORD!

Eviction Enforcement Resumes

Tuesday, February 9th, 2021

Date:              February 9, 2021

TO:                 Ontario Landlord Association Stakeholders

FROM:           Karen Restoule, Associate Chair and Lynn Dicaire, Registrar 

RE:                 Eviction Enforcement Resumes

On February 8, 2021 the government announced that residential eviction enforcement will resume in three public health unit regions on Wednesday, February 10, 2021:

  • Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
  • Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health
  • Renfrew County and District Health Unit

In these three regions, the Court Enforcement Office (Sheriff) may enforce all Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) eviction orders. To find out which public health unit your rental unit is located in, enter the postal code in the Ministry of Health’s Public Health Unit Locator.

In all other regions of the province, previously announced restrictions on enforcement of LTB evictions orders by the Sheriff remain in effect. In those regions, the Sheriff cannot enforce an LTB eviction order unless the order asks the Sheriff to expedite the enforcement. If you believe the LTB should request an expedited eviction, please raise the issue at your hearing.

The government may make further changes to the list of public health unit regions subject to these restrictions in the weeks to come.

The LTB continues to hold hearings for all types of applications and issue orders, including orders for evictions. This will help ensure that tenants and landlords seeking resolution from the LTB are provided access to justice with minimal service delays.

Please continue to refer to our website for operational updates. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

Sincerely,

[original signed by]               [original signed by]

Karen Restoule                    Debbie Koukouves, on behalf of Lynn Dicaire

Associate Chair                    Registrar

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Posted in evictions, landlord advocacy, Landlord and tenant board hearing, Landlord and Tenant News, Landlord laws, Landlord Legal Problems, landlord solutions, landlordcreditbureau, Ontario landlord advocacy, Sherrif | Comments Off on Eviction Enforcement Resumes

Landlord and Tenant Board Expanding Access to Technology for Proceedings

Monday, February 1st, 2021

January 27, 2021

TO:                  Ontario Landlord Association Stakeholders

FROM:            Karen Restoule, Associate Chair, Lynn Dicaire, Registrar,  LTB

RE:                  Landlord and Tenant Board Expanding Access

The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) is continuing its efforts to improve operations and enhance the quality of dispute resolution for the thousands of people across the province who access its services.

Last year, we heard from you that some Ontarians have difficulty participating in their hearing by telephone or videoconference because of a lack of access to the necessary technology. This feedback has been important to helping us identify opportunities to improve parties’ experience with the board. In doing so, we have carefully assessed and evaluated the LTB’s ability to provide access to technology, while also ensuring the safety of LTB staff and participants.

Today, we are pleased to announce that starting February 1, the LTB is expanding options to address requests for alternative hearing formats for parties in Toronto who do not have access to a telephone, computer and/or the internet.

LTB parties who need access to a computer and telephone terminal may be accommodated at the 15 Grosvenor Hearing Centre in Toronto. Parties who have received a Notice of Hearing and have contacted the LTB to make their request will be considered for access to the terminal. The LTB will evaluate each request on a case-by-case basis and respond with its decision to grant or deny the request. If the request is granted, the party using the terminal will participate in their hearing electronically.

A room will be set up to include a computer and telephone to support the party’s participation. Staff will only be available to help applicants who require technical assistance with the computer and/or telephone. A party can bring two additional individuals into the hearing centre for the proceeding. If the party needs to bring additional individuals, they should ask the LTB before the hearing; such requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Tribunals Ontario is committed to safeguarding the health and well-being of staff, and participants, and has implemented safety protocols and enhanced cleaning at the 15 Grosvenor Hearing Centre. Everyone entering the hearing centre will be required to complete an on-site COVID-19 screening assessment before entry and must adhere to all safety measures inside the hearing centre. Individuals who are deemed inadmissible through the screening assessment will not be permitted entry. Front-line counter services remain closed until further notice.

Tribunals Ontario will evaluate this new pilot initiative and determine if and how it may be improved upon and expanded to other tribunals and hearing centres across the province.

We will continue to monitor COVID-19 developments and will update our practices and procedures based on advice from the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Officer of Health, and public health officials.

The LTB remains committed to updating you with regard to operational planning and is appreciative of your patience and cooperation as we continue to adjust our operations in response to the ongoing pandemic.

Sincerely,

[Original signed by]         [Original signed by]

Karen Restoule

Associate Chair

 Lynn Dicaire

Registrar

 

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Posted in COVID-19, Credit checks, evictions, landlord advocacy, Landlord and Tenant Board, Landlord and tenant board hearing, Landlord and Tenant News, landlord credit bureau, landlord legal | Comments Off on Landlord and Tenant Board Expanding Access to Technology for Proceedings

Ontario Residential Evictions Will Not Be Enforced

Thursday, January 14th, 2021

Small Ontario landlords from all across the province were shocked when news broke that evictions would not be enforced during the latest emergency lock down.

After waiting for months and months, small landlords were happy to find the  Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) finally re-opened and began having video hearings.

Not getting rent created severe financial challenges for thousands of small ‘mom and pop’ landlords all over Ontario.

You Waited For Months, Got The Legal Eviction (Because You Were Right) And Now Tenants Can Still Stay While Not Paying

Many small landlords have had to sell their rental properties or max out their credit cards just to stay solvent. Others trusted the system and held on and got their eviction order in the past couple of months.

Getting An Eviction Order From the LTB Is Step #1

When you get an eviction order and your tenants don’t move landlords must hire (and pay a lot of money to) the Sheriff aka “Court Enforcement Office”.

This is Step #2

The Sheriff has the right to remove tenants who don’t follow the eviction order. They “enforce” the order and make sure justice is served.

Step #2 Has Now Been Stopped In Most Cases

So you waited for months, finally got your LTB Hearing, you won and now you want to take your home back.

Not anymore. Enforcement is now cancelled in most cases (such as non-payment of rent).

These are challenging times and the LTB reached out to the Ontario Landlords Association to explain.

 

January 14, 2021

 TO:                 Ontario Landlords Association Stakeholders

FROM:           Karen Restoule, Associate Chair, Lynn Dicaire, Registrar

 RE:                 Announcement on Temporary Pause Evictions

Today, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing announced a temporary residential evictions moratorium effective January 14, 2021 during the provincial declaration of emergency and while the stay-at-home-order is in force.

At this time, the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) will continue to hold hearings for all types of applications and issue orders, including orders for evictions. This will help ensure that tenants and landlords seeking resolution from the LTB are provided access to justice with minimal service delays.

The LTB will continue to conduct hearings by videoconference, phone or in writing to protect the health and safety of Ontarians.

As set out in regulation, most eviction orders will not be enforced by the Court Enforcement Office (Sheriff’s Office) while in effect.

We continue to encourage landlords and tenants to work together to resolve their disputes during this challenging time.

The LTB is carefully monitoring the situation and operational changes, if any, will be posted to our website.

We are open to and welcome your feedback as we value your perspective on landlord and tenant matters. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

We remain committed to providing fair, effective and timely access to justice.

Sincerely,

[original signed by]       [original signed by]

Karen Restoule

Associate Chair

 Lynn Dicaire

Registrar

Experienced And Professional OLA Members Worry: How Long Will the Emergency Continue And Evictions Not Be Enforced?

We all hope the emergency lock down ends soon. But what if it doesn’t? That will mean small “mom and pop” landlords who provide high quality, affordable housing all over Ontario will suffer.

We are working class people who have invested to create the type of excellent and safe rental properties we always were looking for when we rented.

Allowing non-paying tenants to stay in our homes, or landlords who need to move back to their rental property home to frozen out will be a disaster.

Small landlords are not corporate landlords who have millions of dollars in their vaults and foreign investors to bankroll them.

We are people, who work, follow the system, and want to succeed.

We need to prepare now for an extended lock down to protect small landlords.

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Posted in COVID-19, Doug Ford, evictions, landlord advocacy, Landlord and Tenant Board Appeal, Landlord and Tenant News, naborly, Notice to Terminate at End of the Term for Landlord’s or Purchaser’s Own Use (N12), Ontario landlord advocacy | Comments Off on Ontario Residential Evictions Will Not Be Enforced

Attention Tenants: Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) Is NOT FOR PAYING RENT (legally you don’t have to use it to pay rent!)

Thursday, October 22nd, 2020

Don’t Be Tricked! Don’t Be Bullied! The CRB Is For Helping You Survive! LTB Adjudicators Will Understand & Agree Not Using It To Pay Rent (and won’t evict you!)

The CRB programme was created to help workers who continue to need support for our families. This means these emergency funds given are to make sure you have enough to eat, the cloth your family in harsh winter conditions, to buy medicine, and for other daily necessities.

It is NOT for paying rent.

It was not designed to go to tenants and then transferred to landlords (who have their own programs to get rent) during these frightening times! If you do not pay rent you can explain to this to a judge or LTB adjudicator and you will not be evicted!

Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)

While many Canadians have seen their jobs come back and have returned to work since the start of the pandemic, the Government of Canada recognizes that there remain other workers in sectors that have been particularly hit hard who continue to need support.

That is why, today, the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Chrystia Freeland, and the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, announced the introduction of Bill C-2, to create three new temporary Recovery Benefits to support Canadians who are unable to work for reasons related to COVID-19. These new Benefits are being proposed as part of the Government of Canada’s plan to support Canadians as we work to build back a stronger, more resilient economy. Since the introduction of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) in the early days of the pandemic, at a time when we asked Canadians to stay home, close to 9 million Canadians have received the Benefit to help to pay their bills and support their families.

The Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) gives income support to employed and self-employed individuals who are directly affected by COVID-19 and are not entitled to Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. The CRB is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

If you are eligible for the CRB, you can receive $1,000 ($900 after taxes withheld) for a 2-week period.

If your situation continues past 2 weeks, you will need to apply again. You may apply up to a total of 13 eligibility periods (26 weeks) between September 27, 2020 and September 25, 2021.

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/recovery-benefit.html

My Landlord Is A Bully! If She Tries To Evict Me What Can I Do?

“Pay now or I will evict you! I have payments for my BMWs to make!”

Many (not all) landlords are bullies who don’t even know the law.

Don’t worry at all.

1. The Process Will Take Over a Year To Get  Hearing HAHAHAHA

First of all, it your landlord will have to serve you an N4 (pay rent) which is just a request for the money. Then if you ignore if they have to get a “hearing” date at the LTB which will take at least a year.

2. At The Hearing You Can Easily Explain Why You Didn’t Pay Rent

In Ontario housing is a “human right” and not just a business transaction. This is why the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board is part of the Social Justice tribunal system. Most landlords don’t even know this!

At the Hearing you will get free legal aid to help you. Yes, all tenants no matter what your income.

Then you just explain why you needed CRB and what your struggles are. Make sure to be very dramatic and perhaps even cry and wear old clothes at your Hearing to make sure the message gets across to the Adjudicator.

If you do this YOU WILL NOT BE EVICTED!

At most you will be given a looooonnnnnggggg term payment plan, but you won’t be evicted! You might have to pay an extra $10/month once the pandemic is over LOL!

Yes, the Ford government is tenant-friendly! They don’t want the media to report on “mass evictions” so they put the burn on landlords which is rad!

Make sure you text or email your landlord about your problems and ask them to understand your situation. An email like this:

“Dear ____, During these difficult times I’m unable to pay rent due to. __ and ___ and ___. Please understand my situation as I want to pay but simply cannot due to this horrible pandemic. I am open to communication with and ask you to respect the extremely difficult times I face. I will pay you in full as soon as I can, but now I must protect my life and the lives of my family!”

***MAKE SURE YOU DOCUMENT EVERYTHING, EXPECIALLY YOUR EMAILS/TEXTS TO YOUR LANDLORD (WITH DATES!) AS EVIDENCE

Landlords want your money for their new cars and vacations!

3. What If My Landlord Offered Me A Payment Plan?

You can choose to agree, but it’s best to disagree. Just make sure you have a record of why you disagreed.

(For example “I need money for my baby!” or “I want to make a payment plan but am worried about being able to pay food and can’t find work, please understand my situation!”)

4. What If My Landlord Harasses Me Or Locks Me Out?

Call the police.

This is a landlord tenant matter and the landlord MUST LET YOU IN!

Tenants Are More Powerful Than We Think!

In Ontario there are strong laws to protect tenants. But most tenants are not aware of our legal rights and don’t fight our landlords!

Many tenants don’t even go to their Landlord and Tenant Board Hearing, which means the landlord wins “automatically” when if you just show up, get free legal aid, you will !

If You Show Up And Fight Back You Will Win!

SO SHOW UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tenants all over, in this global pandemic make sure you enforce your LEGAL RIGHTS.

Most landlord victories at the LTB are because tenants didn’t show up!

Don’t feel afraid, feel ENERGIZED! Feel Proud! You Have Rights And Your Future Is Looking Good! You Will Win If:

– You Fight Back.

-You Get Free Legal Help.

-You Show Up For Your Hearing.(!)

-You Don’t Be Bullied

-You Don’t Be Demotivated.

And you will Win…Yes you will! Love yourself and fight hard with fellow tenants across Ontario!

IT’S YOUR RIGHT TO NOT PAY RENT DURING A PANDEMIC!

REMEMBER TO GET FREE LEGAL HELP AND THEY WILL FIGHT BACK FOR YOU!!!

TENANTS FREE LEGAL HELP!

USE IT TO DEFEAT YOUR LANDLORD AND PROTECT YOUR TENANT RIGHTS!

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Posted in COVID-19, evictions, Good Tenant Tips, Human Rights Code, Landlord and tenant board hearing, Landlord and Tenant News, landlord tenant board ontario, landlordcreditbureau, n12, Notice to Terminate at End of the Term for Landlord’s or Purchaser’s Own Use (N12) | Comments Off on Attention Tenants: Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) Is NOT FOR PAYING RENT (legally you don’t have to use it to pay rent!)

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