Archive for the ‘Good Tenant Tips’ Category

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!

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

Friday, September 11th, 2020

My name is Laura and I post under my name on the Ontario 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

 

I Paid My LL Full Rent (Because I Don’t Want To Move!)

Tuesday, August 25th, 2020

I wanted to send this in and hope it gets published because hopefully it will provide a different perspective on the rental crisis we are all facing.

My landlords are a working couple who live very close to where my place is. They are very nice and we get along well. The property is in a nice area and my kids go to the local schools (which are excellent and my kids love it).

We are near parks and good shopping and my rent is affordable

Lots Of People Are Telling Me “You Don’t Have To Pay Rent

Last March my email box was full of my friends who rent saying we didn’t need to pay rent and would not have to worry about being evicted.

It’s sounded too good to be true…and I’m always worried when things sound like this.

I looked into it more and it was really confusing because Premier Ford said it and lots of groups like “don’t pay rent” were telling renters not to pay.

I Called My Landlords

When this all came out I called my landlords and discussed this with them. They told me if people don’t pay rent, they will end up paying just later on.

They also told me they depend on my rent to keep the property going.

They are heavily mortgaged, pay tons of taxes and didn’t raise the rent on me because they want to keep me renting from them.

If They Don’t Get Rent They Will Have To Sell

They told me that honestly they aren’t making any money from owning the property as unlike in downtown Toronto house prices are not increasing where we live and taxes and fees keep going up.

They said frankly if I don’t pay they would have to sell the house.

Sell The House…My Home…Where My Kids Are Growing Up In?

I know they were sincere and honest and finally saw things through their “eyes”.

They are working class people like me and I can see how they bought the property hoping it will help them in their retirement but they will only make “big money” if houses appreciate (which I doubt they ever will here.)

Love The House, And It’s Our Home…So Let’s Pay Rent

Knowing the facts of the matter I paid rent throughout and will pay in full again in September. I’m back to work and things are getting better.

We pay affordable rent and love the place and my landlords are cool and I have a better relationship than ever…And they promised never to sell the house if I want to stay!

I Worked Out A Fair “Win-Win” Payment Plan With My Landlord

Thursday, August 13th, 2020

 

My Landlord Cooperated With Me 

These are difficult times for everyone. So many people are out of work and many have even been fired from their jobs!

The pandemic has changed the world and has hurt so many people.

And with all the schools closed many parents have to try to educate and entertain our children. This is especially tough when we can’t go to parks or playgrounds.

Landlords And Tenants And Paying Rent

As a long term tenant I have paid my rent according to the lease with my landlord all the time.

Now things have changed, the economy has changed, the whole world has changed due to the Corona Virus.

Economic Challenges

We tenants have lost hours, lost jobs, and even lost hope. This is a unique situation we have never seen before.

So How Should Tenants Deal With Their Landlord?

It’s all about being upfront and honest and working together.

Inform Your Landlord Of Your Predicament

Be open and honest with your small landlords because they will care and understand the challenges you face.

Most small landlords are nice people…they don’t want you to move (at least in my case). And they are willing to listen. And they are often flexible to reach a win-win situation.

Also, they don’t want to try to find a new tenant to replace you if possible. They want you to stay and hope you are willing to work with them.

See Things From The Landlords Point of View And Ask Them To See Things From Your Point Of View

Most small landlords are not like the rich corporate landlords living in their castles. They want you to stay and be their client.

They also know that finding another good paying tenant in the current environment will be very difficult and would prefer you to stay.

So it’s entirely possible to ‘work things out’.

Work Out A Payment Plan

I worked out a fair payment plan with my landlords.

Since I only get $2000/month from CERB and my rent is $900/month we agreed I would pay $500/month and I would catch up when the pandemic is over and I can get back to work.

This allows me to have confidence I will keep my home and also gives me $1500 for other things I need in life (and I still don’t need to dip into my savings!)

Working Together…Works!

View your small landlord as a partner in this whole crazy mess of a world.

Your small landlord likely rented themselves or have friends or kids renting so they are on your side. They might even be helping their kids or relative or friend who is renting deal with this situation.

Working Class Tenants Working With Working Class Landlords is Key

Many working class landlords aren’t rich and have bills to pay. They are usually pretty kind and flexible and if you be polite and tell them you want to work things out they will do it.

Make sure you rent from a small working class landlord because you can talk to each other and prepare win-win plans.

Stay Safe and Let’s All Work Together

Bill 184 – The “Tenant Slaughter And Un-Protection Act”

Tuesday, July 21st, 2020

Disclaimer: “This isn’t an attack on landlords. This is an attack on the system that got us here.”

“Let’s make a payment plan. Let’s avoid the LTB, work together (tenant signs)….GOT YOU… Hahaha I can now evict you fast, you have no legal rights now! SUCKER! The Sheriff is coming now to kick you out!”

Tenants need to be aware of the huge challenges we are soon going to face!

While the Premier has acted all kind and cuddly (like that fat drunk uncle we all see during the holidays who laughs as he passes gas and then beats your aunt to bloody pulp when they get home) it’s only an act.

The reality is those of us who rightfully didn’t pay rent (or full rent) are being prepared for the slaughterhouse (legally)!

It’s called Bill 184 and you can bet it will soon be the law and the slaughter of tenants will begin.

The government will not forgive tenants not paying and instead are going to demand tenants agree to “payment plans” that bypass the legal process of going to the Landlord and Tenant Board for a legal Hearing (where tenants have rights and free legal help)

The NDP came up with a plan to help tenants cover rent by using government funds to help during the horrible pandemic.

Even some landlord groups such as the Ontario Landlords Association proposed this as a way for tenants and their landlords to avoid conflict and avoid evictions.

Lots of other industries have received government support, so why not residential tenants and their landlords?

No, that would have been too easy and too nice. Why be nice when they want a slaughter and I think they enjoy seeing us suffer!

Suze Morrison is an NDP MPP who wants to protect tenants. Morrison is very aware of the reality and the coming avalanche of mass evictions based on landlords legally being able to trick tenants into forfeiting our legal rights.

Thousands of tenants in Ontario are lying awake at night, worrying about losing the roof over their head when the province’s weak pause on the enforcement of evictions ends.

They wouldn’t be this position if Doug Ford had answered the NDP’s call to provide a rent subsidy to tenants who have lost income or their job due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but here we are.

As if this wasn’t bad enough, the Ford government has found a way to make things even worse.

Now, in the middle of the pandemic, the Conservatives are attempting to quietly ram through legislation that will make it easier for landlords to evict tenants.

Don’t be fooled by the name of the legislation. Bill 184, the Protecting Tenants and Strengthening Community Housing Act, is bad for tenants.

Tenants already faced an uphill battle at the Landlord and Tenant Board, squaring off against often deep-pocketed landlords and their high-priced lawyers. If passed, Ford’s eviction bill will leave tenants with fewer defences to avail themselves of and fewer opportunities to plead their case.

Consider the case of a landlord who refuses to fix a malfunctioning radiator in a tenant’s unit. If the tenant withholds their rent, the landlord can haul them in front of the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Under Bill 184, the tenant may be prevented from pointing out other issues, like the landlord’s failure to maintain the unit in a good state of repair, at the hearing on non-payment of rent.

Bill 184 also takes away a tenant’s right to return to the Landlord and Tenant Board if they miss a payment after coming up with a repayment plan to catch up on back rent. This is especially concerning in the context of the pandemic.

Thousands of tenants in Ontario will be trying to catch up on back rent after losing their income or job. What if they feel pressured to accept a repayment plan and fall behind on payments despite their best efforts? What if their financial circumstances change because there’s a second wave of COVID-19?

Under Bill 184, there’s no opportunity to revisit the repayment plan at the Landlord and Tenant Board. Tenants could find a sheriff knocking on their door, ready to enforce their eviction, the second they miss a payment.

The Ford government can claim that its eviction bill is about “protecting tenants” all it wants. But even Steve Clark, the minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, admits that the legislation is about moving things along at the Landlord and Tenant Board when the government switches the lights back on.

In this very paper, he wrote: “We know that when regular hearings resume at the LTB, there will be a backlog of cases requiring resolution. That’s why this legislation is important today — in light of COVID-19.”

Yes, there will be a backlog of cases. The enforcement of evictions may be on hold for now, but that hasn’t stopped landlords from threatening tenants with eviction — even for partial rent payments.

And what is the Ford government doing with thousands of evictions on the horizon in Ontario? Instead of helping tenants keep up with rent, and in turn ensuring landlords get paid, the government is greasing the gears of the Landlord and Tenant Board to speed up evictions.

Tenants deserve better than a government that claims it’s protecting them when it’s really making them more vulnerable to losing the roof over their heads.

It’s time for the Ford government to scrap its plan to make evictions easier and step up with rent relief to help see tenants through the economic pain of COVID-19.