Archive for the ‘tenant advocacy’ Category

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

I Took Mercy On My Landlord And Saved Them From Bankruptcy – But With Conditions

Monday, May 11th, 2020

Treat Tenants Like the VIPs!  You Need Our Rent Money!

I’m Proud To Have Helped My LL Survive & Not Go Bankrupt

When our premier announced that tenants do not have to pay rent during this horrible crisis tenants face I immediately felt better.

It was nice to know the government understood what I was dreading and said there will be “NO EVICTIONS” until the crisis is over. With businesses closed and workers being laid off, how could we pay the rent for the next six months or more?

I saw on FB and on signs in my area that many Tenants in financial trouble were saying we didn’t have to pay rent at all.  The reason is because we can’t be evicted we didn’t have to pay rent.

So If You Don’t Pay Rent Nothing Happens?

This sounded almost too good to be true. I didn’t have to pay any rent for the next few months or more…maybe up to year.

The premier also said tenants should only “pay what you can” and not make paying rent a priority.

So he basically was saying, make up your budget and put rent last.

I Have A Great Relationship With My Landlord

Since moving in a couple years ago I’m very happy here in my Home.

The landlords are nice people who gave me a very low rent to begin with because I’m a working woman who is rarely at home with great credit so they thought I was their perfect tenant.

Ideal Tenant (Working woman, not home much, great credit) Gets Discount

They gave me 20% of market rent right off the bat because they praised me as being the type of person landlords want to rent to. Of course landlords are sexist and love renting to women and I love how this stereotype helps me.

This made me very happy to hear and they gave me the discount on what they were advertising because I said I was going to be renting for at least a few years while I built up my savings.

I Could Pay No Rent, But I Worked Out A Rebate Plan 

Since I have such a good relationship with my landlords (they love me, I’m never home and never late paying) I learned a lot.

Most landlords are not independently wealthy and cannot afford to pay the mortgage out of their own pocket. They need rent every month just to survive. I understood that and they explained how tough their current situation was. So decided to help them survive. 

I Paid Rent…But 40%  That Was Fair To Both Sides

I made my own budget and made sure my most important expenses were on top of the list and the rent was at the bottom (but still there, as it’s only fair to my landlord).

I calculated my decreased salary due to less hours minus my main expenses for survival during this crisis. Most important expenses over rent:

-Stocking up on canned food and wine

-Buying food for fresh daily eating

-Costs of ordering Take-Out and the extra costs for UberEats, etc.

-Costs of feeding my cat and ordering her food.

-Ordering clothes I will need if I’m stuck in my Home for a long time. Fresh panties are always refreshing. A girl in a cage needs comfy too!

-Order creams to keep me looking youthful at L’occitane

-Saving for masks and potential medicines.

-Entertainment such as renewing my Netflix, CBS, and Amazon Prime accounts.

I Paid Rent…And Helped My Landlord Stay In Business

After all my budget expenses I ended up paying my landlord 40% of the usual amount.

My landlord was happy to get the rent without any issues and with no haggling.

This was not a ‘deferral’ it was what I would pay, period. For April and for future months up to the end of my lease.

They appreciated me even paying and I’m happy I did the right thing to help them would I could have paid $1 if I was the evil, nasty type of bitch.

Work With Your Landlord Like I Did

I could have just said I didn’t have the money but I know my landlord who are a nice couple so I decided to work with them like the Premier said.

40% Paid And I Saved My Landlord’s Life

I paid 40% of the rent for April and will pay that same amount as long as the pandemic continues.

If you have a good small landlord consider paying them at least a little bit because they are in need of rent for their families.

I also told my landlord to always remember I didn’t have to pay, but I did pay 40%. I told them how about a little gift for me, like some Lancombe make up or some expensive champagne?  KEEP ME HAPPY OR ELSE!

Let’s work together and at least pay your landlord a little bit to keep them also surviving…but don’t pay them the full amount because you need to spend your money on your needs first! This is a Win-Win Relationship.

Always Rent “Inclusive” Of Utilities (Means Your Landlord Pays For The Utilities You Use, Not You)

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020

With Rising Costs It’s Essential For Tenants To Make Sure Your Landlord Is Paying Your Bills, Not You!

Many tenants are dealing with harsh weather this winter.  Whether it’s rain, hale, or snow storms and freezing temperatures.

With the increased costs of heating your home it can take a huge bite out of your monthly budget.

While your landlord is soaking up the sun and enjoying the beach in Hawaii, Florida, Cuba or some other tropical paradise using your rent money, tenants are struggling to cover our rising costs!

Problems continue into the summer, where electrical costs for fans and air conditioners are rising fast.

Landlords can afford to get away from heatwaves by traveling to northern locations, while tenants have to sweat it out in our rental homes. And costs are going to rise dramatically according to CBC News!

Always Get Your Landlord To Pay Your Bills.

Many tenants are not aware that some landlords will rent out the property as “inclusive” of utilities. This means that you only pay the rent each month and the landlord pays for your heat, gas, electricity, etc.

Why Should You Make Your Landlord Pay Your Utility Bills?

There are two main reasons.

(1) It Gives You Stability With Your Expenses

Why should you demand this? Because energy costs are just going up, up, up. If you get an “inclusive” deal your expenses are stable because landlords can only increase the rent according to the government guideline.

(2) Once This Is The Lease The Landlord Can’t Change It

Landlords can’t demand you change the leases terms, so if you get an “inclusive” lease the landlord is powerless to change it.  So while his costs will go up, yours won’t (except for the small rent increase, which in 2020 is only 2.2% while energy costs might go up 10-20-30%!)

Offer Your Potential Landlord Higher Rent, But Make Sure It’s “Inclusive”

When you see this as we explained, it’s very important to make sure you find a rental where you are only responsible for paying the rent.

Many landlords are money-hungry monsters who view you not as a human being, but as a cash cow entering their slaughterhouse.

So use their greed against them!

Offer a bit more rent in exchange for an “inclusive” deal. You will end up the winner at the end, especially if you are going to stay in your rental home for a long time.

Getting An Inclusive Deal Can Lead You To Save Thousands of Dollars!

The media says many home-owners are struggling to pay their heating bills this winter. So think about how serious this if you are renting and on a budget. You need to make sure you get this deal to protect yourself and protect your financial future.

Let your wealthy landlord deal with rising energy costs (they are rich) instead of you (who is struggling to survive). Climate change is scary and your landlord needs to pay to prevent it.

Tips and Tricks To Get The Lease Deal You Need To Survive And Thrive!

Here are some tips if you are dealing with a landlord who wants YOU to pay (and face financial insecurity, and put all the risk on you!)

Some key phrases that greedy landlords who are used to bullying and exploiting tenants “like to hear.”

“I’m barely ever home so my utility costs will always be low.”

“It’s just me moving in, so one person can’t use much power.” (bring in other people after you get the key)

“I understand your concerns so will pay you more rent to make you safe. That’s fair for both sides”

“I am so busy at work, I don’t even cook at home. I order food.”

“I’m so busy with business travel I will barely even be here.”

“Because I want the place let’s raise your rent price by an extra $50/month so I can move in fast.” (Or offer $100 or more, it will still end up saving you money!)

Get The Lease Signed And Protect Yourself! You Win!!!

The landlord might be unhappy once you move in and the costs are higher than they expected.  But this is a business and landlords are getting rich off of your hard work and struggles.

If your landlord is unhappy then they should become better business people and not expect tenants to lay down and let them screw us without us fighting back!

Ontario Tenants Protect Yourselves By Making The Landlord Pay Your Bills!

By only paying “rent” you are protected by the Residential Tenancies Act and the Landlord and Tenant Board.

If you agree to pay for the power you use you are vulnerable and NOT PROTECTED!

Help A Group Of Great Tenants Who Are Fighting For Justice

Friday, February 21st, 2020

Donate To The 394 Dovercourt Tenant Defense Fund Now!

Donate today to help us beat eviction from our homes!!!

For the past two years, we the tenants of 394 Dovercourt Road have been fighting renoviction. To continue the fight, we need your support. We have expenses related to  our landlord’s case to evict us at the Landlord and Tenant Board. We now need to hire the services of professionals to provide expert testimony at our upcoming hearing in February 2020.

Background

AIPL Canada  the building at 394 Dovercourt Road in 2017. AIPL offered tenants small sums of money to move out. When tenants declined, AIPL issued eviction notices. AIPL then applied to the Landlord and Tenant Board to evict all thirteen tenants. The Board dismissed the evictions  only for the landlord to apply to evict tenants a second time.

This is renoviction.

We’ve all heard the stories. The data backs them up. Investors buy rental properties in “up and coming” areas. They evict the sitting tenants, renovate units, and more than double the rent.

In Ontario, tenants’ “right of first refusal” is not upheld. On paper, landlords should give tenants the option to return to their unit once renovations are completed. In reality, the landlord rents the unit to a new tenant at a higher rent. The evicted tenant has no recourse to regain possession.

The Toronto Star  has documented how the tenants of 795 College Street found this out the hard way.

AIPL claims it has to alter the units at 394 Dovercourt. They say the work is so extensive that it requires tenants to move out. Tenants believe this is nothing more than a pretext to their eviction. While the wiring in the building is old, it is in good working condition. The real reason AIPL wants the tenants out is so they can raise rent on the vacant units without limit.

 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/f32xf-394-dovercourt-tenant-defense-fund?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet

Tuesday, October 29th, 2019

It can be incredibly stressful finding a new home.

With low vacancy rates and many new landlords who do not even bother learning the rules, you need to make sure you are in control of the rental process and punish landlords who are not following the law.

Here are posts from Tenants to help you find your new rental HOME.

Remember, you are paying rent and it is LEGALLY YOUR HOME AND YOU HAVE RIGHTS.