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Posts Tagged ‘landlord advocacy’

Landlord Tenant Board In-Person Hearings Suspended

Saturday, March 14th, 2020

Important News For Landlords: In-Person Hearings Are Cancelled. What About Landlords Who Are Owed Rent Or Need To Evict A Bad Tenant?

According to provincial government, as the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, Tribunals Ontario is taking action to safeguard the health and well-being of front-line workers and Ontarians, while continuing to ensure access to justice.

Effective today (March 13, 2020), Tribunals Ontario is implementing a new policy to postpone in-person hearings and reschedule to a later date. Where feasible, alternative hearing options such as written and telephone hearings will be considered to minimize disruption to hearings across the organization. In addition, all front-line counter services will be closed as of Monday March 16 until further notice.

Tribunals Ontario will continue to provide accommodation for people who have needs related to any of the grounds listed in the Human Rights Code.

Impacted individuals with upcoming hearing dates will be notified by staff via email to make the necessary arrangements. Parties should contact their tribunal or board for more information on the new policy.

In addition, we are requesting Ontarians to not attend to any tribunal or board location in-person if they have been advised by Public Health, their doctor or the Ministry of Health website to self-isolate due to possible exposure to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Tribunals Ontario is monitoring COVID-19 developments and will update our policy based on advice from the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Officer of Health and public health officials to protect Ontarians.

For more information contact the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board.

Tags: evictions, landlord advocacy, Landlord and Tenant Board Hearings, landlord rights, ltb delays
Posted in COVID-19, Landlord and Tenant News | Comments Off on Landlord Tenant Board In-Person Hearings Suspended

We Want Win-Win Business Relationships With Tenants

Wednesday, October 2nd, 2019

A Landlord Reveals Her Goals To Tenants

Dear Tenant,

I am an a person who invested in an Ontario property. This makes me an Ontario “landlord”. The term “landlord” has a lot of negativity. It brings back memories of British Lords with castles and ripping off working class people.

That’s not me. I work two jobs and have a mortgage. My one rental property is nicer than my own house I live in. My car has over 200,000 kms on it and is 12 years old.

So please call me an Ontario “housing provider” or an Ontario “resident who wants to be a great owner of a property people rent from me.”

This open letter to you is to share information so that we can be a team.

After all, you need me, and I need you.

Let’s be partners in this venture, working together for both sides to succeed!

1. I am not getting rich on this venture.

In fact, for the first 12-18 months of me buying this property, I am going to lose money. Even then, this duplex/triplex that you are living in will net me approx $200-$300 per month after all expenses have been paid. Doing the math, I believe that works out to $2,400-$3,600 per year.

At some point in time, I hope that this property gains value, and I can sell it for more that I bought it. It’s a great concept that you could work towards in your lifetime – if you are so inclined.

Until then, you need a place to live, and I need a tenant.

2. Please take care of our property.

It’s your home, but it’s my house.

If I know that you will keep your home in decent condition, I will be much more motivated to ask you to help me pick out a colour next time I paint the walls, or replace the carpet.

Please don’t be a don’t be a bad tenant who thinks I’m some kind of super rich predator sucking you you dry and spending your rent on Ferrari’s and caviar.

3. I promise to respect you and your personal rights.

I will give you all the notice I can before I have to enter your apartment. After all, this is your home, but it’s my house. If I need to replace a toilet, or fix something, I will give you advanced notice.

I hope the respect will be mutual. After all, it’s the little things that count. If we can all get along, we will both enjoy working with each other. I am not here to mess with your life.

4. I was you once, perhaps you will be me one day.

I know what it’s like to rent. I know what it’s like to be a tenant. It’s actually a decent way to live.

I never worried about the roof, the plumbing, needing a new stove, or fridge, or even if the carpet was getting worn down and needed replacing.

I never worried if the city increased utilities, or taxes – I paid a flat rent, which can only increase by a very small amount each year. I let my landlord worry and take care of all of that.

You need me, and I need you. If neither one of us are jerks, this will work out just fine.

Sincerely,

Ms. Ontario Landlord

Discuss this at the Ontario Landlord forums

Tags: goals, how to succeed as a landlord, landlord advocacy, landlord tenant win win, new landlords, ontario landlords
Posted in Income Property, Landlord and Tenant News, landlord tenant relationships, Rental Property | 2 Comments »

Ontario Landlord PROTECTION MEMBERSHIP Is Now Available!

Tuesday, October 16th, 2018

Due To The Huge Challenges Ontario Landlords Are Facing We Have Created A New Level Of Membership

Get Tools and Services You Need To Succeed For A One-Time Registration Fee

We have received thousands of replies from small landlords who took part in our campaign to put the issue of marijuana smoking and growing on the forefront of the provincial housing file.

It shows how concerned people are about this issue (and for good reason.) While other provinces took action, our members have been informed the ministry will watch what happens and address the issue if they see evidence of major problems arising.

We keep hearing from landlords across Ontario about the challenges and problems they face beyond even the marijuana issue.

And the stories are scary.

Yes there are a lot of great tenants out there. But there also many tenants who are abusing the system and destroying the financial futures of so many honest, ethical and hard working residential property investors.

These investors are not billion dollar corporations. We are working people. We are teachers, doctors, plumbers, electricians, firefighters, professors, scientists, chefs, taxi drivers, engineers, secretaries, retired people, contractors, etc.

We are ethical people who have invested in creating high quality rental housing. We have invested our savings and we need to not only be protected, we need to be encouraged to continue to invest in Ontario rentals. To be frank many people are looking to invest in more business-friendly environments, such as in the USA, these days.

If Ontario is truly “open for business” then Ontario landlords need the rules to be changed!

It could be stories about first time landlords losing over $40,000 due to a bad tenant who not only made huge damages, but stole the appliances (and the police said it was a ‘civil matter’).

Or about renters who go “on strike” instead of paying their rent. They think a landlord following rules to get a rent increase is the reason they should “join together” and all decide to not pay rent (and break the law).

Savvy tenants have also learned how to manipulate the system to break fixed term leases leaving landlords hung out to dry. For these tricky tenants signing a lease for a one year term means nothing to them.

Ontario Landlords Face Overwhelming Challenges…And We Are Here To Help

Even our most experienced landlords say things are different these days. We have veteran expert landlords who have been in the industry for ages saying “you need to be so careful these days because one slip up can bankrupt you.”

And one experienced and successful OLA member said, the issue of legal marijuana in rental properties is one of the “biggest landlord issues in 20 years.” He said this to Bloomberg News (Bloomberg International…so the whole world can see what we face!)

Let’s look at some of the biggest issues for landlords across Ontario:

1. Marijuana Is Legal (And Tenants Can Even Grow Plants in The Rental Property)

Many people are still unaware of the consequences of marijuana becoming legal. In Ontario the rules from the past Liberal government allow tenants to not only smoke weed, but to grow plants! Yes, grow plants in your rental property!

2. No Damage Deposit Can Equal Huge Financial Losses

We cannot charge a damage deposit in Ontario. That’s right, it’s illegal. Even if your renters volunteer to pay they can always go to the Landlord and Tenant Board and you will be forced to pay it back.

This means even good paying tenants seem to think it’s okay to leave a mess behind when they move out. And some tenants are actually happy to cause huge damages that can bankrupt landlords or at least end up costing us tens of thousands of dollars.

3. Even New Rentals Are Covered Under the Unfair Rent Guideline Now

Prior to April 2017 rental properties built after 1991 were exempt from the ridiculously low annual government rent increase guideline. Now even these properties are covered. The 2018 Ontario landlord rent increase guideline is only 1.8%. Will this cover your increasing costs?

4. Evictions for Renters Simply Not Paying Rent Can Take Months

Did you know if your renter doesn’t pay rent they get a two week delay to pay? And after those two weeks if they don’t pay you have to pay to take them to a “hearing” which can take 2-6 months. The at the hearing the tenant gets free government legal help to fight you or to “play the system” to let the tenant live rent-free in your property for even longer.

5. Tenants Are Networking And Educating Each Other How To Abuse the System

Tenants are networking and teaching each other how to manipulate the system. And with the current rules,that can means months and months of living ‘rent free’, breaking leases, or leaving your property in horrible shape costing you tens of thousands of dollars.

Ontario Landlord PROTECTION Membership Is Now Available To Help Landlords Succeed In These Difficult Times

Become a Landlord PROTECTION Member and get access to the services you need to run a successful and profitable rental business. For only a one time fee start using our services to protect your business. Join us in making our landlord voices heard (and a loud voice will help make the system more fair.)

Here’s what you get:

Rental Kit

Get access to applications, notices and everything you need in our online library that is available to you 24/7.

Access To the Forums, Including the Private Members Forum (for verified landlords only)

Network with other landlords and property managers to help you and your rental business succeed. In our private forum only verified landlords are allowed to enter. This means you are networking and getting help from real landlords, including many veteran experts.

Discounted Credit Checks

Get huge discounts on excellent credit check services.

An OLA member wrote: “I’ve actually made money by joining the OLA! Just the savings on credit checks over the past couple years adds up to way more than the one-time registration fee. It’s a deal that can’t be beat!”

Tenant Friendly Credit Checks (With Risk Scores From Transunion)

These days good tenants are very concerned about providing their personal information to a potential landlord. Get access to tenant friendly credit checks where tenants do not need to provide private information to you…and tenants can even pay for it online.

This makes running credit checks an easy and non-confrontational process.

Criminal Checks

Many experienced and successful landlords are now including criminal checks as part of their professional landlord tenant screening system. Now you can too for a huge discount for OLA members.

The “Top 100 Lease Clauses You Need” CD

The new government Ontario Standard Lease doesn’t protect landlords. The document gives lots of help for tenant to “learn there rights” while leaving landlords dangerously vulnerable. You need to protect yourself especially if you end up at the Landlord and Tenant Board or Ontario Small Claims Court.

How To Protect Yourself From Tenants Smoking and Growing Marijuana CD

While other provinces have made changes to protect landlords Ontario has not. Learn how to protect yourself and your rental from tenants smoking marijuana and growing marijuana plants! Filled with “landlord tips and tricks” from experienced landlords across the province.

Insurance

Get access to one of the best rental insurance packages in Canada. Also covers student rentals! You get a big discount as a member.

Property Management Software

Get discounts on premium property management software to take control over your rental business.

Become a Landlord PROTECTION Member and Get the Services You Need To Succeed…ALL FOR A LOW ONE TIME FEE!

In these difficult times landlords need to come together and help each other get our voice heard and succeed and run profitable rental businesses.

Become an Ontario PROTECTION MEMBER and Get Amazing Tools and Services To Help Your Rental Business Succeed and Make Profits!

Tags: landlord advocacy, marijuana weed, Ontario landlords association membership, ontario landlords help, Ontario Tenants and Marijuana, Residential Tenancies Act, success member, success membership
Posted in credit checks, Landlord and Tenant News, Ontario landlord membership, success member | Comments Off on Ontario Landlord PROTECTION MEMBERSHIP Is Now Available!

How Can Ontario Landlords Protect Ourselves Against Tenants Smoking Marijuana and Growing Plants?

Tuesday, October 16th, 2018

Experienced and Successful Landlords and Property Managers Have Created A Comprehensive CD Filled With Strategies and “LANDLORD TIPS AND TRICKS” To Help You Deal With Tenants Who Smoke And Grow Weed In Your Property

Combine Access To This Comprehensive CD Along With Networking With Experienced Landlords and Property Managers In Our Private Members Forum To Protect Your Rental Business!

Legal marijuana has arrived as of October 17, 2018. This will have a huge impact on residential landlords.

How will you deal with it?

As an Ontario-wide landlord community, we have come together to help you and other landlords and residential property investors. After all, we are important stake-holders in the province and we are an important provider of high quality rental properties.

While many Ontario landlords have no moral or ethical concerns about making weed legal, we do have huge concerns how it will impact our rental properties and their bottom lines. The reality is many landlords and property investors are worried and looking for guidance and advice.

Landlords should be worried.

We are entering a whole new paradigm filled with uncertainty. If you are an Ontario landlord, your rental business is now filled with challenges and a bigger risk of huge problems and financial losses than ever before.

Tenants Smoking Weed In Your Rental Property

Marijuana is now legal and tenants can smoke in your rental. How can you protect yourself? What are your options?

Tenants Growing Marijuana Plants in Your Rental Property

Tenants can now legally grow up to 4 plants in your rental. And as one landlord wrote on the Ontario landlord forums “I never touched marijuana in my life and thought the plants would be small like tomato plants…but they can be huge!”

Tenants Marijuana Smoke Causing Issues For Other Tenants

If you own a multi-unit property what can you do if one tenant smokes and bothers other tenants? The smoking tenants says “it’s legal” and the other tenants say “do something or we are all moving and taking you to the LTB to pay for our moving costs!”

What if you rent your basement and you smell weed smoke coming through your vents? What if you have young kids?

Huge Clean Up Costs

Many good tenants are sensitive to smoke and won’t rent a place where they smell it. Just dealing with tobacco smoke clean up can be expensive. But cleaning up marijuana smoke when a tenant leaves can end up costing you thousands of dollars.

Safety Issues

Growing marijuana plants could mean your growing renter might be creating mold and other dangers in your rental property. What should you do?

Insurance Issues

If your tenants are smoking or growing it could waive your insurance policy.

Even If You Have a No Smoking Clause, What Happens If they Still Light Up?

If you say no smoking and the tenant lights up anyway the Ontario eviction process can take 6-8 months (or more). So during the time you are just waiting for the Hearing they can continue smoking.

No Smoking Clauses Don’t Mean “No Growing”

Even if you have a no smoking clause how many people out there have anything regarding growing plants? This means your tenants can grow, legally.

Other Provinces Have Made Changes To Help Landlords, Ontario Has Not

Many Canadian provinces moved quickly to protect landlords and investors and their rental industries.

For example, the province of Saskatchewan prohibited marijuana smoking in rentals and forced all tenants to sign new leases to allow landlords and investors to protect their rental properties.

In New Brunswick new rules allow landlords to amend their leases to prevent the smoking and growing of weed in their rentals.

Protect Your Rental Business Experienced and successful Ontario

We have worked hard to let the Ministry and the province to educate them why Ontario landlords need to be protected. We made it clear we need at least the same protection other provinces have provided for their landlords and residential property investors.

Several of our members were told “we appreciate your hard work and the concerns of your community …the situation is being monitored” and if there is “evidence of a major problem changes will be considered. Keep us informed.”

What this means is Ontario landlords are getting no help now and need to protect our investments from the government.

We are on our own!

Protect Your Ontario Rental Business!

Landlords and property managers have created a comprehensive CD to help you protect your Ontario rentals. These are people have dealt with tobacco smoking issues and marijuana issues in the past and are ready for the new challenge of legal cannabis.

They have also added lots of “Landlord Tips and Tricks” that only real professionals know about due to years of experience and ‘skin in the game’.

With over an hour of information this comprehensive CD is filled with information to help you avoid problems and help you fix any problems that might arise. It’s written by experts with ‘skin in the game’ because we all own rentals ourselves!

Combine this with access to our Private Members Forum to protect your rental business and succeed!

Tags: cannabis, evictions, landlord advocacy, landlord protection, N5, tenants smoking marijuanan
Posted in grow ops, Landlord and Tenant News, marijuana | Comments Off on How Can Ontario Landlords Protect Ourselves Against Tenants Smoking Marijuana and Growing Plants?

Landlord and Tenant Board Requests Our Comments On New Documents – Make Your Voice Heard!

Saturday, September 15th, 2018

Rent Increase Guideline 2016 Ontario

Ontario Landlord Association Members Are Important Stakeholders In The Ontario Rental Industry And We Have Been Asked To Review And Comment On New Documents From the Landlord and Tenant Board

Residential landlords across Ontario are excited that we have new provincial leadership that wants to cut red tape and make Ontario ‘open for business again’.

Dramatic changes to the way we do business will take some time, but we are already seeing an openness to improve the rental industry. And they want Ontario Landlord Association members (who are important stakeholders) to play a key role.

This is a great beginning and we ask you to take time out of your busy schedule to share your opinions, concerns, and advice on how to improve the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Let’s discuss these important consultations in the OLA Member forum and make sure to get our voices heard.

Send us your comments at landlordvoice@lobbyist.com

Ontario landlord and tenant board 2018

To: Ontario Landlords Association Members

Changes to Rules of Procedure and Guidelines for Review and Comment

The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) has posted three documents for review and comment by members of the community and its stakeholders:

Proposed changes to the Rules of Procedure
Proposed changes to the Guideline 6: Tenant Rights
Proposed changes to the Guideline 12: Eviction for Personal Use, Demolition, Repairs and Conversion

The Rules of Procedure have been extensively reformatted and now use plain language. The commentary that appears under each rule has been removed. The format and language of the proposed rules is also now consistent with the Social Justice Tribunals Ontario (SJTO) Common Rules of Procedure . Some substantive changes have also been made, including:

Allowing the use of a sworn statement instead of an affidavit (Rule 1.5)
Allowing parties to give each other certain documents by email where they both agree (Rule 3)
Removing the requirement that Co-operatives serve applications (Rule 12)
Changing the rules about the payment out of money paid into the LTB’s trust account (Rules 20.3, 20.4, 20.6 and 20.8)

Guideline 6 has been expanded. It now includes discussion of all the grounds in the Application About Tenant Rights (T2). References to applicable case law have been updated and there are extensive references and links to relevant LTB orders.

Guideline 12 has been changed to reflect amendments made to the Residential Tenancies Act on January 1, 2018.

We encourage you to have a look at the proposed changes and provide your comments and ideas by September 28, 2018.

Tags: Form T2 - Application about Tenant Rights, landlord advocacy, Residential Tenancies Act, tenant rights
Posted in Landlord and Tenant News, Landlord Legal Problems, Ontario landlord advocacy, Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board | Comments Off on Landlord and Tenant Board Requests Our Comments On New Documents – Make Your Voice Heard!