Posts Tagged ‘student housing’

Toronto Star: Are students the target of a new proposed rental bylaw? -May 2011

Sunday, May 22nd, 2011

The Ontario Landlord Association is playing a role to protect landlords

May 20, 2011
Jennifer Brown, SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Landlords who lease their rental properties in residential areas of Waterloo have concerns that a new bylaw requiring them to have a licence is too restrictive for them and their prospective tenants. (more…)

Waterloo the next city to license landlords

Friday, January 21st, 2011

WATERLOO — Waterloo proposes to become the first local city to regulate landlords who rent houses, charging them $1.2 million a year for rental licences.

Critics see it as a costly red-tape headache that will dissuade people from renting out bedrooms and houses.

“It’s really an attack on the Mom-and-Pop operation,” said Glenn Trachsel, of the Waterloo Regional Apartment Management Association. He predicts it will lead to a housing shortage.

Proponents say rental regulation will improve property standards and tenant safety.

“We know we have lots of rentals and we want to make sure that they’re all safe,” said Jim Barry, director of bylaw enforcement. “And by safe, we want to make sure that they’re safe for the people renting, and for the neighbourhood around them.”

Landlords would be charged fees ranging from $501 to $819 to secure a rental housing licence. Annual renewals would cost $231 to $405. Fees would pay all costs for rental regulation.

Apartment buildings are excluded due to higher provincial safety codes. The target instead is an estimated 5,000 houses, townhouses, and duplexes where bedrooms are rented out. This includes owners who rent out bedrooms in a house they still occupy.

Rentals would be capped at three bedrooms to reduce the impact of large rentals on neighbourhoods.

Campus-area challenges are driving the proposed regulations, unveiled Thursday following public consultation. Some rented homes are decaying in student neighbourhoods. The city has also had trouble enforcing licences it currently requires for lodging houses, which allow more than three tenants.

Regulation could provide helpful clarity around rental standards, said George Patton, president of the Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate Board. But there’s concern about the impact on landlords.

“Does this negatively impact whether or not people are prepared to invest?” Patton said. “If it does have a negative affect, it may have a ripple effect in terms of availability of accommodations for students.”

Regulation would require landlords to submit floor, maintenance and parking plans, provide proof of insurance and tenancy agreements, allow city staff to enter and inspect the units, and comply with codes and bylaws. Landlords could face $350 tickets for violating their licence.

Council could approve regulation in February after hearing delegations.

“We don’t want to jeopardize the business of rental housing,” Coun. Scott Witmer said. But tenant safety is also critical. “With that, sometimes there is a cost.”

Waterloo would be the first local city to license rental homes, following Oshawa, London and Mississauga. It’s a power municipalities received in 2007.

Licences for lodging houses would be phased out. Landlords could eventually secure licences for boarding houses, or drop down to three bedrooms.
http://www.therecord.com/news/local/art … l-licences

Post Secondary Education- Off Campus Housing Options

Monday, December 27th, 2010

Post Secondary Education- Off Campus

Housing Options

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 from 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (ET)

Mississauga, Ontario

Event Details

You are about to send your child off to post secondary school.

For most parents this “next step” can be very rewarding but it can also be challenging  for several reasons.

Your child may be living away from home for the first time and finding suitable & affordable & safe housing may be difficult.

There are several options out there such as on campus housing, dorms, & off campus private sector rental units but housing costs can considerably increase the cost of sending your child off to post secondary education.

What would you say if we told you there is a way you can eliminate or substantially reduce the cost of housing your child while they are away at school?

You can.

Sounding interesting?

If you would like to learn more about our “student rental program” please join us for a no obligation , no cost presentation about this very cost-effective alternative for post secondary student housing.

When?

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 from 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (ET)

Where?

Hilton Garden Inn
100 Traders Blvd.
Mississauga, Ontario L4Z 2H7
Canada

Hosted By

Landlord Tenant Matters

Established in 1984, Katherine Paliwoda & Associates provides various services to Ontario residential landlords including consulting,  landlord forms, speaking engagements, and an Ontario landlord/tenant law blog.

Now, with the launch of Landlord Tenant Matters, Peace Of Mind For Todays Landlord, Katherine Paliwoda is expanding her reach of educational events and seminars.

Contact Landlord Tenant Matters for event and ticket information.