Ranee Management has filed an application with the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) for a rent increase above the guideline that impacts most tenants at 165 Barrington Avenue, East York/Toronto. The LTB has scheduled a ‘Virtual Hearing’ for May 22, 2024.
It is recommended that tenants contact the Federation of Metro Tenants’ Associations (FMTA) for advice on participating in this Tribunal at: https://www.torontotenants.org or their Tenant Hotline: 416-921-9494.
Refer to this attachment for more details of the Tribunal AGI Hearing:
These FMTA workshops provide tenants and tenant advocates with in-depth training on the law and strategies to advocate for themselves and their neighbours.
The Federation of Metro Tenant’s Associations (FMTA) offers news, resources, and a range of ‘free services‘ to help tenants deal with the serious challenges they experience in this over-priced rental market. Finding affordable rental housing has been more challenging due to the lowest vacancy rates seen in decades and the ongoing economic crisis. FMTA provides good information on how to deal with tenants’ concerns that impact their daily lives. Tenants can seek help from FMTA if the landlord ignores the regulations of the Residential Tenancies Act and does not deal with those concerns in a professional manner.
FMTA Membership – A tenant who has FMTA membership would have access to the FMTA newsletter, events, resources, etc. and help fight for all tenants’ rights. Optional annual membership is $20 ($5 for seniors, students and the unemployed). Financial donations are also optional.
NOTE – Since FMTA services arefree, tenants are not required to take out membership or to make financial donations to receive help if tenant rights are violated by the landlord. Full details of the services offered by FMTA can be accessed at this link: https://www.torontotenants.org/
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The Federation of Metro Tenants’ Associations (FMTA) is a non-profit organization which advocates for better rights for tenants. Founded in 1974, it is the oldest and largest tenant federation in Canada. The FMTA also runs a Tenant Hotline. If you have any questions about your rights as a tenant in Toronto, please call the tenant hotline at: 416-921-9494.
A website has been created for the Tenant Group at 165 Barrington Avenue as part of the effort to challenge the ABOVE GUIDELINE INCREASE (AGI) filed by RANEE Management. The website will inform the tenants of their rights and possible legal actions to challenge this AGI.
RANEE distributed a NOTICE OF RENT INCREASE (N1) to tenants that contains specific details of the increased rental payment tenants are required to pay effective July 1, 2022. That action was taken by RANEE despite the fact the AGI has not been approved by the Landlord and Tenant Board. Tenants have been informed by the Tenant Group’s distributed flyer and website that they have an option to only pay the legal annual rent increase of 1.2%, until such time as an AGI amount is approved.
Refer to the link below to access the 165 Barrington Avenue Tenant Group website:
Affordable rental units are scarce and rents are at a historic high. We’ve heard many promises from all levels of government about initiatives to make housing more affordable, but nothing has been done to stop landlords from raising rents on vacant units and gouging those who can least afford it.
The provincial election is coming up on June 2nd. This is our chance to demand vacancy control.
What is vacancy control? Legislation that will stop landlords from raising rents by any amount they choose on newly vacated units. Currently in Ontario, vacancy decontrol is in place, which drives up rents, creates incentive for landlords to evict tenants, and is making housing less affordable.
So what can we do about it? Demand that your provincial candidates pledge their support for vacancy control. We have created a template letter that you can fill out online and send to your local candidates.
Above Guideline Rent Increases in the Age of Financialization
“Toronto is in the midst of a housing crisis, and around half of the city’s renters are paying unaffordable rents. For tenants living in rent-controlled buildings, annual rent increases are limited to the provincial rent increase guideline. However, landlords can apply for an above guideline increase (AGI) if they incurred costs related to eligible capital expenditures or security services, or if they experienced an extraordinary increase in property taxes. AGIs allow landlords to transfer these costs on to tenants, increasing rents up to an additional 3% for three successive years. This report examines the increase of AGIs in Toronto over the past several years, the impacts of AGIs on tenants, the role of financialized and corporate landlords in pursuing AGIs, and the rationales lawmakers have offered for the policy.”
CBC – Renters’ advocacy group concerned about Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board’s online transition Ryan Patrick Jones · CBC News · Posted: Dec 14, 2021
Note. This article focuses on the tremendous impact on tenants who either don’t have good access online or simply can’t afford online services in these tough economic times.
Above-guideline rent increases in Toronto up 250 per cent in six years: report Corporate landlords are responsible for 84 per cent of all above-guideline rent increases in Toronto, according to RenovictionsTO
People want Ontario to reinstate the residential eviction ban December 3, 2020
Toronto and Peel have been in full lockdown 2.0 for more than a week now, and residents are wondering why, if so many are out of work once more, a ban on residential evictions hasn’t been reinstated.
The Ford government could pass Bill 184 — Ford’s mass evictions bill as early as today — which means we don’t have much time to stop it.
If it passes, Bill 184 could allow the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) to issue quick eviction notices and kick people out of their homes as early as August 1st.
We encourage you to go to this link below and complete the form with the required details. You can then be able to place a call Steve Clark, Minister of Housing and voice your opposition to this mass eviction bill:
URGENT ACTION: Rent Freeze / Suspension of Rent & End NSF Fees & Internet for All!
The Government of Canada released the Economic Response Plan to deal with the crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The response is timely as it lays out a range of benefits for Canadians as well as businesses to stay afloat in these extremely challenging times.
Refer to this link for full details where you can add your voice to support this action:
What the Federal Stimulus Package Means for You Posted March 20, 2020
We heard the Federal Government releasing an Economic Response Plan to help people deal with the crisis due to COVID-19. Here is a quick summary of what the economic package has to offer. However, ACORN Members and Leaders feel there are substantial gaps between what people need and what they will get with the stimulus package.
The Ontario government has set the 2020 Annual Rent Increase Guideline at 2.2%. The guideline increase of 2.2% for 2020 is the maximum a landlord can raise a tenant’s rent without approval of the Landlord and Tenant Board. This applies to most sitting tenants in private residential rental units covered by the Residential Tenancies Act.
Rents charged to new tenants are at the discretion of the landlord.
The 2020 guideline increase takes effect from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. This 2020 guideline increase of 2.2% is the highest increase since 2013. As noted above, landlords cannot increase rent for sitting tenants above the 2.2% guideline without seeking approval from the Landlord and Tenant Board. The increased is based on the Ontario Consumer Price Index (CPI), a measure of inflation calculated monthly by Statistics Canada.
If the landlord intends to implement an Above Guideline Increase the landlord is required to abide by the regulations of the Landlord and Tenant Board and file an application with Landlord and Tenant Board for an Above Guideline Increase. Refer to this link at the Tribunals Ontario, Landlord and Tenant Board:
East York Tenants Group 