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Archive for the ‘Municipal Licensing and Standards’ Category

Multi-Residential Apartment Buildings Audit Program – Meeting

Posted in Apartment Issues, Building Maintenance, MLS Building Audit, MRAB, Municipal Licensing and Standards, Repairs and maintenance, tagged , , , , , on November 13, 2012| Leave a Comment »

The  City’s Licensing Committee will be discussing the City of Toronto MRAB (Multi-Residential Apartment Buildings) program at its meeting on Friday November 16th, 2012.

This meeting is an opportunity for tenants and tenant groups to participate in the discussion about the effectiveness of the property standards by-law and whether or not the by-law is properly enforced.  Tenants need know whether the current system works and if it has been meeting the regulations of the property standards by-law. Outstanding repairs and maintenance issues have a negative impact on the quality of life of tenants and also violate the property standards by-law. Is the property standards by-law being enforced in a way that ensures ‘proper repairs and maintenance’ in their buildings?  How is the MRAB program being monitored? Have there been changes to the MRAB program and have these changes been made public? Tenants need to know whether or not this MRAB program is working well and if property standards are being enforced.

Tenants can participate in the discussion to take place on Friday November 16th, 2012.

For more information on the meeting refer to this communique from Janet Davis (Beaches-East York Councillor):  Multi-Residential Apartment Buildings Audit Program

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NOTE – In an earlier post “MLS AUDITING PROGRAM FOR 2011 – Update” we  raised a number of concerns related to how MRAB conducted audits.  Refer to this link:   https://eastyorktenantsgroup.com/2011/04/04/upcoming-federal-election-2011/.

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MLS AUDITING PROGRAM FOR 2011 – Update

Posted in 2011 Rent Increase Guideline, Apartment Issues, Auditing programme, Building Maintenance, HST, Jim Hart, MLS Building Audit, MRAB, Municipal Licensing and Standards, Property standards violations, Repairs and maintenance, Vacancy Decontrol, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 28, 2011| 10 Comments »

For the current year and commencing January 2011, the Municipal Licencing and Standards department (MLS) has provided updated information on the resumption of the audit program in multi-residential apartment buildings (MRAB). MLS has included a list of buildings scheduled for auditing as well as specific items to be targeted in their audits. For example, the audits will include ‘common areas, mechanical systems and grounds of the building’ for property standard violations. Refer to this link for details: http://www.toronto.ca/licensing/mrab/audit_activity_by_ward.htm

According to the article “Inspectors to probe city’s 5,000 rental buildings” published in April 2010, Jim Hart (Executive Director of MLS) stated:  ” We’re actually going to get our own staff to go out there effectively with a checklist and do every single (rental) building in the city and kind of rate them,” and that “he’s determined to send out about 100 inspectors to give nearly 5,000 buildings a once-over, so his 12-member audit team can better focus its efforts on the buildings most in need of improvements”. Refer to this link for the full article: (more…)

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MUNICIPAL ELECTION 2010 – Candidates in Beaches-East York and Toronto Danforth

Posted in Municipal Election, Municipal Licensing and Standards, Property standards violations on September 22, 2010| 4 Comments »

For information on the 2014 Municipal Election check this link:
https://eastyorktenantsgroup.com/2014/09/11/the-2014-municipal-election/

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The date for Municipal Elections is October 25, 2010. For more information about voting regulations and eligibility call 311, and/or check:
www.toronto.ca/elections.

Candidates in the Municipal Election are soliciting for tenant votes. This is an opportunity for tenants to engage candidates and discuss concerns related to property standard violations by landlords. Violations are often related to outstanding maintenance and repairs to their unit or building premises. These violations  fall under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Licensing and Standards department (MLS) of the municipal level of government. Tenants should make use of this opportunity and raise their concerns about enforcement of municipal licensing standards as well as other serious challenges facing residents in the GTA.

NOTE – The East York Tenants Group maintains political neutrality and does not endorse or promote any of the (more…)

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AUDIT OF MULTI-RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT BUILDINGS….

Posted in Apartment Issues, Auditing programme, MRAB, Municipal Licensing and Standards, Ombudsman final report, Property standards violations, Repairs and maintenance, Tenant complaints, tagged , , , , , on January 31, 2010| 3 Comments »

(Check for update on the audit program here: MLS Auditing Program for 2011 )

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The first annual report released by the City of Toronto’s first Ombudsman contained a troubling statement about the “lack of effective communication between bureaucrats and public”. Check  here  to access the Ombudsman’s report.  This lack of communication identified in the report has clearly been a source of great frustration for the public. In particular, it is a serious impediment to resolving landlord violations of property standards in multi-residential apartment buildings (MRAB). Hence this (more…)

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Terminating Tenancy Agreement prematurely…

Posted in Above Guideline increase, Annual Guideline Rent Increase, Bed bugs, Eviction, Landlord and Tenant Board, Lease Agreement, Legal Assistance, Municipal Licensing and Standards, Noise bylaw, Noise Complaints, Ontario Tenants Rights, Pests, Problem Landlords, Problem tenant, Rent Bank Program, Rental Lease Agreement, Tenancy Agreement, Tenants boot camp, Terminating Lease agreement, Vacancy Decontrol, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 10, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Sometimes we find ourselves in a situation that is beyond our control and have to terminate a rental lease agreement early. In the present economic climate there will probably be an increasing number of renters needing to end their lease/ tenancy agreement early. It could be that laid off or underemployed renters will be seeking less expensive accommodation to survive the downturn in the economy. Some tenants may have found more suitable accommodations and others may be faced with the prospect of becoming homeless due to the economic downturn. Tenants may have to relocate for a new job. It may be that they want to move because of NOISY TENANTS or ‘harassment by a tenant’ and the fact that the landlord is not taking their complaints seriously. Check Municipal Licensing & Standards (Chapter 591 Noise Bylaw) for more detailed information on noise violation. 

 

A tenant may also be concerned about safety and security in their building if they have been a victim of robbery, burglary or break-in and the landlord has not responded adequately. Or there may be existing tensions or conflicts due to other violations of the RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES ACT such as malfunctioning utilities and outstanding major repairs, or Cockroach and bed bug infestation that the landlord ignores. There violations can make your unit uninhabitable. Naturally tenants would want out of their lease/tenancy agreement as soon as possible. There could also be any number of personal (more…)

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REPAIRS & Building Maintenance issues

Posted in Above Guideline increase, Activism, Auditing programme, Bed bugs, Capital Expenditures, City Inspectors, CMHC, Compensation, Complaints letter, Elevators, Eviction, Garbage, Garbage disposal, Landlord and Tenant Board, Last Month Rent (LMR), Municipal Licensing and Standards, Noise, Noise Complaints, Problem Landlords, Repairs, Repairs and maintenance, Residential Tenancies Act, Security, Security Camera, Soundproof, T2, T6, Tenant Association, Tenants boot camp, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 30, 2008| 15 Comments »

(NOTE – refer to our post on Balcony Renovations at this link for relevant information on issues related to repairs: https://eastyorktenantsgroup.com/2019/09/12/balcony-renovations-and-above-guideline-increases/  )

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Many tenants in Beaches-East York have relayed frustrating experiences with ‘problem landlords’ and property managers when requesting needed repairs to their apartment or when they complain about poor building maintenance. Unresolved complaints for outstanding repairs and building maintenance issues seem to be the bane of the existence of many tenants in the City of Toronto. Although your rental agreement clearly outlines the rights and responsibilities of both the tenant and the landlord, some landlords and property managers do not comply with the regulations set out in the “RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES ACT” 

Here is what tenants have been telling us:

  •   Absence of tenant associations – The most common concern is the challenges faced when attempting to establish a tenants association in order to help tenants resolve complaints and violations. Tenants tell us landlords do not encourage this activity and that landlords remove any notices related to organizing tenants from the communal notice board. The security guards are also instructed to remove any pamphlets and flyers related to this activity. It was suggested that since the security guards remove these while doing their rounds between 4:00 pm and midnight the tenants should deliver the flyers either after midnight or around 6:00 am and that flyers should be inserted carefully so that they are not visible from outside the doors. The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 clearly states that: “It is an offence to try to prevent a tenant from forming a tenants’ association or taking part in one.”  
  • Violations by landlords and property managers – Tenants are confused by the longwinded process in place to resolve offences and/or violations committed by landlords. They feel helpless about the delaying tactics used by landlords when needed repairs are requested. (more…)

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