Archive for the ‘Residential Tenancies Act’ Category
SMOKE FREE HOUSING . . .
Posted in Building Code, Building Maintenance, Capital Expenditures, City of Toronto, Health Concerns, Problem Landlords, Ranee Management, Residential Tenancies Act, Second-hand smoke, Smoke free housing, T2, T6, Tenancy Agreement, Tenants boot camp, tagged Building Code, City of Toronto, Compensation, Health Concerns, Property Standards, Ranee Management, Repairs, Residential Tenancies Act, Second-hand smoke, T2 Application, Tenancy Agreement, Tenants boot camp on January 21, 2009| 2 Comments »
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 Auditing programme, Bed bugs, Building Maintenance, City Inspectors, CMHC, Complaints letter, Elevators, Eviction, Garbage disposal, Municipal Licensing and Standards, Noise Complaints, Repairs, Sample complaint letter, Soundproof, T2 Application, T6 Application, Tenants Associations, Tenants boot camp 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:
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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.”
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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…)
ELECTION IS OVER . . . now what?
Posted in Activism, Affordable housing, Canada's Housing Policy, CMHC, Economy, Politics, Rent Control, Residential Tenancies Act, Tax breaks, tagged Affordable housing, Canada's Housing Policy, CMHC, Economy, Maria Minna, Repairs, Residential Tenancies Act, Tax breaks on October 26, 2008| 1 Comment »
In Beaches-East York the incumbent Liberal MP, Maria Minna, is once again heading back to Ottawa to represent us. The East York Tenants Group congratulate her.
Now to the business of getting some concrete action from our newly re-elected federal representative and the newly formed federal government.
Although our recently re-elected MP is in the opposition, tenants in Beaches-East York have certain expectations with regard to alleviating hardships faced by tenants, who by the way, comprise a huge segment of the residential households in Beaches-East York.
In the weeks preceding the election we raised a number of important tenants’ issues, not least of which is ‘affordable housing’. Two of the main factors in realizing ‘affordable housing’ are: i) an adequate supply of rental apartment buildings and/or, ii) bringing back ‘rent controls.’ Several community groups and organizations have raised these issues time and again with politicians. The East York Tenants Group e-mailed political representatives at all levels of government (more…)
– CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT For Bringing Back Rent Control and Nixing Vacancy Decontrol
Posted in Activism, Politics, Queen's Park, Rent Control, Residential Tenancies Act, Toronto City Council, Vacancy Decontrol, tagged Dalton McGuinty, Frances Nunziata, Ontario, Politics, Provincial government, Rent Control, Toronto City Council, Vacancy Decontrol on September 11, 2008| Leave a Comment »
In mid-July of this year the City Council voted to refer a motion (initiated by Ward 22 – St. Paul’s Michael Walker and seconded by Ward 11- South Weston’s Frances Nunziata) to Toronto’s Executive Council to request that the Provincial Government support a return to what they termed ‘real’ Rent Control and the end of Vacancy Decontrol in the province.
In and of itself, the Council motion was not very meaningful and does not seem to have been picked up by the media. It did certainly raised concerns though that are important to us as tenants.
So, what were the Councillors supporting and what impact would the (more…)