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: Continue Reading »
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 Auditing programme, Building Maintenance, Jim Hart, MLS Building audit, MRAB, Municipal Licensing and Standards, Property standards violations, Repairs, Vacancy Decontrol | 10 Comments »
UPDATE – Check our other posts for updated information on safety:
Safety and Security In Apartment Buildings (This particular post dealt with a robbery that took place at 165 Barrington Avenue, an apartment building owned by Ranee Management) .
Safety and Security in Apartment Buildings – Security Guards to be Eliminated. (This post addresses concerns about the impact on tenants’ safety resulting from removal security guards by Ranee Management.)
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Security for underground parking garages in apartment buildings is a topic that deserves closer scrutiny. There seems to be an increase in the number of break-ins in underground parking garages. This is costing tenants dearly.
While some tenants have been victims of auto theft, others have had their vehicles broken into or badly vandalized. This is certainly a cause for concern. Underground parking garages in residential apartment buildings are supposed to be equipped with an electronic entrance door and a special access key. This key allows legitimate access to tenants who park their vehicles in the underground parking. These garages should have functioning surveillance cameras to capture all activities and help keep the location safe. Apartment buildings also have security guards patrolling the entire premises. So we have to ask some troubling questions about how criminals manage to gain access Continue Reading »
Posted in Auto theft, Burglary, Lease Agreement, Ranee Management, Safety and Security, Security Camera, Security guards, Underground parking garage, Vandalism | Tagged 165 Barrington Ave, Auto theft, Burglary, Lease Agreement, Municipal Licensing and Standards, Safety and Security, Security camera, Security guards, Underground parking garage, Vandalism | 8 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 Continue Reading »
Posted in Municipal Election, Municipal Licensing and Standards, Property standards violations | 4 Comments »
The Annual Guideline Rent Increase for 2011 is being described as the lowest guideline increase in the 35-year history of rent regulation in Ontario. It has been set at 0.7% and is the maximum a landlord can increase the rent of existing tenants. The landlord will have to seek the approval of the Landlord and Tenant Board to increase rents above the guideline of Continue Reading »
Posted in 2011 Rent Increase Guideline, Above Guideline increase, HST, Last Month Rent (LMR), Vacancy Decontrol | Tagged 2011 Rent Increase Guideline, Above Guideline increase, Vacancy Decontrol | 3 Comments »
By D. Wallace, Guest Contributor
This is an update to my February posting titled “Are Residential Rents Exempt from HST?” Basically, tenants were in the dark as to whether and/or how rents were going to be affected by the HST.
It appears that some tenants have their answer. Our premier, the Continue Reading »
Posted in Consumer Price Index, HST, Michael Prue, Premier McGuinty | Tagged Consumer Price Index, HST, Michael Prue, Premier McGuinty | 3 Comments »
In recent months there has been a noticeable increase of renovation and retrofitting activities in apartment buildings in the GTA. Most of these renovations are related to upgrades to promote energy conservation. Renovations include fixes to faulty plumbing and heating systems, installing smart sub-meters, and replacement of ageing balcony doors and windows for more energy efficient ones. While general repairs and renovations are long overdue in older buildings there are other newer buildings undergoing Continue Reading »
Posted in Above Guideline increase, Apartment Issues, Capital Expenditures, Energy Conservation, Greening, Operating expenditures, Renovations, Repairs and maintenance, Smart meters, Tenant Association | Tagged Above Guideline increase, Capital Expenditures, Energy Conservation, Repairs, Residential Tenancies Act, Retrofit, Smart sub-meters | 9 Comments »
By D. Wallace, Guest Contributor
With the HST set to take effect in July 2010, there are several crucial questions all tenants in Ontario should be asking: a) Do tenants know what impact the harmonized sales tax (HST) will have on their rent? b) Will HST be added if hydro is included in their monthly rent? c) How are landlords going to be reimbursed for a list of extra costs and, d) Do tenants know what costs are on this list? In apartments, this list includes utilities such as gas heat, electricity, hydro, and other costs related to maintenance Continue Reading »
Posted in 2010 Rent Increase Guideline, Above Guideline increase, Annual Guideline Rent Increase, HST, Michael Prue, Premier McGuinty | Tagged 2010 Rent Increase Guideline, Above Rent Increase Guideline, Annual Guideline Increase, HST, Michael Prue, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Premier McGuinty, Tim Hudak | 12 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 Continue Reading »
Posted in Apartment Issues, Auditing programme, MRAB, Municipal Licensing and Standards, Ombudsman final report, Property standards violations, Repairs and maintenance, Tenant complaints | Tagged Auditing programme, MRAB, Municipal Licensing and Standards, Ombudsman final report, Property Standards, Tenant complaints | 3 Comments »
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