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Posts Tagged ‘Municipal Licensing and Standards’

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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Security in Underground Parking Garages

Posted in Auto theft, Burglary, Lease Agreement, Ranee Management, Safety and Security, Security Camera, Security guards, Underground parking garage, Vandalism, tagged , , , , , , , , , on November 16, 2010| 8 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 (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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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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New Auditing Regulatory Strategy for Multi-Residential Apartment Buildings To Go Into Effect on Dec. 1st

Posted in Activism, Auditing programme, City of Toronto Executive Committee, Landlord licensing, Landlord Licensing and Standards, Municipal Licensing, Politics, tagged , , on November 13, 2008| Leave a Comment »

Toronto’s Municipal Licensing and Standards Department’s proposed auditing strategy was voted in (with some amendments) on Monday (10 November) by the City’s Executive Committee over the criticism and objections of tenants and advocacy groups such as The Federation of Metropolitan Tenants’ Association, The Parkdale Tenants’ Association, ACORN, The South Etobicoke Tenants Association, and the Parkdale Community Legal Services – Tenant’s Advocacy Division who wanted stronger, more tenant-focused regulation.

The new strategy will go into effect on December 1st, 2008. You can read the full recommendation, that the City’s Executive Commitee reviewed, here.

More later on what the new programme may mean to you and what you can do to help ensure that it is implemented well.

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