Close X
Thursday, October 31, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. Moves To Stop Landlords From Flipping Tenants, Hiking Rent Between Leases

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 27 Oct, 2017 01:44 PM
    VICTORIA — The B.C. government wants to close a loophole that allows landlords to bypass annual rent controls by flipping tenants and imposing larger rent hikes between leases.
     
    Housing Minister Selina Robinson introduced changes to the Residential Tenancy Act in the legislature Thursday that she said would protect renters who have been vulnerable to higher rent increases and housing instability.
     
    She said the act has allowed landlords to impose a vacate clause on leases, forcing renters out of their homes and allowing landlords to exceed rent controls for the next tenant.
     
    "This is unacceptable, and the undue stress and anxiety this caused renters has gone on for far too long," Robinson said.
     
    There are about 1.5 million renters in the province and in Vancouver, vacancy rates hover near zero per cent.
     
    Robinson said the challenges facing renters is not exclusive to Metro Vancouver and is being felt across the province.
     
    Changes to the law would restrict the use of the vacate clause and protect tenants renewing fixed-term agreements so they are covered by rent control, which currently allows increases of two per cent plus inflation. The changes would apply to existing rental agreements, Robinson said.
     
    "This will give renters the security they deserve and help bring integrity to the rental industry, which is good for landlords," she said.
     
    David Hutniak, chief executive officer for LandlordBC, said his organization has condemned the abuse of vacate clauses and fixed-term agreements.
     
    The proposed changes would prevent bad landlords from taking advantage of renters, he said.
     
    "Landlords who are abusing this form of tenancy are damaging our industry and really their behaviour is unfair to responsible and professional landlords," he said.
     
    Andrew Sakamoto, executive director of the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre, said it receives about 8,000 calls from tenants annually and has noticed a spike in complaints about fixed-term tenancies and vacate clauses in recent years.
     
    "Today represents a huge step forward, towards better balancing the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords," he said. "Prohibiting the vast majority of vacate clauses and doing so retrospectively will go a long way toward improving housing affordability across the province."
     
    Robinson said the law would also streamline the dispute resolution process for the return of security and pet deposits, and ensure tenants would no longer have to wait months to get their money back.
     
    As well, a funding increase for the Residential Tenancy Branch previously announced by the government will increase its ability to enforce laws and go after repeat offenders, Robinson said.
     
    Whether that funding increase has improved wait times for tenants filing complaints is still unclear but Robinson said the government is monitoring the situation.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    CMHC Says It Can Withstand A Severe Shock As It Passes Stress Test Scenarios

    CMHC Says It Can Withstand A Severe Shock As It Passes Stress Test Scenarios
    OTTAWA — Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. says stress testing has confirmed its mortgage loan insurance and securitization businesses are able to withstand a severe shock.

    CMHC Says It Can Withstand A Severe Shock As It Passes Stress Test Scenarios

    Tragically Hip Singer-Songwriter Gord Downie Dies At 53, Prime Minister Trudeau Pays Tearful Tribute

    Tragically Hip Singer-Songwriter Gord Downie Dies At 53, Prime Minister Trudeau Pays Tearful Tribute
    "We all knew it was coming, Trudeau said. "But we hoped it wasn't." Trudeau added that Canada was less of a country for having lost Downie.

    Tragically Hip Singer-Songwriter Gord Downie Dies At 53, Prime Minister Trudeau Pays Tearful Tribute

    Victoria Ranked Best Canadian City To Be A Woman; Windsor Ranked Worst

    In Windsor, Ont., which ranked worst in the study, the wage gap is actually smaller than average, with women making about 75 per cent of what men earn.

    Victoria Ranked Best Canadian City To Be A Woman; Windsor Ranked Worst

    Police Make Massive Seizure Of Carfentanil In Home East Of Toronto

    Police Make Massive Seizure Of Carfentanil In Home East Of Toronto
    PICKERING, Ont. — Police in southern Ontario have seized 42 kilograms of the deadly opioid carfentanil, saying it's believed to be the largest seizure of the drug in the country.

    Police Make Massive Seizure Of Carfentanil In Home East Of Toronto

    Junior Hockey Team In Kimberley, B.C., Scores Multi-Million Dollar Donation

    Junior Hockey Team In Kimberley, B.C., Scores Multi-Million Dollar Donation
    Giving $7.5 million to the Junior B Kimberley Dynamiters of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League will help the team in a number of ways, Gould said in an interview Monday.

    Junior Hockey Team In Kimberley, B.C., Scores Multi-Million Dollar Donation

    Police Lay 330 Charges And Arrest 33 During Queen's Homecoming Weekend

    Police Lay 330 Charges And Arrest 33 During Queen's Homecoming Weekend
    They say 307 of the 330 charges were under the Liquor Licence Act for violations such as having open alcohol, underage drinking and public intoxication.

    Police Lay 330 Charges And Arrest 33 During Queen's Homecoming Weekend