Ella Does Squamish

The second in a series of weekly online surveys to inform the Hintonburg, Mechanicsville, and Wellington West Neighbourhood Planning Initiative is now online. This second survey addresses issues of Urban Design, Zoning, and Re-development Opportunities. Spread the word! Please invite your neighbours to participate in the NPI online surveys. Click here to go to the survey site, and remember, at the end of each survey, sign up to participate in a ‘lucky draw’ for prizes from local businesses! Questions and further information: infoCN@magma.ca Kate Murray Creative Neighbourhoods, Inc +613.728.0335

kate@creativeneighbourhoods.ca

www.creativeneighbourhoods.ca

Today the ‘landlord’ came over and wanted to raise our rent 10%.  The maximum allowed in a 12 month period in BC is 4% and if a owner wants to raise the rent more than this amount they have to submit the request to a Tenancy Board.  Even a 4% increase in rent has to be made in writing to the tenants 3 months in advance of when a lease is up.  I found it very odd that the owner appears to not know the laws or the process, especially since he is in business himself.  It has been my experience in day to day life here that some people who identify themselves as ethical don’t pay tax on professional income or other income such as rental income (and I won’t even comment on the huge amounts that are untaxed in terms of cannabis sales).  We suggested that he follow the legal process in terms of requesting an increase above the stipulated 4% and that it was in his interests to do so.  No doubt these rental laws have been developed to protect renters and mitigate homelessness - a huge problem in Vancouver.  It would be impossible for someone on a fixed income (social assistance is approximately $550. a month - of that the maximum of $375. a month is designated for housing) to accommodate a 10% rent increase and the landlord seemed to be under the impression that he could just raise the rent as much as he wanted, when he wanted. 

at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/153988.stm