<img src="https://i.imgur.com/SUUncra.png"/>
Author: Openroom HQ

Published: Tuesday, August 1, 2023 | Updated: Tuesday, August 1, 2023

---

## Ontario Tenants, Don't Let The Landlord Walk All Over You!

In Ontario, there are rights for both Landlords and Tenants. Many Landlords operate compliantly, abide by the agreement, and respect Tenants wholeheartedly.

And then, there are some Landlords and/or Property Managers who treat Tenants unfairly. At [Openroom](https://www.openroom.ca), that is not something we stand for.

We believe that responsible Tenants will work with responsible Landlords to ensure a safe, healthy, and respectful relationship on reasonable grounds.
It's common sense, right? Well, sometimes common sense isn't so common.
In cases when Tenants find their Landlords have operated questionably, there are resources available to help them navigate this absurdly complex rental ecosystem.

It makes us react with 🤯, and that's precisely why we want to provide some quick deets for you. Let's go through two common examples where some Landlords try to do things under the table, and that's not okay.

### Example Case: Did You Get an Abnormally High Rent Increase?
A Landlord raises rent by an abnormally high amount. What is abnormally high? The government of Ontario sets a limit on the permitted rent increase. [Learn more about Residential Rent Increases from the Ontario Government](https://www.ontario.ca/page/residential-rent-increases). 

For 2023 and 2024, it is 2.5% per year on top of the existing lawful rent - and no more than that if the unit is rent controlled. There are a few special cases such as renovations that warrant a slightly higher increase but not the case for the standard rental unit.

Ah, we know what's on your mind! Now you are thinking: "[is my rental unit on rent control](blog/is-my-rental-unit-on-rent-control)"? Go on, take a read and stay informed.

### Example Case: Were You Asked to Give Damage Deposits?
Another example, a Landlord cannot collect damage deposits from Tenants. The typically deposit collected at the beginning can only be used for Last Month's Rent (LMR) payment.

[Learn more about Rent Deposit in Bullet Point #8 from the Ontario Government](https://www.ontario.ca/page/guide-ontarios-standard-lease).

## Resources for Tenant Rights Questions
There are many other common violations that occur in the rental ecosystem. As a tenant, when you're in a position you aren't sure about, it's always best to double check. It's free to explore so there is no harm in explaining your situation and getting more educated. These resources are a starting point. Nothing beats being prepared.

Please note that the hours of operation below may change at any time and it's advised that you check the organization's website to confirm.


---

<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/3QfI7On"
company="Tenant Duty Counsel (TDC)"
description="TDC helps Tenants who do not have a legal representative present on the day of their hearing with the Landlord and Tenant Board."
hours="By appointment in advance or try to call at least 30 minutes early into your hearing." />

 

<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/43LJIyD"
company="Pro Bono Ontario – Free legal advice hotline"
description="The hotline offers 30 minutes of free legal help and advice over the telephone on civil law matters such as housing."
phone="Toll Free 1-855-255-7256"
hours="Monday to Friday between 9:00 am to 5:00 pm EST" />

 

<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/43ITLV3"
company="Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR)"
description="Tenants facing eviction can get information about the eviction process and services. CCHR’s human rights services include helping tenants who: are being discriminated against when looking for housing, are being harassed, need accommodation for a human rights reason, such as a disability, want general information about human rights or the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario."
email="cchr@housingrightscanada.com"
phone="416-944-0087 | 1-800-263-1139"
hours="Phone lines: Monday to Thursday: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm EST, Friday: 9:30 am – 1:00 pm EST | Live chat: Friday: 1:00 – 5:00 pm EST" />

 

<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/43VE2Cs"
company="Tribunals Ontario – Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB)"
description="The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) resolves: disputes between residential landlords and tenants, and eviction applications filed by non-profit housing co-operatives. The LTB also provides information about its practices and procedures and the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants under the Residential Tenancies Act. Note: LTB isn't legal advice but can share information on the Residential Tenancy Act."
email="LTB@Ontario.ca"
phone="Phone 416-645-8080 | Toll-free 1-888-332-3234 | Toll-free TTY 1-800-855-0511 (Bell Relay Service)"
hours="Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm EST" />


 

<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/3YcmMr2"
company="Law Society Referral Service"
description="The Law Society of Ontario has on online Law Society Referral Service that gives you the name of a lawyer or licensed paralegal who will give free legal advice for up to 30 minutes in any area of law."
email="lsrs@lso.ca"
phone="1-855-947-5255 or 416-947-5255"
hours="Monday to Friday, between 9:00 am to 5:00 pm EST"/>

 

<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/3YfRz6p"
company="Ontario Legal Information Centre"
description="The Ontario Legal Information Centre offers free 30-minute meeting with a lawyer to understand your legal situation. Consultations available in French and English for matters such as Landlord and Tenant issues."
phone="1-844-343-7462"
hours="Monday to Friday 9:00 to 12:00 pm EST, Monday to Thursday 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm EST"/>

 

<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/3rNjnDc"
company="Agincourt Community Services Association (ACSA)"
description="ACSA Legal Assistance Centre provides assistance to those who need legal support and assistance in filling out forms. You can book a free 20 minute legal consultation online."
email="hubreception@agincourtcommunityservices.com"
phone="(416) 292-6912 ext. 335"
hours="Varies depending on appointment"/>

---

Enjoyed this and want more? Send us a note with your feedback, a 🙌, or suggestions on what else we can write about! You can reach us at [hello@openroom.ca](mailto:hello@openroom.ca).

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/gXqeUtj.png"/>
Author: Openroom HQ

Published: Tuesday, August 29, 2023 | Updated: Tuesday, August 29, 2023

---
## 🐛 🐜 🦟 🪲 🪳 🐀

## What is Pest & Animal Control?
Enter the Epic Battle of Pest and Animal Control! This dynamic practice wrangles critters that threaten both humans and property. Picture a lineup of crafty insects, mischievous rodents, and even the grand entrance of deer and raccoons.

## When do you call Pest & Animal Control?
You should call pest and animal control if you have a pest or animal problem that you cannot handle yourself. Some signs that you may need pest or animal control include:

- You see signs of pests or animals, such as droppings, nests, or tracks.
- You hear noises that you cannot identify.
- You smell a foul odor.
- You are bitten or stung by a pest.
- You are having problems with your home or property such as damage to walls or furniture.

 
## Common pests in the home:
- *Insects*: Ants, cockroaches, spiders, termites, bedbugs, fleas, mosquitoes
- *Rodents*: Mice, rats, squirrels, rabbits
- *Animals*: Stray dogs, cats, deer, raccoons, skunks

**Aside: Did you know?** 
"On average, each house hosted 62 different arthropod families, for an average of 93 different species per home. Some homes had as many as 211 species." ([Vox Media](https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2016/1/23/10815572/insects-species-home))

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/NRagSr3.png"/>
 
## What a technician can do for you - an example of pest controlling bedbugs

A pest control technician can do a variety of things to help you with your pest or animal problem. They can identify the pest or animal, assess the severity of the problem, and recommend treatment options. They can also apply pesticides or other treatments to control the pest or animal.

For instance, in battling bedbugs, a technician meticulously examines your residence, pinpointing infestations and eggs. They propose tailored treatments like heat or chemical solutions.

## As a landlord, consider these steps before summoning a technician:
1. Thorough property inspection
2. Meaningful Tenant discussion
3. Visual documentation
4. Engage a qualified expert for comprehensive assistance.

---

## 5 Companies used by the Openroom team

<ContactCard link="https://homestars.com/companies/2564133-pesticon-pest-control-inc"
company="Pesticon Pest Control"
email="info@pesticon.com"
phone="1-416-839-1097"
hours=""
address="100 Rexdale Blvd, Unit 301-G, Etobicoke, ON, M9W 1N7"
area="Operates in Toronto and all parts of the GTA | Ajax, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Etobicoke, Cambridge, Hamilton, Kitchener, Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Scarborough, North York, Oakville, Pickering, Toronto, Vancouver, Vaughan, Woodbridge, Waterloo"
stars="9.8/10 of 2284 reviews on HomeStars | 4.8/5.0 over 500 reviews on Google Reviews"
/>
 

<ContactCard link="https://homestars.com/companies/2783550-pestend-pest-control-services"
company="Pestend Pest Control"
email=""
phone="416-319-5880 | TOLL FREE: 1-855-749-9203"
hours=""
address="415 Oakdale Rd. Toronto, ON M3N 1W7"
area="Serving Toronto & Southern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area | Toronto, Vaughan, Mississauga, Brampton, Bradford, Barrie"
stars="9.7/10 of 1423 reviews on HomeStars"
/>
 

<ContactCard link="https://homestars.com/companies/2774042-swat-wildlife"
company="Swat Wildlife"
email=""
phone="416-792-5181 | Hamilton & surrounding: 1 833 902 SWAT (7928)"
hours=""
address="278 St Clarens Avenue, Toronto, ON M6H 3W3"
area="Toronto, Brampton, Etobicoke, Hamilton, North York, Vaughan, Mississauga, Scarborough, Oakville, Markham, Thornhill, Richmond Hill, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby and Oshawa"
stars="9.8/10 of 1058 reviews on HomeStars"
/>
 

<ContactCard link="https://homestars.com/companies/2792853-pest-solution-services"
company="Pest Solution Services Bed Bugs Specialist"
email="info@pestxperts.ca"
phone="416-451-7659"
hours=""
address="27 Helmsdale Crescent, Toronto, ON, M9V 3X8"
area="Toronto, Mississauga, Vaughan, and the rest of the GTA"
stars="9.9/10 of 508 reviews on HomeStars"
/>
 

<ContactCard link="https://homestars.com/companies/318496-gta-wildlife-removal-pest-control"
company="GTA Wildlife Removal And Pest Control"
email=""
phone="Phone: (905) 884-9203 (General Information) | Cellular: (416) 936-7299 (Wildlife Control Hotline) | Cellular: (416) 896-6883 (Pest Control Hotline) | Toll Free: 1-800-775-8856"
hours=""
address=""
area="Entire Greater Toronto Area: Toronto, York, Etobicoke, North York, East York, Port Credit, Scarborough, Richmond Hill, Aurora, Mississauga, Vaughn, King City, Maple, Pickering, Oshawa, Ajax, Whitby, Caledon, Brampton, Stouffville, Markham, Uxbridge, Kleinburg, Newmarket, Bramalea, Malton, Woodbridge, Thornhill, Nobleton, Oshawa, Cooksvile, Bolton, Agincourt, Malton and other areas in the vicinity of the GTA."
stars="9.9 10 of 949 reviews on HomeStars"
/>
 


---

Enjoyed this and want more? Send us a note with your feedback, a 🙌, or suggestions on what else we can write about! You can reach us at [hello@openroom.ca](mailto:hello@openroom.ca).

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/AY4zH1W.png"/>
Author: Openroom HQ

Published: Monday, August 21, 2023 | Updated: Monday, August 21, 2023

---

When you see something that looks like it could be mold, get on it - ASAP. 

What you might not know is that mold can grow on any organic matter. This microscopic fungus can thrive on your clothing, floors, walls, or paper. 

As a Tenant living in the rental unit, it is your responsibility to notify the Landlord of any mold growth as soon as possible because it's a health and safety concern for you. You don't want to end up sick.

As a Landlord, it's important to attend to mold inquiries from Tenants as soon as soon as possible because it's impacting health and safety.

## How does mold come about?
- Water leaks
- Condensation
- Flood damage
- Airborne spores
- Food

## Dangers of mold over time
- Respiratory issues
- Eye irritation
- Allergic reactions
- Infections
- Structural damage to your home

## Top areas where mold could growth
- Bathroom
- Kitchen
- Laundry rooms
- Basements
- Attic
- Behind walls

## As a Landlord, some tips before you call a Technician:
- Take photos
- Inspect the property
- Identify the source of moisture
- Ventilate the area
- Clean the area
- Dispose of the contaminated materials

If you have followed these tips and you still think you have mold, you should call a technician to have the mold removed.

---

## 5 Companies used by the Openroom team

<ContactCard link="https://homestars.com/companies/2790312-the-mold-guy"
company="The Mold Guy, Mold Detection & Removal"
email=""
phone="Toronto: 416-333-2999 | GTA: 289-233-6653"
hours=""
address="437 Roncesvalles Ave. Suite 420 Toronto, ON M6R 3B9"
area="Mold Inspections and mold removal in Acton, Ajax, Barrie, Brampton, Brantford, Bolton, Burlington, Caledon, Etobicoke, Georgetown, Vaughan, Hamilton, King City, Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Milton, Newmarket, North York, Oakville, Orangeville, Oshawa, Pickering, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Scarborough, Stouffville, Woodbridge, Whitby. | Primarily Toronto but they’ll go the extra kilometer if necessary"
stars="9.8/10 out of 672 reviews on HomeStars"
/>
 

<ContactCard link="https://homestars.com/companies/2782716-allmax-home-inspection"
company="AllMax Home Inspection"
email="info@allmaxhome.ca"
phone="1-877-228-1537"
hours=""
address="7851 Dufferin St., Suite 500 Thornhill, Ontario L4J 3M4"
area="Greater Toronto Area"
stars="9.9/10 of 852 reviews on HomeStars"
/>
 

<ContactCard link="https://homestars.com/companies/2776893-templar-environmental-services"
company="Templar Environmental Services"
email=""
phone="416-209-4857 | 1-866-505-4857"
hours=""
address="1595 16th Avenue, Suite 301, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3N9"
area="Greater Toronto Area"
stars="9.9/10 of 434 reviews on HomeStars"
/>
 

<ContactCard link="https://homestars.com/companies/2889256-quantum-home-inspections"
company="Quantum Home Inspections"
email="info@quantumhomeinspections.ca"
phone="416 844-0747"
hours=""
address="9235 Jane St. Suite 103, Maple, Ontario L6A-0J8"
area="Greater Toronto Area"
stars="9.9 10 of 144 reviews on HomeStars"
/>
 

<ContactCard link="https://homestars.com/companies/2775914-inchbyininspections"
company="Inch By Inch Inspections, Asbestos And Mold Detection And Removal"
email="info@inchbyinchinspections.com"
phone="416-568-9702"
hours="10/10 of 246 reviews on HomeStars"
address="6-6150 Hwy 7, Suite 424 Vaughan, Ontario L4H 0R6"
area="Serving Toronto and GTA | Toronto, Burlington, Mississauga, Oakville, Vaughan, Hamilton, Etobicoke, Scarborough"
stars="10/10 of 246 reviews on HomeStars"
/>
 


---

Enjoyed this and want more? Send us a note with your feedback, a 🙌, or suggestions on what else we can write about! You can reach us at [hello@openroom.ca](mailto:hello@openroom.ca).

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/K5UV3bt.png"/>
Author: Openroom HQ

Published: Thursday, August 3, 2023 | Updated: Thursday, August 3, 2023

---

When owning a home, there will definitely be times when you need a plumber who knows what they are doing.

As a Tenant living in the rental unit, it is your responsibility to notify the Landlord of the water issues as soon as possible because water damages can get costly over time. You don't want to be accused of negligence.

As a Landlord, it's important to repair your home before further damages occur and prevent costly fixes. When it’s a water issue, there may be different levels of severity. Depending on whether it impedes health and safety, it is the duty of the landlord to make sure it is taken care of within a reasonable amount of time.

 
## For Landlords: Recommended time to respond

1. **Priority 1**: Health and safety concern for Tenants. Time to fix the issue should be ASAP within 24 hours.

2. **Priority 2**: Damage to house. At the discretion of Landlords. Recommended time to fix the issue is 72 hours.

3. **Priority 3**: Minor Leaks. At the discretion of Landlords, ideally before it becomes a larger issue. Recommended time to fix the issue is 1 week.


## Example of common leaks

- Whole House Meter Check for Leaks

- Water Supply Line Leaks

- Faucet, Shower, and Tub Leaks

- Toilet Leaks

- Whole House Humidifier Leaks

- Evaporative Cooler Leaks

- Pool and Fountain Leaks


## Example common issues with plumbing

- Frozen pipes

- Burst pipes

- Toilet change

- Clogged sink or toilet

- Backwater valve installation

- Clogged drains


It’s always best to engage a few companies to get a general quote virtually before you make a decision.


 
## Tips for tenants:

- As soon as you notice it, notify the Landlord

- Take photos and/or videos of the water issue, send it to your Landlord. The more evidence you collect and provide, the sooner the landlord and the plumber can address the issue.

- If possible and safe, turn off the water supply causing the leak

- Provide some times you are most comfortable with an inspection and then the actual fix. Occassionally, the Landlord may want to do an inspection prior to calling the plumber directly. Remember, based on the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) rules, you do not need to be present when the inspection, or when the fix is done, as long as there has been 24 hours of notice.

 
## Tips for landlords:

- Conduct your own inspection

- If it warrants a fix that you or tenant cannot fix, call a professional plumber

- Have photos and videos of the water issue

- Explain the situation briefly

- Coordinate a time for the plumber to resolve the issue

---

## 5 Companies used by the Openroom team

<ContactCard link="https://homestars.com/companies/2885579-award-plus-plumbing?searched_category_id=419&service_area=2089717"
company="Award Plus Plumbing"
email="info@awardplus.ca"
phone="416-616-7520"
hours="Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm EST"
address="18 Cedarcroft Blvd, North York, ON, M2R 2Z2"
area="Services the GREATER TORONTO AREA (GTA): Toronto, Scarborough, North York, Etobicoke | REGION OF PEEL: Mississauga, Brampton | YORK REGION: Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, King |HALTON REGION: Oakville, Milton"
stars="10/10 across 570+ reviews on Homestars | 4.9/5.0 across 38+ Google Reviews"
/>
 

<ContactCard link="https://homestars.com/companies/2773989-strong-plumbing-co"
company="Strong Plumbing Inc."
email="contact@strongplumbinginc.com"
phone="416-258-4068"
hours=""
address="18 King St East - Suite #1400, Toronto, ON, M5C 1C4"
area="Services all Greater Toronto Area and surroundings"
stars="10/10 out of 1710 reviews on Homestars"
/>
 

<ContactCard link="https://homestars.com/companies/2877613-dima-plumbing"
company="Dima Plumbing"
email="Social Media @dimaplumbing"
phone="647-2899-576"
hours=""
address="25 Pamgrey Rd, Markham, ON, L6E 0B2"
area="Services Toronto And Surrounding Areas – Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Woodbridge, Markham, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Newmarket, Aurora, North York, Toronto, Scarborough, Etobicoke, East York, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa – and the entire GTA."
stars="10/10 out of 782 reviews on Homestars"
/>
 

<ContactCard link="https://homestars.com/companies/2854260-the-great-plumbing-co"
company="The Great Plumbing Co"
email=""
phone="416-446-0909"
hours="24/7"
address=""
area="Servies Toronto • North York • Richmond Hill • Markham • Leaside • Oakville • Brampton • Ajax • Pickering • Vaughan • Scarborough • Etobicoke • Thornhill • East York"
stars="9.9/10 out of 435 reviews on HomeStars | 4.9/5.0 of 120 reviews on Google Reviews"
/>
 

<ContactCard link="https://homestars.com/companies/2773030-waterworks-plumbing-ltd"
company="Waterworks Plumbing & Drains"
email=""
phone="416-483-1113 | 647-691-0022"
hours=""
address=""
area="Services Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga, Burlington, Etobicoke, Markham, Scarborough, North York, Maple, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Woodbridge"
stars="4.7/5 out of 172 reviews on Google Reviews | 9.7/10 of 2138 reviews on HomeStars"
/>
 

---

Enjoyed this and want more? Send us a note with your feedback, a 🙌, or suggestions on what else we can write about! You can reach us at [hello@openroom.ca](mailto:hello@openroom.ca).

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/LwjJSqN.png"/>
Author: Openroom HQ

Published: Tuesday, August 1, 2023 | Updated: Tuesday, August 1, 2023

---

## The Outrageous Inflation Crisis
The annual inflation rate is 4.560% as of August 2023 [(Reference: Inflation Calculator)](https://inflationcalculator.ca/2022-cpi-and-inflation-rates-for-ontario/), and this is causing prices to increase across the board for basic necessities such as groceries, fuel, and more.

*(Ugh, is the government doing anything about it?! )* 😥

Due to the rising costs of nearly *everything*, there may be times when you are struggling to make rent payments towards rent in a particular month.

The good news is that the government does have programs in place!

Rent Banks in major cities across Ontario that grants and/or loans for low-income individuals and families financial assistance with rent (e.g. rent, electricity, heating, deposits, moving costs). The various Rent Banks will differ in their eligibility, coverage, and dispersement amounts.

Getting an N4 - Notice to Terminate Tenancy Due to Non-Payment of Rent is never a pleasant experience. First, take a deep breath.

Know that when you are given the N4 Notice, you (as the Tenant) have 14 days to make the payment before the Landlord files with the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). This is when a little panic may set in. When a filing occurs, you will need to spend time, energy, and/or money to counter the potential eviction.

*(Seriously, ain't nobody have time for that!)*

To prevent that from happening, there are government resources available to you. We tried compiling a list of Rent Banks available across Ontario to get you started.

 
## Get Financial Help From Rent Banks or Housing Stability Benefits

### Example: The Toronto Rent Bank

The Toronto Rent Bank grants rental arrears or rental deposits for the minimum of either $4,000 or the equivalent of 3 months' rent. There are different eligibility requirements such as your family size and your household income.

The processing time is about 5 business days and in urgent cases, it can be expedited so make sure you don’t wait to apply. The Toronto Rent Bank operates in 11 languages from Mandarin to Spanish.

FYI: There are some financial assistance components that do not apply such as utility arrears. For this, you can apply to the Emergency Energy Fund (EEF) at 416-397-7368 or the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) at 416-924-2543.

### Rent Banks in Municipalities and Contact Info

We encourage you to visit your municipal websites for details of the Rent Bank and application process. Here are a few municipalities and their websites.

---


<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/rentbank-guelph"
company="Guelph / Wellington - Emergency Housing and Energy Supports"
phone="519.837.2670 x 3712"
address="County of Wellington, 74 Woolwich St. Guelph, ON, N1H 3T9" />

 



<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/rentbank-hamilton"
company="Hamilton - Housing Stability & Rent Ready Benefits"
email="hsb@hamilton.ca"
phone="OW Recipients 905-546-4800 | Low-income and ODSP recipients 905-526-8100"
address="OW Residents - 350 King St East, Suite 110 Hamilton, ON" />

 


<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/rentbank-london"
company="London - Housing Stability Bank"
email="londoncoh.hsb@salvationarmy.ca"
phone="519-964-3663 ext 300"
hours="Mon to Thu 8am-6pm EST and Tue, Wed, Fri 8am-4pm EST"
address="London Centre of Hope, 281 Wellington St, London, ON, N6B 2L4" />

 

<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/3q8xS3O"
company="Niagara - Rent Supplement Program"
description="Tenants in the Rent Supplement program pay a rent that is based on their income. Housing Services supplements the tenant’s rent by paying the landlord the difference between the rent paid by the tenant and the full market rent for the unit. Each year, Housing Services reviews the rents charged by the landlords to ensure that they fairly reflect the market rents in the area."
phone="905-682-9201 ext. 3932" />

 


<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/3q3NQwj"
company="Ottawa - Essential Health and Social Supports"
phone="3-1-1 (Select 4 for Community and Social Services) | 613-580-2400 | Toll Free 1-866-261-9799"
hours="Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4 pm EST"
address="110 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, ON, K1P 1J1" />

 

<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/3qiNZMa"
company="Peel - Emergency Housing Support"
email="info@peelregion.ca"
phone="905-791-7800 or Toll Free 1-888-919-7800"
hours="Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm EST. After-hours service for urgent issues is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Online chat is available Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."
address="Brampton (Regional headquarters) at 10 Peel Centre Drive, Brampton, ON, L6T 4B9
 | Mississauga at 7120 Hurontario Street, Mississauga, ON, L5S 1Z8
" />

 


<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/454TrkO"
company="Toronto - Rent Bank"
email="311@toronto.ca"
phone="416-397-RENT (7368)"
hours="Monday to Friday between 9 am and 4:30 pm EST"
address="City Hall - 100 Queen St. W., Toronto, ON, M5H 2N2" />

 


<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/3OeJVof"
company="Windsor - Rent and Utilities Assistance"
email="sshousing@citywindsor.ca"
phone="519-255-5200 ext. 5294"
address="Varies" />

 

---

Enjoyed this and want more? Send us a note with your feedback, a 🙌, or suggestions on what else we can write about! You can reach us at [hello@openroom.ca](mailto:hello@openroom.ca).

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/7lMJglJ.png"/>
Author: Openroom HQ

Published: Tuesday, August 1, 2023 | Updated: Tuesday, August 1, 2023

---

When the Landlord puts their property up for rent, they are running a business and therefore, have expenses to pay. As customers of businesses, it is our duty to make sure that we respect the agreement to pay for products and services rendered.

Sometimes, life gets tough and you, as the tenant, may not be able to make rent payment in a particular rent cycle. In the event that you couldn't make your rent payment, your landlord might have issued you an N4 notice, aiming to remove you from your rental residence.

## What is an N4?
An N4 notice is an official document is the standard document made by the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) for situations when a tenant falls behind on their rent. The Landlord must fill it out and give it to you.

### What does it look like?
Per the Landlord and Tenant Board of Ontario, as of August 2023, this is the [Form N4 - Notice to End Your Tenancy Due to Non-Payment of Rent](https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Notices%20of%20Termination%20&%20Instructions/N4.pdf).

### What are the official guidelines to issue one?
Per the Landlord and Tenant Board of Ontario, as of August 2023, these are the [Instructions for issuing an N4 - Notice to End Your Tenancy Due to Non-Payment of Rent](https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Notices%20of%20Termination%20&%20Instructions/N4%20instructions_final_Nov30_2015.pdf)

### Termination of lease date
When you are issued the N4 notice, you are not required to vacate the premises immediately upon reaching the termination date stated in the N4 notice. Breathe a little!

You actually have a 14-day period to settle the rent owed. Should you clear all outstanding rent and any additional dues before the termination date mentioned in the notice, the notice will be invalidated (cancelled).

 
## Understand the Process
*Remember: All (and each) of the below steps would no longer apply if you pay your rent owed.*

1. Tenant has overdue rent. Rent is considered overdue on the immediate next day when rent is supposed to be paid.

2. Landlord serves you with an [N4 - Notice to End Your Tenancy Due to Non-Payment of Rent](https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Notices%20of%20Termination%20&%20Instructions/N4.pdf).

3. Landlord files the [Form L1 - Application to Terminate Tenancy Due to Non-Payment of Rent and to Collect Rent the Tenant Owes](https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Landlord%20Applications%20&%20Instructions/L1_Instructions_20200401.pdf) application.

4. Landlord and Tenant waits for the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) to schedule a court hearing.

5. Landlord and Tenant attends the hearing virtually (or in person where/if applicable).

6. The Court Order is sent out.

7. Landlord files with the Sheriff’s Department for eviction.

8. Sheriff evicts Tenant and gives Vacant Possession to the Landlord.

9. Tenant has 72 hours after that to retrieve items left at the rental property.

 
## Is your N4 even legit?
Check for these three common issues regarding the N4 document you received.

### First - Landlord serving the N4 document to you
There are guidelines for which a Landlord must abide by to give you this N4 document. A Landlord cannot give the Tenant this notice by posting it on the door of the Tenant’s rental unit.

The form and associated instructions for the Landlord is written in the [Instructions for an N4 - Notice to End Your Tenancy Due to Non-Payment of Rent](https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Notices%20of%20Termination%20&%20Instructions/N4%20instructions_final_Nov30_2015.pdf)

### Per the instructions, these are the allowable formats:

- hand it directly to the tenant or to an adult in the rental unit,

- leave it in the tenant's mailbox or where mail is ordinarily delivered,

- place it under the door of the rental unit or through a mail slot in the door,

- send it by fax to a fax machine where the tenant carries on business or to a fax machine in their home,

- send it by courier, or

- send it by mail.

### Second - Is your name and rental unit spelt correctly?
The Landlord must write the correct name(s) of all of the Tenants associated on the lease agreement. In addition, the rental unit must be specified clearly as per stated in the lease agreement.
A common mistake is when the Landlord does not indicate whether it was a Basement or Unit # of the rental unit.

### Third - Check the amount on the N4
The N4 amounts owed should only have the rent amount you owe, and should not include the utilities or damages of any sort. If it does, it is not a valid N4 document.

## Have questions?
Reach out to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). Customer Service Officers are can provide you with information about the Residential Tenancies Act and the LTB's processes; they cannot provide you with legal advice.

<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/blog-n4-LTB"
company="Tribunals Ontario – Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB)"
description="The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) resolves: disputes between residential landlords and tenants, and eviction applications filed by non-profit housing co-operatives. The LTB also provides information about its practices and procedures and the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants under the Residential Tenancies Act."
email="LTB@Ontario.ca"
phone="Phone 416-645-8080 | Toll-free 1-888-332-3234"
hours="Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm EST" />
 
If you’re in need of more advice, check out the [7 free Tenant Rights Resources Guide](/blog/7-free-resources-tenant-legal-assistance) our team has written. Many of the resources offer you some free legal consultation assistance.

---

Enjoyed this and want more? Send us a note with your feedback, a 🙌, or suggestions on what else we can write about! You can reach us at [hello@openroom.ca](mailto:hello@openroom.ca).

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/ffwXitR.png"/>
Author: Openroom HQ

Published: Wednesday, August 2, 2023 | Updated: Wednesday, August 2, 2023

---

## What in the world is 'rent control'?

Rent Control is a tool used by the government to minimize the chances of a Landlord from increasing the rent beyond a reasonable amount within a specific time period - typically a year. The government determines 'reasonable' amount as a percentage increase that is correlated with inflation and other national trends.

For example, for the 2024 year in Ontario, the Landlord can only increase rent by a 2.5% of the current rent amount paid by the Tenant in a 12 month period. However, this only applies if to a ‘rent controlled’ rental unit.

### What is a ‘rent controlled rental unit’?

Any residential rental unit within the 2006 Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) that is built before November 15, 2018.

To be exempt, the residential rental unit must be a new building or addition was first occupied for residential purposes after November 15, 2018. As a tenant, you should ask your Landlord and do your research on your unit to determine the date of first possible residential occupation date.

### Example - Landlord rents a new condo building starting February 1, 2021

New condo buildings that completed construction after November 15, 2018 will not be rent controlled and technically, the Landlord can increase rent by any amount they wish to do so by issuing an [N2 - Notice of Rent Increase Unit Partially Exempt](https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Notices of Rent Increase & Instructions/N2.pdf) with 90 days' notice.

If a Tenant does not pay the amount requested by the Landlord, a Landlord could apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) to request for an eviction.

*Yes, it is absurd if you’re all settled in and the Landlord requests a 200% increase in rent all of a sudden. Until further notice from the government, unfortunately, this is how it is.*

 
## The last 33 years' rent increase guidelines

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/WKhbrz5.png"/>

Back in 1991 and 1992, the rent increase went as high as 5.4% and 6.0%, respectively.

That could be quite a lot for some paying for detached houses in today’s market.

Fast forward to 2021, the rent increase was 0.0% due to the COVID-19 pandemic setting the world to a halt. Now, coming to 2023 and 2024, both years are set to 2.5%. Overall, the rent increase rate seems to be trending downwards but only time will tell if that will still remain the case if inflation isn’t curbed.

 
## Dive deeper on your own
Check if your unit is exempt or not by first reading [Residential Rent Increases](https://www.ontario.ca/page/residential-rent-increases). If you’re still unsure, call the Landlord and Tenant Board to confirm.

<ContactCard link="https://bit.ly/3rLtHeG"
company="Tribunals Ontario – Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB)"
description="The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) resolves: disputes between residential landlords and tenants, and eviction applications filed by non-profit housing co-operatives. The LTB also provides information about its practices and procedures and the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants under the Residential Tenancies Act."
email="LTB@Ontario.ca"
phone="Phone 416-645-8080 | Toll-free 1-888-332-3234"
hours="Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm EST" />
 

 
## A little extra guidance for you
If you’re just about to sign a lease agreement, browse through the [Guide to Ontario’s Standard Lease Agreement](https://www.ontario.ca/page/guide-ontarios-standard-lease).

If you're in need of further clarification, we surfed the net for [7 Free Resources for Tenant Rights & Legal Assistance](blog/7-free-resources-tenant-legal-assistance) just for you.

It doesn't hurt to know a tad bit more about the complex rental ecosystem in Ontario. What are you waiting for? Get on it!

---

Enjoyed this and want more? Send us a note with your feedback, a 🙌, or suggestions on what else we can write about! You can reach us at [hello@openroom.ca](mailto:hello@openroom.ca).

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/pPA1SrD.png" />
Guest Author: Rachael A. (Citizen Anthropologist, Tenant)

Published: Monday, January 29, 2024 | Updated: Monday, February 5, 2024

---

That would be in the **shelter system**, where you would be treated as a lesser human being, even though many of the "clients" are paying rent in the form of reduced welfare benefits, so it's not free. According to someone's idea of appropriate treatment for sheltered persons, otherwise known as City sanctioned shelter standards, they are checked up on, and organized, daily and nightly with frequent wellness checks, and two bed checks every night. A night of sleep is not allowed for those in shelters. And there are plenty of checks, not only by the workers, but also, if you're in a hotel shelter, by the management staff of the hotel. **There is never any privacy with all these interested parties on your heels, treating you like prey.**

Somehow, having the hotel staff on site making inspections is truly demeaning. If you hang a towel on an over-the-door hook so the towel dries, for instance, that is not allowed, it's a health and safety issue. Is a towel on an over-the-door hook really any of the business of the hotel? I doubt it. It is simply a way of asserting power. And therefore, is the worst sort of insult to a person. **Because you're in a shelter, any one of them can psychologically kick you for any fabricated reason.**

The more serious problem, the rat and mice infestations raised very little interest. Hotel management has no sense of what is important and what is not important, and almost always can be relied on to make a fuss over the unimportant thing.

**The hotel was so uncomfortable being associated with a shelter that they removed their sign from the front of the building.** But, because of the location of the building, right next to an electrical corridor, there is no doubt that they are doing better as a shelter than they could as a hotel. The Wi-Fi for the building was frequently not functioning and the TV service was more off than on. This would not be tolerated in a hotel but is apparently acceptable for a shelter.

There is nothing for anyone to do, so the TV at least gave some relief to endless days and nights of nothing in a location that was inconvenient, to say the least, 25 km from the center of Toronto, in a neighbourhood that had some amenities but really not much.

Some people were in constant movement, walking, maybe coming back to the shelter for meals, but mostly just walking, something to do to fill the long days and nights. That was one way to avoid the frequent intrusions, the [wellness checks](https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/trnsprnc/brfng-mtrls/prlmntry-bndrs/20201119/025/index-en.aspx). **Even though staff may have seen someone several times already in a day, shelter staff would still do "wellness" checks. And then hotel staff made room inspections. Checking the rooms twice a month when they already had cleaning staff in them every week. ("Clients" had to ask for every roll of toilet paper, and sometimes they were refused...)**

Many of the "clients" packed up their possessions every morning and left the premises for the day, wheeling their suitcases along the street to catch the bus, returning at night to sleep at the shelter, usually because they were forced to share a room. **Some of them have jobs, some have cars, but there is really no way they can afford to pay rent too**. And still the government of Canada insists that we need more people. There are so many people being wasted, why bring in more?

The shelter was desperately trying to find more beds, they said, but really, the shelter was busy appropriating rooms for staff "offices", or break rooms, or otherwise threatening those who had single rooms with a "roommate" because of the need for beds. On the female floor, there were nine rooms set aside for staff offices. Most of them were empty most of the time because staff were there maybe one day a week only. Some rooms were emptied of beds to make meeting rooms. They pay lip service to the need for beds, with their real priority elsewhere.

Shelter is what it's about, so thank you for the shelter. As for everything else, no thank you to the attitude (What do you expect? You're in a shelter), no thank you to the discrimination, no thank you to being treated like prey. One of the big problems is that no one will answer questions, but everyone is busy slapping you down, keeping you in your place. The Agencies can fabricate evidence any which way they want and so they do. Nothing you can do about it, but fear is a constant companion.

Shelter is shelter, a temporary abode, not a chance to disrespect people who are in a shelter because the city of Toronto, maybe the country of Canada, forgot about building apartments for regular people and built condos. The supply of apartments has been insufficient for over 40 years. Time to adjust how we've been thinking about housing.

**Housing needs to be an opportunity, not a life-long sentence of poverty**, which is what the current [rent-geared-to-income (RGI)](https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/employment-social-support/housing-support/rent-geared-to-income-subsidy/) routine is. Another, different, solution, originating in Vienna, Austria, after WW2, (New York Times Magazine Section, Sunday, May 28, 2023) offers a way out of this repressive, punitive, going no-where "solution", and though the city of Toronto is aware of it, there has been nothing forthcoming about any changes coming up. Of course, there needs to be a real attempt to increase the housing supply, first. The help the city offers the homeless is not helpful to the homeless. It is designed as a dead-end solution. And that must be how they want it to stay. Look at all the associations, agencies, hotels, and employees who are benefiting from the current situation. Everyone, but not the homeless.

<hr/>

_This Opinion Contribution was sent in to Openroom by Guest Author: Rachael A. (Citizen Anthropologist, Tenant)_

<hr />

**About Opinion Contributions:**

Openroom seeks out the best stories around our community to elevate their voice. Each Opinion article is sent in by a genuine Openroom Community member.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text are of the Guest Author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Openroom. [Read more about our Opinion Contributions](https://openroom.d.pr/CBggpu/QjizwJyugH).

<hr />
Enjoyed this and want more? Send us a note with your feedback, a 🙌, or suggestions on what else we can write about! You can reach us at [hello@openroom.com](hello@openroom.ca).

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/eJ5UphA.png"/>
Guest Author: Anonymous (Dad, Tenant Advocate, Researcher, Professor)

Published: Thursday, February 8, 2024 | Updated: Thursday, February 8, 2024

---

As a tenant, I really wish Openroom had been available back in 2020 when my family and I faced troubles with our landlord. 


**My family and I first moved to Canada in 2015 and we lived in a beautiful, rent-controlled building with minimal issues.** 

**In 2020**, we relocated to be closer to our daughter's school while we worked as researchers at a university. Our new landlord demanded first and last month’s rent with an additional second month rent in order to secure the unit, which we paid without objection. 

**In 2021**, during the COVID pandemic, our landlord announced a 5% increase even though the Ontario government had passed [legislation](https://www.ontario.ca/page/renting-changes-during-covid-19#section-2) to freeze rent. We tried to communicate our concerns with our landlord but to no avail, they would not listen to us. We had also developed positive relationships with our community and our daughter was adapting well to her surroundings. Considering this, we acquiesced to our landlord’s demands without further resistance to avoid disrupting our daughter’s development. 

**Fast forward a year to 2022**, our landlords approached us again, this time proposing a 20% increase in rent. This time we refused to accept the increase, referring to Ontario guidelines which only stipulated a [1.2% increase](https://www.ontario.ca/page/residential-rent-increases#freeze). During negotiations, our landlords asserted that they were well aware of government rules but if we wanted to stay, we had to accept the 20% increase. We didn't agree, and a few months later, they served us with an [N12 (Notice to End your Tenancy Because the Landlord, a Purchaser or a Family Member Requires the Rental Unit)](https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Notices%20of%20Termination%20&%20Instructions/N12_Instructions_20200728.pdf), claiming they were moving back to the house.

We searched for alternatives but every other rental option was significantly more expensive. At this point, we were well-established in the community and our daughter was adapting well to her school and friends. We were deeply concerned that moving our daughter to another school would impact her social development. We decided to hire a paralegal to help us navigate this situation, and for eight months, it was incredibly challenging and one of the most stressful times of our lives. 

Our [N12 (Notice to End your Tenancy Because the Landlord, a Purchaser or a Family Member Requires the Rental Unit)](https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Notices%20of%20Termination%20&%20Instructions/N12_Instructions_20200728.pdf) hearing day finally arrived and it was a long one. We were 14th in line to be heard. We witnessed 13 families being evicted, some in similar situations to ours (eviction for the purpose of increasing rent above guidelines). Our case was adjourned due to time constraints. We believed we had a strong case and had evidence to show that our eviction was being imposed in bad faith. However, watching the previous cases unfold before us caused us to slowly lose trust in the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) system. 

In the months leading up to our second hearing date, we decided to move to a nearby place that became available for rent somewhat within our budget. We will never know if we could have won our case but the experience has left us with mixed feelings. The system exists to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants, but it seems to favor landlords.

**The house we left has been vacant for over 9 months.** Our current rent is slightly more expensive and resulted in us having less funds to invest in our daughter. We only wish we knew more about our landlords before renting from them. Openroom could have helped us make a more informed decision, avoiding a lot of stress and saving us thousands of dollars.

<hr/>

This Opinion Contribution was sent in to Openroom by Guest Author: Anonymous (Dad, Tenant Advocate, Researcher, Professor)

<hr />

**About Opinion Contributions:**

Openroom seeks out the best stories around our community to elevate their voice. Each Opinion article is sent in by a genuine Openroom Community member.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text are of the Guest Author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Openroom. [Read more about our Opinion Contributions](https://openroom.d.pr/CBggpu/QjizwJyugH).

<hr />
Enjoyed this and want more? Send us a note with your feedback, a 🙌, or suggestions on what else we can write about! You can reach us at [hello@openroom.com](hello@openroom.ca).

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/tjRYo8A.png"/>
Author: Chris Seepe

Published: October 10, 2023 | Updated: January 2, 2024

---


On September 18, 2023, Oshawa’s City Council voted 5 to 3 to reject its Safety Committee proposal to implement a city-wide rental property licensing program that first proposed to double Oshawa's By-Law Enforcement Dept. staff at an originally roughly-estimated cost of $5 million per year, to be paid entirely by Oshawa’s housing providers. This highly controversial agenda was pushed forward for over three years, and according to one councillor for over five years.

Over three years, many delegations of speakers from individual property owners and landlord associations from Oshawa, Toronto, Quinte (Belleville) and across Ontario participated in educating the city about the severe consequences that would arise from a city-wide rental property licensing program. A petition to stop this action was also signed by 1,950 supporters. Details on the current court action against the City of Windsor was also submitted. The city's rejection decision is a testament and tribute to what can be achieved with the collective action of engaged housing providers and their associations who represent the voices of many housing communities.﻿

I was waiting for the official minutes of the meeting but after nearly two weeks and no response from the City Clerk to my minutes status inquiry, I instead watched the meeting video and took notes, which I have appended below along with their timestamps. I’m using the video as the basis for the rest of this article.

## Big Win?
Some housing providers and landlord associations viewed this city council decision as a win for housing providers. True, it put to rest the proposal of formal licensing in Oshawa and possibly in other Ontario municipalities. This rejection ended many potential legal issues such as not receiving a license to rent while a tenant occupies the rental unit. The RTA doesn’t permit eviction for licensing non-compliance so does the city just fine the housing provider forever for the supposed by-law infraction or otherwise force the housing provider to make a change regardless of the cost (which costs by-law officers routinely ignore)?

## Informed Speculation – “Oshawa Safe Housing” program
I admit upfront that some of what I’m writing next is “informed” speculation," meaning I’m considering a variety of sources and influences when I write that this battle may be won but I don’t think the practice of invasive, expensive (for housing providers) martial inspections, audits and heavy punitive fines is going away. Oshawa, especially its by-law dept., has a long history of looking for municipalities that have been “successful” in implementing controversial programs that align with the city’s agenda. With respect to licensing, you only have to look at neighbouring “RentSafeTO” to speculate what the pending nebulous “Safe Housing Oshawa” program might look like. This latter program was mentioned at least twice during the city council's voting deliberations on licensing. I did an Internet search on these words and there were zero results.

## RentSafeTO
Toronto’s RentSafeTO scheme uses bylaw enforcement officers to conduct building “evaluations,” “audits” and the traditional investigation process of complaints submitted to 311. Building owners of **all** apartment buildings in Toronto with three or more storeys and ten or more units must “register” with the program and renew annually. While this is not a license per se, it still remains a huge overreach of proactive, invasive municipal enforcement. [View RentSafeTO fees and fines](https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/housing-shelter/rental-housing-tenant-information/rental-housing-standards/apartment-building-standards/rentsafeto-for-building-owners/rentsafeto-fees-and-fines/). 

The 2023 registration and renewal fee is $15.40 per residential unit and includes city-initiated building evaluations. A city building audit has an administration fee of $2,030.54 plus an audit inspection fee of $122.74 per hour per officer. Under this structure, there’s no time limit and no disincentive for a by-law or other inspection officer to be efficient in their investigation. So, this fee structure is open to significant potential abuse and power manipulation. A re-evaluation fee is $329.81 per registered building.

FYI on 2024 rates: <img src="https://i.imgur.com/OHXSGRb.png"/>

## City-Owned Rental Properties Exempted
Hypocritically, but to be expected, the very worst rental properties that rarely meet property standards and currently have billions of dollars in backlog capital repairs, are owned by the city … and are exempted … 
>Fees are waived for social housing providers … Toronto Community Housing Corporation, non-profit housing provider of assisted or social housing under a program administered by the City of Toronto, and dedicated supportive housing provided funded [sic] by the Province of Ontario.

 
## Seriousness of RentSafeTO By-Law Infractions
The SafeRentTO webpage depicts “all” the investigation activity in the city but search results max out at 2,000. A random review of cases across the city included a huge number of “long grass” cases, followed by “zoning” investigations. A large number were simply titled “property standards” with no explanation and the next most common group was “waste.” [View the Investigation Activity site and map.](https://secure.toronto.ca/InvestigationActivity/setup.do?action=init)

## Licensing Effectiveness (by example)
The Oshawa licensing reports never once provided independent, objective and quantifiable data to justify the significant costs to implement and operate the city-wide licensing program.

## R.H.E.U.
However, one of my readers sent me a link to a report that originally appeared on [The Trillium](https://www.thetrillium.ca/), a Village Media website devoted exclusively to covering provincial politics at Queen’s Park.

[View 'Ontario's Rental Enforcement Unit Probes a Fraction of Calls Received' article](https://www.orilliamatters.com/local-news/ontarios-rental-enforcement-unit-probes-a-fraction-of-calls-received-7639618?utm_source=Email_Share&utm_medium=Email_Share&utm_campaign=Email_Share)

A freedom-of-information request for the Rental Housing and Enforcement Unit (RHEU), which is a department of the Ministry of Housing (not the Attorney General) that handles complaints of RTA breaches of every kind except non-payment of rent, resulted in the **analysis of the practicality and effectiveness of government-driven housing investigations**. In the 2022–23 fiscal year, RHEU received 16,394 calls. It resolved 1,452 (8.9%) with one phone call from the ministry to the breaching party, or the case was closed for other reasons. Only 219 cases (1.3%) were formally investigated. Of those, 21 were prosecuted resulting in 17 convictions. **No action appears to have been taken on the remaining 14,723 calls (89.8%)**.

[<img src="https://i.imgur.com/4IzNzNo.png"/>](https://i.imgur.com/4IzNzNo.png)
*Click image to enlarge. The image is obtained from the OrilliaMatters.com article written by [Jack Hauen](https://www.orilliamatters.com/writers/jackhauen) depicting 'RHEU data for fiscal year 2022-23. | Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing'. Openroom modified the image for easier reading and specific callouts.*

## Ottawa Property Audit
An excellent Rental Accommodations Regulation Study dated May 09, 2019, was conducted by Maclaren Municipal Consulting Inc. on behalf of the city of Ottawa (not Oshawa). Over 100,000 rental units were anlyzed during a ten year period. 91.4% of properties didn't receive any property standards complaints. 51 properties out of 100,000 (0.051% or half of one percent) rental properties received 21+ calls during the 10-year period.

## Comparison
I’d be willing to bet that an **analysis of RentSafeTO or any other municipal licensing or rental housing auditing scheme would result in a mirror image of the RHEU and Maclaren reports**. Government, especially municipalities, ALWAYS think that the “hammer and gavel” (fundamentally totalitarian) approach to governance will solve everything. It rarely ever does. The most effective governance solutions are ALWAYS built on an agreed-to set of objectives that reflect the common interests of all stakeholders involved. Of course, this consensus is a much more difficult objective to achieve but, without that investment, those who perceive to be the aggrieved or “targeted” party will always look for a way to circumvent the policy rather than work towards mutually beneficial compliance. And as government retaliates with more heavy-handed actions, the aggrieved parties respond more aggresively, ultimately escalating the conflict. A primal theme throughout world history teaches this unlearned lesson myriad times.

## What To Do?
In my last speech to Oshawa’s Safety Committee, I pointed out the hypocrisy and conflicts of interest the city has with the city-wide rental housing licensing program. I finished the speech by stating that ([Read my full 8-minute speech](http://www.aztechrealty.com/documents/Speech%20to%20Oshawa%20Safety%20Committee%20-%202023%2009%2018.pdf)), 
>“… if I truly believed everything that I have conveyed to you today and previously, it would be in my own best interests to stop resisting the city-wide licensing program … I’m setting aside those efforts and will concentrate on maximizing the business advantages that I believe will fall out of your licensing program, which will yield higher returns for me in the long run as a private sector housing provider in Oshawa than any of the licensing fees you might extract from me in the short term.” 

## APPLIED TECHNOLOGY
I’m personally focusing on applying all the technology I can find to transfer as much of the day-to-day operational costs to tenants to reduce the significant negative impact that government licensing and, heaven forbid, vacancy control may have in the near-term. The more that tenants pay for what they use, the less the impact of uninformed and foolishly short-sighted legislation and by-laws will ultimately have on cash flow, which I believe it arguably the single greatest concern every rental property owner has.

Very briefly, such technologies include cashless laundry, electricity and water suite metering, dedicated hot water tanks attached to the tenants electricity panel, direct-to-tenant water billing, automated tenancy application, semi-automated tenancy qualification, automated tenancy agreement creation, semi-automated N1s and N4s from the same tenancy database, container homes on excess land, solar panels and horizontal wind turbines, direct-to-tenant electricity billing, water source heat pumps to replace gas-fired water boilers, and hopefully one day smart locks, battery storage, and EV charging retrofitted in older buildings using load balancing.

## ABOVE GUIDELINE INCREASE
Also, there appears to be legal precedence and legislation that permits Ontario housing providers to apply for an AGI to recover licensing fees.

The LTB document here [Click to read Tribunals Ontario Applications for Rent Increases Above the Guideline](https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Interpretation%20Guidelines/14%20-%20Applications%20for%20Rent%20Increases%20above%20the%20Guideline.html) …states that “A landlord may make an AGI application in any of the following situations: There has been an extraordinary increase in the cost for municipal taxes **and charges** [bolding by me] for the residential complex or any building in which the rental units are located. See RTA s. 2(1), s.126(1).1, s.126(2) and O.Reg 516/06, s.28, s.29 and s. 41;

A second LTB document here: [Click to Read from Tribunals Ontario](https://tribunalsontario.ca/documents/ltb/Brochures/Information%20about%20Applications%20for%20a%20Rent%20Increase%20Above%20the%20Guideline.html#sec2) states, 
> Municipal taxes and charges include:
>- taxes charged to a landlord by the municipality (which include education taxes) 
>- charges levied on a landlord by the municipality 
>- taxes levied on a landlord's property in unorganized territory

> Municipal taxes and charges do not include:
>- charges for inspections done by a municipality related to an alleged breach of a health, safety, housing or maintenance standard
>- charges for emergency repairs carried out by a municipality
>- charges for work in the nature of a capital expenditure carried out by a municipality
>- charges for services, work or non-emergency repairs performed by a municipality related to the landlord's non-compliance with a by-law
>- penalties, interest, late payment fees and fines
>- any amount spent by a municipality to arrange for vital service for a rental unit in accordance with a vital service by-law plus an administrative fee of 10 per cent of that amount

**There doesn’t appear to be an explicit statement for charges for inspections done by a municipality that results in no breach being found.** I would argue then the unwarranted inspection or audit is a “levied charge” by the municipality that can be recovered from tenants, but this is ultimately a question for the courts.

An increase in municipal taxes and charges is considered “extraordinary” if it is greater than the annual rent increase guideline plus 50 per cent of the guideline. For example, if the first rent increase requested in the application took effect on September 1, 2020, then the 2020 guideline of 2.2% is used. To be considered “extraordinary” …

- 2.2% x .50 (50%) = 1.1%

- 2.2% + 1.1% = 3.3%

… the increase in taxes would have to be 3.3% or greater.

---
 
### APPENDIX 1 - Historical Rent Control Document

A reader sent me a copy of a “Maximum Rental Decision – Housing Accommodation” form dated 1947 04 02 (two years after WWII ended). It was issued by the Ontario Rentals Administration Wartime Prices and Trade Board. Rent control was first introduced in Ontario under the National Housing Act 1944. It was repealed around 10 years later. 
<img src="https://i.imgur.com/BVxc9C9.jpg"/>

Aside from the historical interest, one thing I found particularly notable is that, long before the use of computers and word processing, this standard form with typed-in, fill-in-the-blanks contained a standard increase of ten percent (which form appears to be printed annually).

The Bank of Canada inflation calculator converts $44/month to $677.94/month in 2023 (in Smith Falls, ON). The BoC website states this is a 1,441% increase over 76 years (or an average 19.0% increase per year).

---

### APPENDIX 2 - Oshawa City Council meeting – Timestamps for Licensing Discussion

The whole meeting was about 4.5 hours. The following is the timestamp of the segment related to licensing. [Watch the Video](https://pub-oshawa.escribemeetings.com/Players/ISIStandAlonePlayer.aspx?ClientId=oshawa&FileName=Council%20Encoder_CCM_2023-10-02-09-29.mp4)

2:58:10 to 3:00:00 – Councillor mentions five years of discussion. Safety is essential. I inferred that safety was “above all other considerations”. Question asked about whether a recommended by-law enforcement oversee committee was allowed when even councillors aren’t permitted.

3:01:41 – Licensing fees collected to pay for services. If fees are waived, who’s paying? Answer given: don’t know now but down the road costs may be reduced by reduction in complaints. Investment in staff required if not recovering fees. Also, there’s a cost avoidance through reduced impact of fires, complaints and legal activity.

3:02:39 – Chairman states, “I’m not in support of this.” “Licensing fees will cause a lot of chaos.” Voting to reject the Safety Committee proposal is 5 to 3.

3:04:40 – “The entire supported motion loses.”

3:06:20 – "The existing RRHL [Residential Rental Housing Licensing] program has run its course.” Reallocate these resources to target specific unsafe housing. “Safe Housing Oshawa” is mentioned.

3:08:50 – “You can’t leave it [RRHL] in one part of the city and not the rest.”If council wants to do this [safe housing] without the licensing then you have to eliminate it [RRHL]. “Staff can’t operate two parallel systems. It doesn’t make sense.”

3:10:20 – “Most of the cost of enforcement are being picked up right now by the taxpayers who are not causing any offenses.” “Build a system that rewards those that maintain their properties … and for those that don’t … there has to be penalties.”

3:12:00 – question asked, does new provincial legislation [presumably Bill 23] mean that licensing is a policy that Oshawa can no longer follow? Specifically, if three rental units are permitted per property, does the [provincial] legislation make our [Oshawa] policy contrary and in conflict?

3:20:00 - Staff are directed to prepare a report about the pros and cons to end the current RRHL program and to suggest how these freed up resources might be used to effect an Oshawa Safe Housing program.

One of my readers wrote that earlier in the discussions, “… they [councillors] talk about the student licensing and that they [by-law dept] now allow 2nd suites in the licensing area. Unfortunately, they [by-law dept.] didn’t tell anyone this (including the councillors and investors).”

---

<img width="100" height="100" src="https://i.imgur.com/pL5htHO.png"/>
About the Guest Author: Christopher (Chris) Seepe

Advisor to the Openroom Team | Former Commercial Real Estate Broker | Past-President of the Landlords Association of Durham.

Over Chris' 13-years career as a Commercial Real Estate Broker of Record (retired), he specialized in multi-residential investment properties. He is the owner and hands-on operator of seven multi-residential investment properties (totalling 70 units). Chris retired after 9 years as president of the Landlords Association of Durham.There are many articles on investment and "landlording" topics published nationally.

Chris has been on several radio and television interviews, podcasts, YouTube videos. Chris is a regular guest speaker and panel member for various real estate-related events including several local government initiatives. Prior to his real estate career, he spent 35+ years in I.T. marketing. He's built software publishing company from $16,000 investment to $10 million sales in six years, resulting in Initial Public Offering and winning the Canadian Government’s 1996 Canada Export Award.

---

Enjoyed this and want more? Want to write for us? Have a story we should cover? 

Send us a note with your feedback, a 🙌, or suggestions on what else we can write about! You can reach us at [hello@openroom.ca](mailto:hello@openroom.ca).

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/4Z2XEUF.png"/>
Author: Openroom HQ with Aztech Realty

---

## Quiz Yourself: How much will it cost to clean up an unattended death?

### Answer: Are you properly insuring your investment against catastrophic events and have the right coverage? For example, cleanup of an unattended death could cost you $25,000 to $50,000 if your insurance doesn't include this uncommon 'peril'.


---

## 👇👇👇

The Rental Housing Provider (RHP) Training Program is an in-person cohort-based learning for Investment Property Investors, Landlords, Property Managers and Realtors in Ontario (Canada) across 6 consecutive Saturdays starting January 13, 2024.

[<img src="https://i.imgur.com/SVvyoEf.png"/>](https://program.openroom.ca/)

[📌 Learn more about Openroom's Rental Housing Provider (RHP) Training Program](https://program.openroom.ca/). Spots are limited.

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/CcxG9NU.png"/>

---

## Quiz Yourself: How might you be able to garnish someone on social assistance?

### Answer: You can't garnish social assistance income but you might be able to garnish the bank account it was deposited into.

---

## 👇👇👇

The Rental Housing Provider (RHP) Training Program is an in-person cohort-based learning for Investment Property Investors, Landlords, Property Managers and Realtors in Ontario (Canada) across 6 consecutive Saturdays starting January 13, 2024.

[<img src="https://i.imgur.com/SVvyoEf.png"/>](https://program.openroom.ca/)

[📌 Learn more about Openroom's Rental Housing Provider (RHP) Training Program](https://program.openroom.ca/). Spots are limited.

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/7JQF3hH.png"/>
Author: Openroom HQ with Aztech Realty

---

## Quiz Yourself: True or False? Tenants pay the property tax

### Answer: Tenants pay the property tax, not housing providers. Housing providers collect the tax on behalf of the tenant and remit it to the government in much the same way as retailers collect HST on the sale of goods and services to the end customer.

---

## 👇👇👇

The Rental Housing Provider (RHP) Training Program is an in-person cohort-based learning for Investment Property Investors, Landlords, Property Managers and Realtors in Ontario (Canada) across 6 consecutive Saturdays starting January 13, 2024.

[<img src="https://i.imgur.com/SVvyoEf.png"/>](https://program.openroom.ca/)

[📌 Learn more about Openroom's Rental Housing Provider (RHP) Training Program](https://program.openroom.ca/). Spots are limited.

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