1890 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

Because if 75% or 100% of owners in a strata don't want rentals, then the building will be either 75% or 100% owner-occupied...

It's still wrong to retroactively change the Act and strip existing property owners of their rights, especially when it's not going to do anything to make rents more affordable.

[sebberry]

It's still wrong to retroactively change the Act and strip existing property owners of their rights, especially when it's not going to do anything to make rents more affordable.

 

So why should the rights of individual strata owners be stripped by fellow owners in the building?

 

Is it reasonable to retroactively apply a restriction on an owner that wasn't in force when the owner moved in? 

[lanforod]

This is a bit of a conundrum: On one side, you've got property rights being restricted in what may be unfair to certain segments of the population. On the other side you've got democratically chosen restrictions. 

 

Perhaps the solution is to require a new vote each year on each restrictive bylaw, in compliance with zoning - which would be fairly relaxed. This would include long and short term rentals and age. Included in the voting package each year would be statistical information related to the restriction - how much of the building is rented, approximate value loss due to restrictions...

[VicHockeyFan]

That's fine. And any strata that chooses to have that annual vote can do that.

[VicHockeyFan]

I have some average friends who live in Washington DC, where the average rent for a one bedroom apartment is a whopping $2,000 a month. We're currently at around $1,200, which is only slightly higher than Kelowna, and about the same as places like Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Halifax.

 

Sometimes it just seems like Victorians simply don't get outside of Vic much. Our collective analytical abilities are pretty terrible. Sure, rents have increased dramatically since the 80's and 90's. Hey, did you know that a Coke used to cost five cents? I never see the local media or politicians compare us to other Canadian cities.

 

From Padmapper's July rental report:

Similar to last month, Canada continued to see mixed price trends across its cities. Of the 25 cities, 6 experienced increasing prices, 8 decreasing, and 11 with no change. See below to see how rent in your city has changed this month.

Top 5 Most Expensive Rental Markets

1. Vancouver, BC maintained its position as the most expensive city to rent in Canada. The median price for one bedroom units grew by 2.5%, settling at $2,090, while the median price for two bedrooms increased by 2.5% to $3,230.
2. Toronto, ON, similar to Vancouver, kept its spot as 2nd. Rent prices slightly increased by 0.6% to $1,800 for one bedroom units and rose by 3% to $2,430 for two bedrooms.
3. Barrie, ON climbed two spots, experiencing a steep increase of 5.2% to $1,210 for one bedroom rent. For two bedroom units, however, rent dropped by 1.4% to $1,390.
4. Montreal, QC saw mixed price changes this month for one and two bedroom units. Rent for one bedroom units decreased by 3.3% to $1,160, whereas the price for two bedroom units climbed 2.8% to $1,460.
5. Victoria, BC fell one spot this month, experiencing a drastic decline in rent for one bedroom units. Rent was down by 5.1% for one bedroom units while prices for two bedroom units slightly increased by 0.7% to $1,410.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 18 July 2017 - 07:54 AM.

[VicHockeyFan]

So I do not know, is it a crisis that our 1-br rents are $220/mo. more than Winnipeg?  Or $70 more than Kelowna?  I mean, even a minimum-wage earner (of which there are very few, relatively) earns $85/day for a full shift.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 18 July 2017 - 07:57 AM.

[Fred12]

 

1. Victoria, BC fell one spot this month, experiencing a drastic decline in rent for one bedroom units. Rent was down by 5.1% for one bedroom units while prices for two bedroom units slightly increased by 0.7% to $1,410.

Makes sense,   I've been waiting for this for a year now.    2 bedrooms are finally moving in value up to where they belong,  more like 4/3rds the value of a 1br and people are less panicked about 1 bedroom rentals.

[jonny]

So I do not know, is it a crisis that our 1-br rents are $220/mo. more than Winnipeg? Or $70 more than Kelowna? I mean, even a minimum-wage earner (of which there are very few, relatively) earns $85/day for a full shift.

Nope nope nope.

That's the point. We compare ourselves to 1995 or 2005 Victoria, but employ zero critical thinking abilities beyond X % change. The concept of doing an environmental scan is taught to all first year business students, but I guess they don't teach analytical skills in humanities school.

[peanutflower]

This isn't a price post, or I guess it is sort of, but there's a certain landlord in James Bay who has two buildings, each with 12 units, and he's busy evicting tenants under the "family use" clause, and so far we've found four of the units on AirBNB.  He gives tenants the option of a 25 percent rent increase for six months and then another 25 percent increase, or eviction.  That's the kind of landlord bullshit that puts people on the streets.  

[Mike K.]

That sounds like it's grounds for a tenancy dispute. Rent controls prohibit such increases, and a tenant can challenge an eviction if they feel the unit is not going to family but on to a vacation rental platform. The 25% rent increase is itself enough to file a complaint.

[VicHockeyFan]

This isn't a price post, or I guess it is sort of, but there's a certain landlord in James Bay who has two buildings, each with 12 units, and he's busy evicting tenants under the "family use" clause, and so far we've found four of the units on AirBNB.  He gives tenants the option of a 25 percent rent increase for six months and then another 25 percent increase, or eviction.  That's the kind of landlord bullshit that puts people on the streets.  

 

Tenant can challenge that and stay in the place until the complaint is heard.  And that can take 4 months or more.  Tenant is in control here.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 06 August 2017 - 06:49 PM.

[Matt R.]

Also, family means parents, siblings or children. Not uncle, not grandma, not cousin.

These tenants need to speak up for themselves as they are in control here.

Matt.

Edited by Matt R., 06 August 2017 - 07:24 PM.

[Nparker]

...These tenants need to speak up for themselves as they are in control here...

I think many tenants feel powerless and at the mercy of their landlords. I am not sure the Residential Tenancy Branch has the bite it once did.

[Matt R.]

I think RTA is still well enforced, though it's been a while since I've put it to the test.

Matt.

[Mike K.]

It does. Especially when it comes to clear violations like this.

[spanky123]

So I do not know, is it a crisis that our 1-br rents are $220/mo. more than Winnipeg?  Or $70 more than Kelowna?  I mean, even a minimum-wage earner (of which there are very few, relatively) earns $85/day for a full shift.

 

Most people around the world would be extremely envious of $870 US a month for rent in an upscale downtown one bedroom apartment.

 

When I first got my puppy I fed him every time he barked thinking that was the proper thing to do. Before long he was constantly barking. Same thing with social activists. Helps has shown that she is willing to jump every time someone barks. 

[spanky123]

This isn't a price post, or I guess it is sort of, but there's a certain landlord in James Bay who has two buildings, each with 12 units, and he's busy evicting tenants under the "family use" clause, and so far we've found four of the units on AirBNB.  He gives tenants the option of a 25 percent rent increase for six months and then another 25 percent increase, or eviction.  That's the kind of landlord bullshit that puts people on the streets.  

 

I would have played this a little differently. I would have taken proof of the airbnb rentals to the landlord along with a 5 year fixed priced lease. Let him or her decide which route they wanted to pursue before you let everyone else know about it!

[sebberry]

Tenant can challenge that and stay in the place until the complaint is heard.  And that can take 4 months or more.  Tenant is in control here.

 

And you wonder why people would rather rent their basement on Air BnB?  A nightmare tenant is in control...

[Mike K.]

I would have played this a little differently. I would have taken proof of the airbnb rentals to the landlord along with a 5 year fixed priced lease. Let him or her decide which route they wanted to pursue before you let everyone else know about it!

 

Yikes, that might backfire. Forcing someone to maintain rent for a five year period is not much different than forcing someone out and turning the unit over to AirBnB. This landlord should introduce one-year leases if he wants to eventually turn units over to AirBnB.

[Matt R.]

Plus that five year fixed term tenancy agreement might not be easy to break when you want out in three years!

Matt.