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#41 Baro

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Posted 21 May 2015 - 04:57 PM

I love my building because it's run by a dictator.  No short sighted strata and the surrounding politics, just the firm hand of an "enlightened dictator".  You know exactly what you're getting into when you move in, no surprises.  The rules are actually enforced here.  No pets, no loud noises/music/parties after 10, no smoking on the property.  I know these situations are rare, most of my friends either have lazy or "easy going" landlords (see: doesn't actually enforce rules, great if you're the jerk disturbing everyone, not so great if you're everyone else) or landlords that are only strict when it comes to rules that make work for them or cut into their profits but very slow to address noise issues.

 

The landlords here are also pretty good at screening tenants, they're quite choosy and like to really interview and get to know you and look up all your references, and they make very clear that the rules here are actually enforced. They also put the same level of care into the upkeep of the building, minor issues are generally fixed same-day, the common spaces are spotless, and the building's exterior and gardens are also always perfect.

 

It would be nice if this was the norm for renting, but sadly it isn't.  It can take a lot of moving around to find the right building and landlord.  Why I like renting (beyond financial reasons) is that it's much easier to evict a problem tenant than it is to evict a problem condo owner, and it's much easier to give notice and move to another building than it is to sell your condo and buy another one.  But everyone has different tastes,that's why we have so many types of buildings.

 

I would though like to see landlords given more powers to deal with problem tenants, the people who ruin buildings for everyone else.  At the same time I'd like to see more protections and rights for people not causing problems in a building.

 

PS

Live on the top floor, no upstairs neighbours to worry about!!


Edited by Baro, 21 May 2015 - 04:57 PM.

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#42 Mike K.

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Posted 21 May 2015 - 06:21 PM

Though I think technically people have a right to smoke on their own balconies.

 

Double check that with your strata rep. Many buildings have actually banned smoking on balconies.


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#43 Baro

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Posted 25 May 2015 - 01:05 PM

Yep it's entirely up to the building to decide their smoking rules,  and it's possible (and common) to have no smoking on the entire PROPERTY.  Not in the units, not in balconies, not on the front lawn, not on the parking lot. 


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#44 lanforod

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Posted 25 May 2015 - 02:05 PM

With Whistler banning all smoking on all resort property, that seems to be the trend. Sucks for smokers, to be sure, for everyone else, probably quite happy.



#45 Nparker

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Posted 25 May 2015 - 02:27 PM

...it's possible (and common) to have no smoking on the entire PROPERTY...

I would love for my building to move in this direction. Perhaps I will suggest it for the next AGM.



#46 jonny

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Posted 25 May 2015 - 02:41 PM

Our only smokers are renters...

 

I'd love to ban smoking...a few years back a smoker managed to light some bark mulch on fire by carelessly discarding a cigarette.


Edited by jonny, 25 May 2015 - 02:48 PM.


#47 KAS

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Posted 25 May 2015 - 02:48 PM

We passed a bylaw banning smoking on common property and limited common property - so not on the grounds, or on the balconies. I don't recall as it was a hard sell - it was right after the city had amended its own bylaw about smoking outside the first time. And it was hard to argue about the logic of banning it on the balconies, as the way our building is designed, the balcony for one unit is 6 inches from the bedroom window of another

Edited by KAS, 25 May 2015 - 02:49 PM.


#48 Gary H

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Posted 25 May 2015 - 07:50 PM

I love my building because it's run by a dictator.  No short sighted strata and the surrounding politics, just the firm hand of an "enlightened dictator".  You know exactly what you're getting into when you move in, no surprises.  The rules are actually enforced here.  No pets, no loud noises/music/parties after 10, no smoking on the property.  I know these situations are rare, most of my friends either have lazy or "easy going" landlords (see: doesn't actually enforce rules, great if you're the jerk disturbing everyone, not so great if you're everyone else) or landlords that are only strict when it comes to rules that make work for them or cut into their profits but very slow to address noise issues.

 

The landlords here are also pretty good at screening tenants, they're quite choosy and like to really interview and get to know you and look up all your references, and they make very clear that the rules here are actually enforced. They also put the same level of care into the upkeep of the building, minor issues are generally fixed same-day, the common spaces are spotless, and the building's exterior and gardens are also always perfect.

 

It would be nice if this was the norm for renting, but sadly it isn't.  It can take a lot of moving around to find the right building and landlord.  Why I like renting (beyond financial reasons) is that it's much easier to evict a problem tenant than it is to evict a problem condo owner, and it's much easier to give notice and move to another building than it is to sell your condo and buy another one.  But everyone has different tastes,that's why we have so many types of buildings.

 

I would though like to see landlords given more powers to deal with problem tenants, the people who ruin buildings for everyone else.  At the same time I'd like to see more protections and rights for people not causing problems in a building.

 

PS

Live on the top floor, no upstairs neighbours to worry about!!

 

Sounds like my kinda building, but it must be small.  Where is it?



#49 Baro

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Posted 26 May 2015 - 11:25 AM

Little 1951 building on the corner of Meares and Vancouver.  People tend to stay a long time, the people who got the unit from were there for over 10 years.  Unless I have some huge life change or the landlord raises the rent too high I can't see my self ever moving out.  It has a nice mix of 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units so has a fair amount of families.  It's a wonderful building but it's the location that really sells it for me.  I can't imagine living anywhere else now.  I can walk downtown, the park, the ocean, work, anywhere.  And a majority of my friends live within blocks away which is also nice.  Gotta love the population density in this area.

 

Technically I'm in fairfield though, even though density/connectivity wise I'm much more related to Harris Green.  It's a funny spot because we're smack dab along the borders of Rockland, Fairfield, and Downtown.


Edited by Baro, 26 May 2015 - 11:29 AM.

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#50 Mike K.

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Posted 26 May 2015 - 07:55 PM

Your landlord can only raise the rent a capped percentage every year, and that percentage is very, very small.


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#51 dasmo

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Posted 27 May 2015 - 06:21 AM

It changes all the time from 2-4% ish. You probably won't get any raises from the sound of it though ;-)

#52 lanforod

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Posted 27 May 2015 - 07:41 AM

Your landlord can only raise the rent a capped percentage every year, and that percentage is very, very small.

Unless a new tenant comes in yes. If landlords raised by the max allowed every year though, folks would be in trouble.



#53 Mike K.

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Posted 27 May 2015 - 07:48 AM

Oh for sure, the rent can double between tenants if the landlord so chooses.

 

CMHC expects rental rate averages for 2br apartments to increase by $40 per month between 2014 and 2016.


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#54 Layne French

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Posted 27 May 2015 - 09:41 AM

Our only smokers are renters...

 

I'd love to ban smoking...a few years back a smoker managed to light some bark mulch on fire by carelessly discarding a cigarette.

 

This same thing just happened the other day here, burnt half the complex down and is going to result in major repairs. I wonder who is responsible for such issues, how would this impact insurance premiums paid on common property etc....



#55 sebberry

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Posted 27 May 2015 - 10:22 AM

This same thing just happened the other day here, burnt half the complex down and is going to result in major repairs. I wonder who is responsible for such issues, how would this impact insurance premiums paid on common property etc....

 

This one?

 

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...-pail-1.3086789

 

 

They can be an odd breed.  Two of the three big complainers in my building are smokers.  They're not happy with anything that goes on here, yet they have no problem stinking up the place.  I suppose discarding cigarette butts is no more dangerous than dealing with other similar items as long as it's done properly. 


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#56 Layne French

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Posted 27 May 2015 - 11:32 AM

This one?

 

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...-pail-1.3086789

 

 

They can be an odd breed.  Two of the three big complainers in my building are smokers.  They're not happy with anything that goes on here, yet they have no problem stinking up the place.  I suppose discarding cigarette butts is no more dangerous than dealing with other similar items as long as it's done properly. 

 

 

Nope I forgot about that one

 

It's this one:

http://calgaryherald...rtment-building

 

*it is kinda sad we have the same story happening twice in a week..


Edited by Layne French, 27 May 2015 - 11:36 AM.


#57 Nparker

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Posted 27 May 2015 - 11:44 AM

Smoking should be banned in all multi-family dwellings. If you don't like it, buy an SFD and smoke to your heart's content. Don't endanger my well-being and property with your foul and unnecessary habit.

 

There I said what I feel. Let the flaming (pun intended) begin.


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#58 jonny

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Posted 27 May 2015 - 11:57 AM

If it's a workplace risk to work around smoking, how is it not a risk to live around smoking?


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#59 sebberry

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Posted 27 May 2015 - 04:21 PM

When it goes wrong and a fire breaks out it can be devastating for many people. 

 

In the summer I use a portable A/C in my bedroom.  Being a portable with a single hose, it sucks a lot of air out of the room.  That air has to come from somewhere, and I've been playing whack-a-mole to seal up all the air leaks in my bathroom.  The latest was missing caulking behind the plate that goes around the bathtub water handle - cigarette odors were leaking into the wall cavity from downstairs, up the wall and into my bedroom.  Yuck. 


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#60 MarkoJ

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Posted 29 May 2015 - 05:55 AM

Double check that with your strata rep. Many buildings have actually banned smoking on balconies.

 

New buildings such as the Era and Duet do not allow for smoking anywhere....you cannot even smoke inside your own unit.

 

I've seen situations with chain smokers where somehow smokes makes its way to the neighboring unit via electrical outlets or other means.


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