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We LOVE this ad of yours...you are so very correct. We are two hard working mature adults (with good jobs) with a child and two dogs - talk about almost impossible to find somewhere to live in this city. We ended up in an apt with no balcony, which kind of feels like a cave and we're the mushrooms. It's only redeeming feature is that it's reasonable in rent. However, we have nowhere to garden, to BBQ, to work on vehicles etc. Also, for the past year we've had to leave the larger dog with friends 'cause we can't afford to get kicked out of the apt we're in. That means that we've had to leave our dog behind for almost a year - we've been looking since we moved here in Oct now to find something reasonable for our family and we've come to the conclusion that it will have to be East Sooke or Duncan for affordability and life style choice.
I do not believe that landlords need to be as greedy and self-serving as they have become - this is a societal problem and it's reached almost epidemic proportions - do they really think that in this economic climate that the people they want to rent to can afford what they want to charge - it's become insane. Anyway, those are my thoughts on the matter. We are like you - we are good, responsible tenants who just want a nice place for our family and there's no way at present we can buy in this over-inflated market.
Unfortunately, the reality is that renters will be turned away if you own pets in this city, and often children too. It's no mistake that Victoria is called the city of the newly wed and nearly dead. We have a very unique market here, it's mainly the grays that own property in this city. And at their ages, they have no tolerance for kids running around playing with their dogs. They want their money handed to them on a silver platter with no hassle on the side, thank you very much. I empathize with you, this is a city that is forcing renting families to find accommodation in other communities. And guess who that leaves behind? Working couples with double incomes with no kids or pets who can afford these ridiculously high rents. To them it still looks like a bargain compared to paying a mortgage. No wonder they can afford to save for a down payment. To the rest of us who have no hope of ever buying property, it looks like a no win situation, we are stuck paying 80 percent of our income towards rent. Look at the results of the survey, most respondents said they intend to buy property, I'm guessing that these are the double income newly weds. I don't know what the solution is, but unless more people are willing to make their voices heard, nothing will change. Stats prove that for every one that steps forward, there are thousands who agree. Greed is running rampant in the Victoria rental marketplace,and nothing will change unless we band together and come up with alternative solutions. Maybe some government incentives to property owners who rent to families? Make it illegal to kick someone out of a suite for a lame reason and then raise the rent 500 percent to new renters? Better yet, lets have a show of public records for all rental units documenting their history of rent hikes and the reasons behind them, illegal suites included! We're all aware of landlords who install new kitchen faucets (or the like) and then raise rent by three hundred dollars a month to the new tenants because of 'improvements'. It's not the renters fault that your rusty leaky faucet(or roof, hot water heater, windows or outdated do-dads etc) needs replacing, and I don't think a landlord should be able to recoup the cost of necessary repairs on the backs of the next renters to come along that are looking for a non-slum unit to call home. So what's the solution?
ReplyDeleteMy feelings about this (and I could be wrong) is that the lifeblood of this community (tax paying young families) will have to move out to be able to afford a decent living. Who will then serve the nearly dead??? Who will provide services (restaurants, shops etc) for other workers in this community earning above average wages (gov. employees) when low wage earners move out and find work closer to home to be able to keep a reasonable lifestyle??? This city will turn into an "old age home" with no one but students and retirees contributing very little (taxes wise)
ReplyDeleteVictoria is short sighted and so are many communities across this country.
ReplyDeleteThe City Council could care less how much the rent is and they could care less if the average working person can afford to live here or not.
Business owners NEVER take into account the cost of living and then they complain and cry when they can't find anyone to work for them for 8 bucks an hour.
Commercial real estate (rent/lease) is outrages as well.On the corner of Pandora and Cook there is a commercial space that has been vacant for at least 4 years, it was rented to the NDP in 2 fed elections and once for the provincial election, they want 5,000/mo for that space Plus GST, one would have to be selling cocaine out of there to make the payments. It was some time ago some national magazine (Not sure which one) did a survey on cities across the country, Victoria got a failing grade for the following reasons.
1, Commercial space is too expensive
2, Housing is too expensive.
3, High crime.
I forget the other important points, however the cry baby chamber of commerce had to dispute these claims even though they were entirely true. Later Macleans Magazine comes out with a whitewash survey putting Victoria near the top, of course the chamber of commerce says " yes they are right because we like what they say".
I should try to find that survey on Google and post it here. it might be hard to find.
No words can describe how much I loathe the Victoria Chamber of Commerce or the Vic Board of trade.
They are pathological freaks in my opinion and I feel they are a big part of the housing issues in Victoria.
They want high rents because their members get to make giant profits.
Things are only going to get worse and this place will hit rock bottom. because to anyone else the "renters" are scum and cattle.
Just look what happened in whistler many years ago.
No word of a lie people were sleeping in closets and having to pay through the nose and the workers there were just working to pay the rent. 15 people in one place because the rich only matter.
I feel the word has to get out nation wide about the rental situation here esp to the University People that come here, too many are shocked when they arrive.
The only language anyone understands is when their pocket boot has a few less $$$ in it then maybe action will take place.
here is ansers to your "social problems, and why there is high rent"
ReplyDelete1. You rent, therefore you dont have pride of ownership wich means you realy dont care about your place other than hopefully you are comfortable, but would leave in a minute for something better. Risk for the Landlord
2. No way to prove your a dead beat before we get you in, your previous landlord will give any reference to get you out of his hair. Risk again for the landlord
3. Landlord must pay all bills/mortgages on time, wether you choose to pay on time or skip a months rent. Extra rent on landlord.
4. Once your in RTB is in your favour for everything. Huge Risk for Landlord.
5. Not one of you will come out and say "my dog will tear up your lawn and stink up your carpets. "my kids will write all over your walls and put wholes in them because i dont care to supervise them.
6. Think it is okay to have a kid rebuild his bicycle on the brand new carpets leaving huge oil stains. Over flowing kitty litter box on said new carpets ingraining the smell
7. Hopefully you will give 30 days notice when you want to leave. although landlord must give 60 days for specific reasons, and 90 days for increase in rent. Do you give 90 days notice your going to be late on the rent or are going to leave. More risk for landlord
8. It becomes your home, not the landlords while your in there, once again you dont care so landlord foots the risk.
Need I go on why rents are high, most of these are examples of my last tenant, and she was a friend of the family. Now the current tenant pays 300 a month more for the previous tenant and isnt allowed to have pets. And no it isnt your right to own pets, buy your own place then you get the rights associated with responsibility
@ goldenrivet:
ReplyDeleteHere are my answers to your list of 'I can't find a good tenant, so this describes who I keep renting to':
1) I rent a home. I take pride in my home. I garden, paint the fence, cut my grass, keep the place tity, etc. Why would owning it make any difference. I'm the one that lives here.
2) I am not a homeowner, but I sure do have a good sense of character. It is a landlord's own fault if they end up renting to a jackass. Risk, indeed.
3) Kind of goes with the territory. See #2.
4) Thank GOODNESS for the Residential Tenancy Branch. Designed to protect us from being treated unfairly, inappropriately and taken advantage of. Says something if you've had to participate in the process...
5)and 6) Not one of you landlords have had kids and/or pets? Perhaps they've lived in bubbles until they were 18 or kept in cages (the kids, that is). Damage and pet deposits are meant to cover YOUR ass should stuff like this happen. Trust me, it's not like we enjoy paying them.
7) see #2
8) see #1
There must and will be a way to stop landlords from raising the rents as described in this post. An extra $300 for what? Because he once rented to a jackass??
@goldenrivet: You can't be serious! See my comments to the camel shit Anonymous landlord who rented to the 'run of the mill' tenants. Same thing applies to you. In case you can't find it (seeing as you have trouble spelling, maybe understanding and writing in engrish does not come easy to you, I'll spell it out for you here). You alone are responsible for checking a renters references. You alone are responsible for verifying employment and their ability to pay rent. You alone are in the business of judging the character of the people who come and apply to rent your property. You have no one to blame but yourself if you don't have the necessary skills required to make a few phone calls and ask some pertinent questions so you can find a QUALIFIED tenant. Just because your daddy left you an inheritance and you used it to buy rental property does not make you a qualified landlord. Sounds like you need to find another line of work.
ReplyDelete@goldenrivet:
ReplyDeleteYOU SAID: Need I go on why rents are high, most of these are examples of my last tenant, and she was a friend of the family.
Geeeeeezzzz goldenrivet - I hate to break the bad news to you, but its not US tenants that are despicable - its your friends.
Hmmmm...I wonder why you attract people like that into your life.