Is it just me or has the rentals in this town gone RETARDED i mean $1100 for a upstairs suite of a house and $1200 for an old wartime home i mean come on this is ridiculous just because of the Port and Ridley the rent has miraculously jumped up not everybody can afford it…!!!
Can you link this for me!? That’s ridiculous, I rent a basement suite in PG for 750 a month and it’s pretty huge…
I can’t believe how money driven people are these days… Just like you said, not everyone can afford these fees!!!
Thats INSANE, i got a mortgage on a three bedroom house and its less then half that per month in Rupert
It is worrisome as Rupert has very minimal low rental housing available and the majority of those that are available are slums. When the rents increase, as they seem to be on the rise now with all the talk of the “boom”, where are these tenants to live. There is nothing affordable here for those on a limited income. It is sad that landlords would take advantage of those most in need. Already the Neptune and Raffles are a last resort for those that either can’t afford to rent or have burned their bridges at prior properties.
When Macro Properties came to town and bought many apartments and townhouses it was promoted in the then Daily News as a “Good News Story”. Macro bought the sixty or so unit Kaien Island Housing Co-operative with its federal roots, Cedar Ridge (forty units there?) which was provincial non-subsidized housing, and more. I’d call this concentrated ownership.
The city lost flexibility in housing when those “let’s sell publicly- built housing!” decisions were made years ago. Our leaders need to care where housing is going now because it is getting worse, fast. Our current Official Community Plan might offer direction. As limited as the City is financially, our leaders need do what they can. Buying into the big boom means paying attention to the needs of all citizens. Not just the ones with the big money.
[quote=“windchime”]When Macro Properties came to town and bought so many apartments and townhouses it was promoted in the then Daily News as a “Good News Story”. They bought the sixty or so unit Kaien Island Housing Co-operative with its federal roots, Cedar Ridge (forty units there?) which was provincial non-subsidized housing, and more. I’d call this concentrated ownership.
The city has lost flexibility in housing, but we gave that away years ago. Our leaders need to care where housing is going now because it is getting worse, fast. Our current Official Community Plan might offer direction. Where can people go? As limited as the City is financially, our leaders need do what they can. Buying into the big boom means paying attention to the needs of all citizens. Not just the ones with the big money.[/quote]
well said… the needs of all people have to be considered… affordable housing is better for a community than all the other options. Homelessness is very costly to a community in so many ways…
The Mayor likes to cater to the people with big money and until that changes I can’t see anything getting better…
I agree that there needs to be a variety of housing options, but as a landlord, the lower income tenants I’ve had dealings with have chosen to live like animals and treat my asset like garbage. It certainly doesn’t make me want to rent to people who have no concept of home ownership or respect for another person’s property.
My partner and I do not discriminate against lower-income folks and have rented to all sectors of Prince Rupert society, from doctors to single mothers on welfare, but time and time again, we’ve provided decent, clean, solid accommodations which at the end of a lower-income tenancy look like shit. Maybe that’s our fault for believing in the wrong people but it is starting to make sense to me to charge a higher rent from someone with a job and a sense of respect for personal property.
If I’m going to have to spend my time, energy, and cash to replace carpet, drywall, appliances, and broken panes of glass, pay the mortgage, and, don’t forget, pay high taxes and utilities, I am damn well looking to make a little profit. Money-driven? Maybe. Don’t forget that housing rentals are businesses, and I don’t need to subsidize anyone else’s life any more than I already do with my federal, provincial, and municipal taxes.
The previous poster’s comment about renters burning bridges is an apt one; if good landlords like myself hadn’t been screwed so many times by deadbeat renters, we might be less inclined to seize the current opportunity to make up some of our losses.
Well said!!!
[quote=“guitargrrl”]I agree that there needs to be a variety of housing options, but as a landlord, the lower income tenants I’ve had dealings with have chosen to live like animals and treat my asset like garbage. It certainly doesn’t make me want to rent to people who have no concept of home ownership or respect for another person’s property.
My partner and I do not discriminate against lower-income folks and have rented to all sectors of Prince Rupert society, from doctors to single mothers on welfare, but time and time again, we’ve provided decent, clean, solid accommodations which at the end of a lower-income tenancy look like shit. Maybe that’s our fault for believing in the wrong people but it is starting to make sense to me to charge a higher rent from someone with a job and a sense of respect for personal property.
If I’m going to have to spend my time, energy, and cash to replace carpet, drywall, appliances, and broken panes of glass, pay the mortgage, and, don’t forget, pay high taxes and utilities, I am damn well looking to make a little profit. Money-driven? Maybe. Don’t forget that housing rentals are businesses, and I don’t need to subsidize anyone else’s life any more than I already do with my federal, provincial, and municipal taxes.
The previous poster’s comment about renters burning bridges is an apt one; if good landlords like myself hadn’t been screwed so many times by deadbeat renters, we might be less inclined to seize the current opportunity to make up some of our losses.[/quote]
Very well said and I agree completely. I’ve been a landlord in the past and have had to deal with nightmarish issues. I had to evict one tenant for various reasons including partying and being disruptive to myself and the other neighbors. Short after I served notice, I had to leave town for a couple of days and returned to find the suite empty, holes kicked in walls and fecal matter smeared on the remaining walls. A small damage deposit did not even come close to repairing the damage. It cost me roughly what I would have received in rent for a year.
Rent is also market driven and landlords are free to charge what the market dictates they can. It’s more than fair.
Very well said “guitargrrl” and agree with your post completely. Part of the problem here also is there seems to be no consequences for those that neglect and abuse properties. Damage it, laugh about it and move on to the next and sadly, some owners have no option but to rent to these asses as they can take the owners denial to rent to them to the Landlord Tenant or welfare office. I have talked to my landlord and the horror stories about past tenants is heartbreaking. Never, in a million years, would I ever buy a rental property in Rupert. Is that generalizing or discriminating against those who are good tenants? Possibly, but the bad outnumber the good here.
home prices have been going up and this would reflect rental prices, higher mortgages = higher rent.
Oh no one can blame the property owner/ land lords for the situation up there … It is a very complex issue and the solutions are not easy… Some tenants at the low end are down right pigs and I don’t see how many property owners ever break even much less make money… Macro has had there bad luck with tenants as have the smaller operations… In victoria there are many non profits that have places that house the difficult to house many staffed around the clock… this only works when the individuals, that are tough to house seek help for whatever health issue (addictions etc ) is causing the problem …
If I was a landlord, I’d like to think I would be like guitargrrl providing “decent, clean, solid accommodations”, and I’d expect to make money. If I needed a place, I’d like to rent from them.
Some renters who “burn bridges” and the “deadbeat renters” are the difficult to house.The hard to house, and the working poor are the ones who may suffer as Rupert gets busier. As jamesbrown says its complex. And speaking of complex, according to the Macro Properties website, they own the Neptune too. Didn’t know that.
But wait a minute, the City employs a City Planner. Is housing and looking ahead in regards to housing in his job description? If not, maybe it needs to be. I’m confidant we have the city resources to tackle this issue without contracting out a study.
[quote=“windchime”]If I was a landlord, I’d like to think I would be like guitargrrl providing “decent, clean, solid accommodations”, and I’d expect to make money. If I needed a place, I’d like to rent from them.
Some renters who “burn bridges” and the “deadbeat renters” are the difficult to house.The hard to house, and the working poor are the ones who may suffer as Rupert gets busier. As jamesbrown says its complex. And speaking of complex, according to the Macro Properties website, they own the Neptune too. Didn’t know that.
But wait a minute, the City employs a City Planner. Is housing and looking ahead in regards to housing in his job description? If not, maybe it needs to be. I’m confidant we have the city resources to tackle this issue without contracting out a study.[/quote]
Yeah Macro bought neptune a quite a while ago… It is now all monthly rentals about 400-450 all inclusive… for the rooms, some have kitchens…
I agree with guitar girl, it’s very frustrating to have to dish out a pile of $$ after a tenant leaves to make the rental nice for the next tenants (and I want my rentals spotless for them to move into). One of my places was left absolutely filthy, the fridge door handle was ripped off, the bedroom door was kicked in and it smelled bad. Thankfully, I now have a wonderful tenant in there.
My other rental has been available since April and it will stay that way until I find the right tenant who is responsible and has excellent references.
[quote=“Crazy Train”]
Rent is also market driven and landlords are free to charge what the market dictates they can. It’s more than fair.[/quote]
A landlord can charge a new tenant whatever the tenant agrees to, but rents for existing tenancies are not market driven - rents can only be increased up to the permitted maximum (currently 3.8% a year) in the Residential Tenancy Act, regardless of the market. < bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws … 8_01#part3 >
Landlords have options. The Residential Tenancy Act does not require them to rent to ‘asses’ or anyone else. And a landlord can investigate a prospective renter’s “suitability” although they cannot charge a fee for doing that < bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws … #section15 >.
Under the Human Rights Code a landlord cannot refuse to rent a place because a prospective renter belongs to a protected ‘class’ based on “race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, age or lawful source of income” < bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws … #section10 >.
But the Code does not protect an applicant that the landlord does not consider to be suitable because they do not have adequate references or the applicant has expectations that the standard terms do not provide for and the landlord does not agree to.
Tinker Realty rents homes infested with bed bugs.
Judy Park and her pompous assistant show a complete lack of respect for their tenants, I have spoken with others who have had atrocious experiences with this outfit as well…
I once heard Judy tell a tenant “we are all in the same boat” … well some of us have to live on that boat.
The rental situation in Prince Rupert really is abysmal when hacks like this continue to stay in business.
[quote=“SofaKing”]Tinker Realty rents homes infested with bed bugs.
Judy Park and her pompous assistant show a complete lack of respect for their tenants, I have spoken with others who have had atrocious experiences with this outfit as well…
I once heard Judy tell a tenant “we are all in the same boat” … well some of us have to live on that boat.
The rental situation in Prince Rupert really is abysmal when hacks like this continue to stay in business.[/quote]
As a rule I will not edit or delete posts. On occasion I will move them to the wasteland. Please remember that you are responsible for what you write here. Please take a moment to read the HTMF FAQ linked below.
Rental management is a regulated profession in this province. Realtors who act as agents for landlords are required to be qualified and licensed. You have made very serious allegations (for which the administrator has provided cautionary advice).
A constructive way of expressing your concerns would be to file a complaint to the Real Estate Council of BC, which is a government agency that regulates the realty profession and has powers to fine, suspend, dismiss or otherwise discipline licensed realtors. This site and the links will provide details as to how to proceed < recbc.ca/complaints/complaint.html >.
Also, there is advice on another thread as to how tenants facing bed bug problems can seek redress from the Residential Tenancy Branch if the landlord (or their agent) fails or refuses to take appropriate action < viewtopic.php?f=3&t=21480&p=195988#p195987 >.
[quote=“BTravenn”]
[quote=“Crazy Train”]
Rent is also market driven and landlords are free to charge what the market dictates they can. It’s more than fair.[/quote]
A landlord can charge a new tenant whatever the tenant agrees to, but rents for existing tenancies are not market driven - rents can only be increased up to the permitted maximum (currently 3.8% a year) in the Residential Tenancy Act, regardless of the market. < bclaws.ca/
.[/quote]
Fort macmurray is a clear example of what I’m saying…
" The real estate market in Fort McMurray is growing rapidly, driven mainly by the booming oil & gas, mining, forestry and potash sectors"
prisminvestments.com/why-invest- … -mcmurray/
“If the landlord charges an amount in excess of the inflation rate plus two percent, the tenant does not have to pay the excess rent unless the tenant has been served with a Residential Tenancy Branch order allowing the rent increase.”
As you pointed out, If a suite is vacant then the rate you shared does not apply. That’s only for current tenancies. If my unit becomes vacant I’m free to change whatever the market dictates I can get.