Operating a profitable rental business does not need to be stressful, although for some landlords it may seem to come with the territory. One trick is to view the rental business like any other job. Working smart doesn’t mean working more hours. It means setting up...
The Right Way to Reject a Rental Applicant
by Marv Steier As landlords we have to do what is reasonable and non-discriminatory, yet still avoid bad tenants that result in income loss. We know that landlords can’t discriminate based on certain elements. What constitutes discrimination may be different in your...
How to Reduce Wear and Tear on Your Rental
As a landlord, you want your tenants to treat your unit as you would, with loving care. But unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. Much of the damage done to walls, floors and carpets happens on the first and last day of your tenant's lease, because that’s when...
Profit-Friendly Eviction Strategy
Each time a landlord faces a problem tenant, the thought of eviction looms in the background. But the question the landlord first needs to mull is "Can I evict this tenant?" It's at this point where it's easy to make a costly mistake -- by threatening or filing an...
Tips for Taking the Stress Out of Managing Rentals
Operating a profitable rental business does not need to be stressful, although for some landlords it may seem to come with the territory. One trick is to view the rental business like any other job. Working smart doesn't mean working more hours. It means setting up...
The Key to Profitable Rentals in 2013
One of the best ways to ensure the profitability of your rentals is by actively managing those properties throughout the year. Active management requires more than being present or available for your tenants. It means honing a special set of communication skills....
Landlords Ordered to Build Entrance Ramp
A rental property owner, her husband, and their corporation were ordered to build an access ramp at the entrance of their rental property, and to pay a tenant $15,500 for discrimination. The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal handed down the verdict following a two-year...
Tenant Pays Price for Not Returning Keys
A tenant who vacated early without returning the keys to his rental unit was ordered to pay his landlord for the cost of re-keying the locks. After leaving the property, the tenant filed a complaint with the B.C. Residential Tenancy Branch asking for the full return...
Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board Seeks Public Comments on Rule Change
Ontario's Landlord and Tenant Board is asking landlords to weigh in on a recent rule changes and new form that go into effect this year. The Board is releasing a draft version of the proposed new Rules along with a new forms related to the L1/L9 Hearing Day and...
Landlords Face New Laws, Trends in 2013
As 2012 rolls to an end, it's time to look forward and anticipate some of the new laws and trends that can affect landlords in 2013. Marijuana use likely to increase Over the past year, the use of medical marijuana has proven popular in those states that allow sales....
The Key to Profitable Rentals in 2013
One of the best ways to ensure the profitability of your rentals is by actively managing those properties throughout the year. Active management requires more than being present or available for your tenants. It means honing a special set of communication skills....
California Adopts New Rental Rules for 2013
California lawmakers have enacted some changes to landlord tenant laws for 2013. Fortunately, some of these changes are landlord-friendly, and have the potential to cut down on the time and costs of managing rental properties: Tenants' Abandoned Property When a...
Apartment Market Ends Year on High Note
Countering the typical seasonal trend, annual effective rent growth for the apartment market increased from 3.60% in October to 3.72% in November, according to the latest data from Axiometrics Inc., the leading provider of apartment data and market research....
City Tests Landlord Demerit Program
Lawmakers in Oshawa, Ontario will be keeping score on some area landlords through a new "demerit" system, where noise, nuisance and other complaints could lead to rental licence suspensions. Directed at off-campus student housing, the law makes it more crucial than...
Landlord’s Good Deed Inspires Others
A letter from a landlord to tenants, telling them to deduct $70 from December’s rent to buy a holiday gift for someone special, has gone viral after being posted on a social media site. After a photo of the letter was published on social sharing website Reddit, more...
Canada’s Rental Vacancy Rate Increases
The fall Rental Market Survey just released by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) shows the average rental apartment vacancy rate in Canada’s 35 major centres increased to 2.6 per cent in October 2012, from 2.2 per cent in October 2011. “Lower levels of...
5 Easy Ways to Make Small Rentals Feel Larger
Many existing apartments have small rooms. New construction is trending in the same direction, with 300-square-foot “microlofts” gaining popularity. If you own a rental property with small rooms, a little staging can make the space seem larger and more inviting, and...
7 Ways Landlords Can Avoid Losing Money on Move-Out Day
As tenants prepare to move out, landlords face some of the most common causes of income loss — even when the rest of the tenancy went well. Miscommunication between landlord and tenant can lead to prolonged vacancies. Poorly executed moves or last minute damages can...
Landlord’s Good Deed Goes Viral
A letter from a landlord to tenants, telling them to deduct $70 from December's rent to buy a holiday gift for someone special, has gone viral after being posted on a social media site. After a photo of the letter was published on social sharing website Reddit, more...
Inexpensive Ways to Make Small Rentals Feel Bigger
Many existing apartments have small rooms. New construction is trending in the same direction, with 300-square-foot "microlofts" gaining popularity. If you own a rental property with small rooms, a little staging can make the space seem larger and more inviting, and...