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Hope on the Horizon: What Landlords Can Expect in 2021

by TVS | Dec 21, 2020 | Tenant Screening

With the ongoing vaccine rollout and a new stimulus and relief deal in Congress, there is hope on the horizon that 2021 will bring an end to the economic pain brought on by the pandemic. Businesses can reopen, renters can get jobs, and landlords can get paid. But there's no question that COVID-19 has had an impact on the rental industry, and those repercussions will continue to ripple throughout 2021: Continuation of social distancing Even as people receive vaccinations, experts are predicting...

2021 the Year of Lease Incentives

by TVS | Dec 21, 2020 | Rental Property Management Tips

Rent incentives are back, and tenants can find them in cities across the...

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Tenant Scams 11 Landlords

by TVS | Dec 14, 2020 | Tenant Screening

At least 11 Toronto-area landlords are suffering income loss after the same...

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How to Make the Most of a Tenant Credit Check

by TVS | Dec 14, 2020 | Tenant Screening

Running tenant credit is the final step in the tenant screening process. This...

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Lease Dispute Proves Costly for Landlord

by TVS | Mar 12, 2018 | Rental Forms

A Michigan-based landlord of a 215-unit property in Colorado has been forced to settle a lawsuit brought by tenants over improper fees. The dispute erupted after the property manager notified tenants of the mobile home park that a water fee was going to be added to...

Premise Liability Verdict a Warning for Landlords to Inspect

by TVS | Mar 12, 2018 | Rental Property Management Tips

An HOA is Nevada recently was ordered to pay $20 million in a premise liability lawsuit over poorly-maintained playground equipment. The victim's attorney, Claggett & Sykes Law Firm of Las Vegas, reports that this is one of the largest negligence verdicts against...

Rooftop Revenue a Unique Opportunity for Property Owners

by TVS | Mar 12, 2018 | Rental Property Management Tips

From church steeples to farm silos to rooftops, the growing needs of the telecom and solar industries present unique opportunities for building owners to maximize revenue. According to AudioSolutionz, AT&T is planning to increase spending on new antenna leases in...

Landlords: Can You Spot the Scammer?

by TVS | Feb 26, 2018 | Tenant Screening

Take a look at these rental applicants and see if you can spot the scammer: Tenant A is a successful entrepreneur. A sharp dresser in an expensive suit, Tenant A decided to lease out his luxury home in the U.S. and rent a place in Vancouver -- way below his budget --...

Understanding the Risks of Failing to Conduct Regular Property Inspections

by TVS | Feb 26, 2018 | Rental Property Management Tips

by Jim Garnett, Canadian Tenant Inspection Services Ltd. When was the last time you inspected one of your rental units? If you can’t put your finger on the date, then you might be in for a surprise, as well as some unexpected expenses, potentially dangerous...

3 Ways to Bolster Your Rental Application

by TVS | Feb 26, 2018 | Tenant Screening

It's hard to overstate the importance of a rental application when it comes to tenant screening. By verifying and then cross-referencing the application to the tenant credit report and references, a landlord can spot a bad tenant before it's too late. But this...

How to Verify Self-Employment Income

by TVS | Feb 26, 2018 | Tenant Screening

A significant number of rental applicants own their own businesses. Many of these applicants are highly-qualified and make great tenants. Landlords accustomed to verifying income solely from pay stubs may need to tweak their tenant screening process. Here are some...

Pros and Cons of Ontario’s New Mandatory Tenancy Agreement

by TVS | Feb 26, 2018 | Rental Forms

For tenancies beginning on or after April 30, most landlords in Ontario will need to adopt the new "standard" tenancy agreement provided by the government. Touted as easy-to-understand, the stated intent of this new lease form is to educate tenants as to their rights...

Landlords: 3 Things Tenants Do When You’re Not Watching

by TVS | Feb 12, 2018 | Rental Property Management Tips

Even with carefully-screened tenants, landlords can suffer if they are not watching over the property. Few landlords enjoy property inspections. But failure to adequately supervise tenants can lead to income loss. Receiving a rent check each month is not the measure...

Tenant Screening Tip: The Rental Application Cover Letter

by TVS | Feb 12, 2018 | Rental Forms

The rental application is a fundamental tool for landlords when it comes to finding the right tenants. But an application is only as good as the information contained in it. One way to obtain the best information -- and weed out bad tenants -- is for the landlord to...

Landlord to Pay $300,000 in Bedbug Dispute

by TVS | Feb 12, 2018 | Rental Property Management Tips

A Brooklyn tenant recently was awarded $300,000 from his landlord in a dispute over bedbugs. According to a news report, the tenant claimed that the infestation continued for over two years, despite repeated requests for remediation. The tenant claims to have suffered...

Minimizing Landlord Liability for Dog Bites

by TVS | Feb 12, 2018 | Tenant Screening

Roughly one-third of all insurance claims against property owners are for dog bites and the average cost to settle a dog bite claim is now $32,000, a significant rise from previous years, that according to the Insurance Information Institute and State Farm. Experts...

Tenant Scams Landlords with Fake Credit Report

by TVS | Jan 29, 2018 | Tenant Screening

Earlier this winter, two Toronto landlords from the same neighbourhood teamed up to hang posters with a photo of the same tenant they say scammed them. According to a news report, at least three adjacent landlords encountered the same tenant, and had the same...

Crisis Mode: What to Do with Tenants From Hell

by TVS | Jan 29, 2018 | Tenant Screening

An Alberta landlord reported that her property was sacked by her tenants, littered with crack pipes, the walls spray-painted, despite the fact that children lived in the home. The tenants moved on, which means now they are someone else's problem. In hindsight, it's...

City’s Nuisance Law Sparks Controversy

by TVS | Jan 29, 2018 | Rental Property Management Tips

A proposed bylaw in Prince George, B.C. that would require landlords there to reimburse the city for police, fire and city service calls is meeting opposition from landlords and tenants' rights advocates alike. The law would allow city officials and the police to...

British Columbia Sets 2018 Deposit Interest Rate; 4 Tips for Handling Security Deposits

by TVS | Jan 29, 2018 | Rental Property Management Tips

The interest rate to accrue on security deposits in British Columbia in 2018 remains at 0%. Landlords in British Columbia are required to pay interest on security deposits on an annual basis. That rate is set each year by the Residential Tenancy Branch. The rate has...

Tenant Screening Tips: How to Verify Rental History

by TVS | Jan 15, 2018 | Tenant Screening

Tenant screening is a two-part process. A landlord must verify credit-worthiness -- the ability and willingness to pay rent, along with tenant-worthiness -- the applicant's rental history. Running a tenant credit check is crucial for determining if the applicant tends...

7 Ways Small Landlords Risk Income Loss (and How to Avoid It)

by TVS | Jan 15, 2018 | Tenant Screening

Small landlord businesses - those with a few units or renting out their own houses -- are particularly vulnerable to income loss. Renting only now and again is like having a part-time job. It takes longer to build experience. Fortunately, there are many ways to...

Landlord Loses Battle with Airbnb

by TVS | Jan 15, 2018 | Rental Forms

A federal district court in Los Angeles has dismissed a lawsuit brought by major property manager Aimco against online vacation hosting site Airbnb alleging Airbnb illegally interfered with lease agreements by encouraging tenant hosts that Airbnb knew were violating...

California Nixes More Rent Control, For Now

by TVS | Jan 15, 2018 | Rental Property Management Tips

California lawmakers this week killed a pending proposal that would have allowed more cities there to expand rent control policies. After hearing testimony from landlords, including the California Apartment Association which offered rigorous opposition to the measure,...

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