New Site

So ... since I am no longer welcome at the Ontario Landlord's Association forums - nice, eh...take my $99 and kick me out when I did not break a single one of their posted rules -- and then refuse so much as to respond to my emails... clearly won't be recommending them to anyone any more.

ANYWAY... because of that, I got motivated to set up my own website - complete with a forum... am also blogging there... not sure what, if anything I'll do with this blog, but please do drop by my new home at http://onlandlording.org .... and would love to have you stop by and chat at the ONlandlording forum, also.... can even use private messaging, profiles, search, and so on.... no control freaks :)  Hope to see you there.

A bit more re: my eviction

So ... just in case any members from the Ontario Landlords Association forums wander by (even though they've disabled my profile to make it harder for you to find me *sigh*) ... thought I'd expand a little bit on my previous post.

I have indeed been kicked from the forums entirely - did send an email requesting clarification as to their rationale, but no response, so I assume tis permanent...

Anyway ... since they can't be bothered to respond to me, and since they deleted not one but 2 threads so you can't read for yourself, here is what happened.

The thread re: meeting disappeared ... but in its place, the admin posted a new thread which stated that if we wanted to meet, we need to provide them (via email) with a bunch of information including the purpose of the meeting, number of attendees, location, date, agenda, etc .... THEY will set it all up for us (isn't that ever so ~nice~ of them?)

I responded that it would be difficult for any one of us to provide detailed responses to their questions since they had deleted the very thread where we were attempting to sort those details out. Very shortly thereafter, that thread, and my comment, of course, disappeared into the ether. A new admin thread appeared - locked this time - that one you've probably seen, as I imagine it is still there .... one about using the forums only to discuss issues relating to landlording...?

An hour or two later, I posted the blog post below this one ... offering to facilitate an email list if people wanted.... and then I posted a message on "my" thread re: being "So discouraged" mentioning only that I had added a couple of posts to my blog if anyone was interested.

Shortly thereafter, my account was deactivated and there ya go ...I am, apparently, far more problematic than Tagly, and Doug, and .... well, everyone!

Which, of course, especially combined with the ~magic post~ I mentioned, and the lack of transparency re: the association's advocacy activities re: our issues, or even, indeed, re: who is behind the OLA, causes me to view the whole thing with a rather jaded eye at this point.

I do not understand why an association which claims to facilitate networking with other landlords would have disabled the private messaging function to begin with, nor why they would have such great objection to landlords being in touch with each other via any other mechanisms.

I do not understand why an association which claims to have all the answers in its database of over 70,000 posts would disable the search function, also.

And I certainly do not understand why I, who have actually paid to be a member of the Ontario Association of Landlords, would be ejected for so minor an offense as attempting to facilitate something they claim to be supportive of.

Apparently, name calling, insulting others, and posting ridiculous nonsense are all just fine... but attempting to facilitate contacting people outside the forum is not.

What IS it that the Ontario Landlords Association does not want its members to discuss, I wonder?

Why is a simple get together for coffee so gosh darned threatening to them? 

Smells fishy to me.

Get together?

Apparently, forum admins don't approve of landlords arranging informal get-togethers....

happy to create an email list so that we can make arrangements independently of the forum if you like ... just send me an email and will add you to the list.

lovelandlording@gmail.com


4 p.m.  Well isn't that ~fun~ ...apparently they also don't approve of the above blog post - I seem to have been kicked from the forum altogether. No explanation, but I presume it is for posting a comment re: having added posts to this blog if anyone was interested.  

My goodness... how DID the idea of landlords wanting to meet for coffee get so gosh-darned problematic for the OLA? Makes me think that perhaps I wasn't mistaken about the possible implications of the ~magic post~ I saw several weeks ago.

The Legalized Theft Board

I know that it aggravates some people when I refer to the LTB (as in the Landlord & Tenant Board, which is their proper name) as the Legalized Theft Board.

But that has most certainly been not only my experience, but also the experience of many other landlords who post in the Ontario Landlords Association forums - and, no doubt, of thousands more besides.

I happened to be on the LTB site yesterday looking something up and noted, once again, their (supposed) mission statement:

The mission of the Landlord and Tenant Board is to inform landlords and tenants about their rights and responsibilities under the Residential Tenancies Act and provide balanced and timely dispute resolution in accordance with the law.

Right there on the front page. And hey... if they actually did that, I'd be happy to call them the Landlord Tenant Board.

Unfortunately, what they claim to do bears little/no resemblance to what they actually do.

• Rules are required to be followed to the letter by landlords, but not at all by tenants. Legal resources provided to tenants, but not landlords. Privacy for tenant information, but not landlords'.... where in the mission statement does it suggest tenants should be advantaged at every turn while landlords are not?
• almost 6 months for a case where the tenant gave notice, tried to rescind it 2 days before their stated move-out date, and then paid not one blessed cent rent for that almost 6 months? HOW is that timely?
• the adjudicator finds that the landlord is credible, the tenant is not, and awards judgements to the landlord on all three counts - but goes out of his way to ensure that not one cent will ever be collected and that the tenants get several extra weeks at the landlord's expense  - as a result of a conversation after the hearing to which the landlord was not privy?  HOW is that balanced?

I could go on and on ... I've learned an awful lot as a result of my research & reading - but I can tell you with 100% assurance that the vast majority of evidence - BY FAR - is that the LTB in Ontario has completely lost sight of its mission statement and its purpose.

The mission statement would be far more accurately stated as follows:

The mission of the Legalized Theft Board is to ensure security of tenancy for all tenants whether they live up to their responsibilities under the Residential Tenancies Act or not.

Period, full stop.

Interestingly, the LTB seems to now be rather ~slow~ to post annual reports and/or recent decisions on their website. The last Annual Report which is available is from 2009 - 2010; decisions end as of December 2011.

Things that make one go hmmmm.... could it be that they know they've lost the plot and are loathe to advertise it? Inquiring minds want to know!

In any case, the people who are most impacted by the failure of the LTB to live up to its mission statement? Not landlords.

We are hurt financially - but hey, we still have a roof over our head (at least until you get ~lucky~ like I did and get more than one problem tenant in a short period and lose everything thanks to the Legalized Theft Board) ....

it is the good tenants who don't take advantage of the ~system~ (using the term loosely) to rape their landlords that are harmed.

It's the single mom or dad on OW who can't find a landlord to rent to her because she has no garnish-able source of income.

Or the person with a disability on ODSP who is even less likely to find a place because they not only have no garnish-able source of income, they have the potential to cost us even more money and aggravation because Ontario has decided that landlords are responsible for any and all accommodations, no matter how unreasonable or expensive.

Or the older potential tenant who we are cautious about renting to because you know, they could become disabled or develop Alzheimer's and hey, guess what? Landlords in Ontario are regularly forced to cough up for any and all accommodations, no matter how unreasonable or expensive.

Or the person who is coming from another country, or from a mental health facility, or from the streets... yeah, no... no credit rating, no garnish-able source of income? No shelter, sorry.

It sucks. It breaks my heart. But don't blame the landlords. Blame your Ontario government - the one that has decided that the ONLY people in Ontario who should have rights when it comes to rental housing are the deadbeats & scammers.

Not the good tenants.

Not the good landlords.

Sorry 'bout that... I wish I could be part of the solution. But you know what? Still can't find anyone that can be bothered listening.

Cindy Forster, housing critic for the ONDP did respond to my email - well sort of - she ignored MY email, but did respond to one someone more well known among the ONDP forwarded on my behalf - but that was more than 2 months ago now... somehow I think that "we will have to get back to you in response..." means "please just go away."

Pretty sad when my own party can't be bothered, eh?  *sigh*

But at least they did send an acknowledgement - the Ontario Liberal's can't even be bothered with that. My tax dollars at work. Or not.

Ah well...I'm a stubborn old bitch ...think it's time to start yet another letter writing campaign.

Perhaps this time, I will post the actual letter, and names, addresses & dates of each person I send it to, and any response. Still no guarantee I will get a response, but hey, it might be a fun experiment, no?

Discouraged

Why is it that there seem to be so few self-proclaimed tenant advocates/activists types that actually are inclined to do anything that might be construed as in any way positive or productive?

I find it extremely discouraging.

If the sort of so-called advocates & activists that show up in the Ontario Landlord Association forums are any indication, it's no wonder that the situation - for both landlords and tenants in Ontario - is such a mess.

No respect - not for tenants or landlords. They constantly frame - and speak to - tenants as incompetent infants incapable of taking responsibility or making decisions for themselves. And of course, as far as they are concerned, every single landlord is an evil greedy slumlord. It doesn't matter what we say, they cannot see past their biases & lack of respect. 

I understand that people who have never been landlords do not see things the way those of us who have do - in fact, I know that as a tenant, I too was ignorant of the realities of being a landlord. But at least I treated them with respect. And when there was an issue, I talked to them ... funny...I never once had to run to the Legalized Theft Board to resolve an issue (nor did any landlord ever feel the need to serve me with any sort of form/notice/whatever).... but among those who participate in the forums, that is the ONLY possible approach to anything. Name-calling, rudeness, and file with the LTB.

The landlords too sometimes recommend that a tenant who has asked for advice file with the LTB - but very rarely without at least first suggesting that they talk to the landlord directly and attempt to resolve their difficulties.  Which is not to say that we are all perfect any more than the tenant uh... ~contributors~ are; many of us are more than a little frustrated & cynical & fed up, and it definitely comes through.... but most of us do try to treat others with respect, and to offer actual advice when it is requested.

It is more than a little discouraging to be constantly attacked no matter what we say.... but more than that, I am discouraged because if these interactions are any indication at all of how ACORN and the other activist/advocacy groups work, the likelihood of any sort of positive or productive dialog happening is slim to none.

People on assistance, people with any sort of disability, and seniors are increasingly going to be discriminated against when it comes to housing in Ontario - and no one seems inclined to do anything to fix that.

It is very unfortunate - especially because it does not need to be this way.

Simple low and no cost fixes ... but hey... what do I know. My solutions tend not to make anyone rich ... must be useless then, huh?

Homeless in the GTA: Finding affordable housing especially tough for women

Another article about the lack of "affordable housing" in the Toronto Star today.

Geez, I wish people would WAKE UP and LISTEN!!!!

A big part of the problem is NOT affordability. As several commenters on the article have noted, there are plenty of places listed for rent in Oshawa in the less than $700/ month range.

As I have explained many, many times, both here and in the many letters and emails I have sent to reporters and to politicians -  only one of whom has deigned to even respond (and that was a I'll look into it and get back to you later) - while affordability is ONE issue, it is far FAR from the only one....

for small landlords in Ontario, it makes no sense whatsoever to rent to tenants like the woman described in the article.

Even if she could afford a considerably higher priced apartment, landlords still wouldn't rent to her.

“Most landlords don’t want to rent to people from shelters. Bad credit is another problem; many people have been evicted in the past. It makes it very hard to find places for these women. It’s a long process (to get into affordable housing). If they are not abused, just homeless, they have to wait years and years, with no other option than rental properties.”

Bad credit, evictions, children.... and a "fair & balanced system" that does not and will not support landlords if/when there are problems...

oh yeah... and your only income source is one that we can't garnishee. Uh yeah.... will get RIGHT on that.

As long as the LTB and the Sheriff's Offices think it's just hunky dory fine to take months to do their jobs (if they even bother) so that when there is a problem, it doesn't get resolved until it's cost us THOUSANDS ... and as long as they slow down even moreso the instant there is a child involved....

As long as the entire system demands that we continue to provide these people with all amenities to which they would be entitled if they were paying rent when they are not...

As long as OW/ODSP continues to pay shelter allowances to people who don't pay shelter COSTS (your tax dollars at work) and therefore add to the motivation to screw landlords over...

HOW could you possibly expect me to rent to these people?

I am a left wing, card carrying member of the NDP. I have worked for years and years in social services. I have housed single moms and women with serious mental illnesses in my own home, even.  And I have rented to people with disabilities, mental illnesses, and yes, single moms...

I would love to be able to continue to do so.

It sickens me that I cannot.

But I can't afford to take the risk as long as the situation remains as it is in Ontario.

I am not unique....  well, aside from the fact that I am a leftie  - definitely a minority among the landlords I know....

when it gets so bad that even I could not/would not do a dang thing for women like the one featured in the article, you know it's bad.

The Liberal government can tell us all they want that the system is "fair & balanced" ... it is most assuredly not.....   and I am so very sorry that this means that children are sleeping in parks and shelters .... but hey ...I have been trying to get someone to listen. I have offered low/no cost solutions....  things that would make it possible for me to rent to people on assistance again...

but no one listens. So hey....what can I do?

Discriminate, or sell. Got any other ideas?