Editor:
Re: Crooked Burnaby landlord won’t fix elevator but charges if you need rescuing, NOW Opinion
I've read a number of your articles on landlord/tenancy issues and it would appear the vast majority of them rag on landlords.
Now, I agree that there are lots of scumbag landlords but from reading the Burnaby NOW, you would think that there are very few complaints about tenants.
Well, let me tell you, when it comes down to actual numbers, there are way more bad tenants than bad landlords. Way more than the ratio would suggest.
And when it comes to getting justice from the Residential Tenancy Branch, it is much easier for a tenant to receive and collect on a favourable decision than a landlord.
The tenant can easily serve documents to the landlord and you know the landlord either has the money or the tenant could be allowed to withhold rent. The landlord, on the other hand, if dealing with a deadbeat tenant, will usually be more than happy to cut their losses and be happy when the deadbeat leaves.
This can easily cost the landlord anywhere from one to six months’ worth of rent and good luck ever trying to collect. Remember, the deadbeat usually owes a few months’ rent, leaves the apartment in a total mess, has broken a number of cupboards, punched holes in doors and walls and left without any forwarding address.
Are there any landlords out there that have ever heard this from a tenant moving out: "Oh, I'm kind of short on cash so I can only pay you half the month's rent so keep the damage deposit for the other half. But don't worry, I'll make sure to clean up everything before I leave."
Put a call out to your readers that are landlords and ask them for their tenant horror stories. You will be shocked.
Leo Buonassisi
