Using Social Media To Locate Deadbeat Tenants

[Bearto]

As a landlord, what does the ex-tenent owe you money for? I assume before you let anyone move in you get first and last months rent and a deposit. Doesn't pay rent? kick 'em out. keep deposit. wreck the carpet? keep deposit. more damage than deposit covers? that's what insurance is for. This seems to be more an effort to shame someone who owes you some coin, than to settle a contract dispute....

Actually no, its for deadbeat tenants who dont follow the rules and take advantage of the system. In Insurance can cover some things but why should they have to when common criminals are the ones to blame? Why should I have to pay higher premiums for some jerks???

There are some seriously good tenants out there that under your model could never afford a decent place to live, particullary here in the Okanagan where there are a lot of working poor. I am a good landlord I do my research for the most part (i admit this time i didnt do as well as I should have) but I refuse think that there arent good tenants out there. I've read through your posts on how you do it and based on BC's RTB rules, your lucky you havent been fined yet because a tenant gets at least 10 days notice before you can even start the process..

From now on any tenant I will look at will have to register at the tenancy bureau and provide the relevant details they require or they move on.

[mexi cali]

based on BC's RTB rules, your lucky you havent been fined yet because a tenant gets at least 10 days notice before you can even start the process..

That's not exactly true. If rent is due on the last/first day of the month and they don't have it, you can issue the eviction notice immediately. They have five days to either pay or file for dispute resolution.

If neither of these things happen in the allotted time, they are out.

It is very important to physically hand the paperwork to them rather than mail it (registered) because the clock doesn't start ticking until, in the event of dropping it off at the rental unit or handing it to someone else, you have to allow for three days to pass in order to allow for them to be deemed as served.

[1669]

That's not exactly true. If rent is due on the last/first day of the month and they don't have it, you can issue the eviction notice immediately. They have five days to either pay or file for dispute resolution.

If neither of these things happen in the allotted time, they are out.

It is very important to physically hand the paperwork to them rather than mail it (registered) because the clock doesn't start ticking until, in the event of dropping it off at the rental unit or handing it to someone else, you have to allow for three days to pass in order to allow for them to be deemed as served.[/quote]

Everything you mention here is correct, except that you have to wait until the day after the rent is due to serve them the eviction notice. Also, take a witness and have them sign the affidavit of service. Otherwise the tenant can say they never received the notice and you will have to start the process all over again.

[jimmy4321]

they need a deadbeat landlord registry

[1669]

they need a deadbeat landlord registry

Who is "they", the deadbeat tenants? Why would they need a registry? Deadbeat tenants who dont pay the rent will always be tenants. Landlords do not remain landlords if they dont pay the bank.

[WhatThe]

He meant slumlords. You know, the kind that don't fix anything and rent crappy accommodations

[1669]

He meant slumlords. You know, the kind that don't fix anything and rent crappy accommodations

It's obvious if a property is crappy and has been wrecked by previous tenants, so why rent there? You get what you pay for and a nicer place will cost more money. Repairing a property after deadbeat tenants have trashed it is expensive.

[jimmy4321]

I'm NOT talking about large property management companies, they tend to be on the up&up. In fact my best experience has been from these big companies.

I'm speaking of landlords with maybe one or a couple of rentals. I currently own but have rented several places for many years and in my experience in a couple of places. All was fine and dandy untill i submitted my notice to vacate then i would get an emotional response, my name would be mud, and they would procede to screw my every which way till i was out the door.
I also have worked closely with too many landlords and realized they have little or no knowledge of the tenancy act, and in their "poor me" stories it was clear they disregarded any rights of the tenants and bogus claims.

So YES there should be a registry for scumbag deabeat landlords.
Just because you own property whether from hard work or inheritance - that doesn't necessarily make you a good property manager.

I never would trust a small landlord with my SIN or bank acct number.

[mexi cali]

There is a registry for deadbeat tenants.

[1669]

I'm NOT talking about large property management companies, they tend to be on the up&up. In fact my best experience has been from these big companies.

I'm speaking of landlords with maybe one or a couple of rentals. I currently own but have rented several places for many years and in my experience in a couple of places. All was fine and dandy untill i submitted my notice to vacate then i would get an emotional response, my name would be mud, and they would procede to screw my every which way till i was out the door.
I also have worked closely with too many landlords and realized they have little or no knowledge of the tenancy act, and in their "poor me" stories it was clear they disregarded any rights of the tenants and bogus claims.

So YES there should be a registry for scumbag deabeat landlords.
Just because you own property whether from hard work or inheritance - that doesn't necessarily make you a good property manager.

I never would trust a small landlord with my SIN or bank acct number.

I agree that there are landlords with little or no knowledge of the RTA. But this is not limited to small landlords. There are real estate agencies attempting to do property management who are absolutely clueless, don't give a damn about the property, and charge ridiculous rates. Just bc they are a big company does not make them caring or knowledgable. Just as there are decent tenants, there are also decent small landlords who know the tenancy laws and abide by them. I am a lawyer and have been a landlord for over 30 years.

Bad landlords can be bothersome, but tenants are not facing the huge financial risk of the landlord. Only an incompetent or naive fool gives out the keys to a property worth hundreds of thousands for a miniscule deposit w/o SIN or bank account #, and a background check. It is the law that every tenant must give the landlord postdated cheques. So the landlord is legally entitled to your bank account #. If you don't like it, then don't rent, buy your own.

I am all for transparency. Fine with me if the RTB were to name and shame all scumbag deadbeat tenants and landlords. Although they publish all of their dispute decisions, the names of the tenants are kept secret. This allows the tenants to keep on wrecking houses and committing fraud on unsuspecting landlords.

[jimmy4321]

I'm not suggesting that larger companies have a heart, what I'm saying is that they are more likely to act in a legal fashion because they mostly do have people onboard well versed. Mostly to save their A$$, the more you got the more at stake.
As far as SIN and acct#, do what you have to do. I wouldn't have an issue with the larger companies having this info, no one else and I've never had a problem with that when I was renting.

[WhatThe]

.. It is the law that every tenant must give the landlord postdated cheques.

Please cite the relevant section of the RTA or any law that dictates how payment of rent is to be paid. You are mistaken.

[1669]

Please cite the relevant section of the RTA or any law that dictates how payment of rent is to be paid. You are mistaken.[/quote]

The RTA has a standard rent form that all landlord's must use. Although the landlord can add extra terms in an addendum, the standard terms dictated by the RTA must be incorporated as part of the lease.

Page 1 of the RTA standard lease includes the clause below:


Rent
The rent shall be _________/month, (subject to rent increases in accordance with the Residential Tenancy Act (“RTA”), and shall be payable in advance on or before the 1st day of each month. Post-dated rent cheques for one year shall be made payable to the Landlord at the address herein before stated, or at such other address as the Landlord may designate in writing.

[1669]

RESIDENTIAL TENANCY AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT made effective as of the _____ day of __________, 2014.

BETWEEN:(“Landlord”)

and(Tenant)

Address of Rental Premises
The rental premises (hereinafter referred to as the “Premises” or “property”) is located at:

______________________________________________________________________________________________ (street address)

Landlord’s Agent / Address for Service
The following person is authorized to act as Agent on behalf of the Landlord and is specifically authorized to accept notice of the Tenant’s complaints and to accept any service of legal process or notice:


Term
The Term of this Agreement shall be a [choose the appropriate option]:
[ ] daily or week-to-week tenancy which will begin on ________________
[ ] month-to-month tenancy which will begin on _________________
[ ] fixed term tenancy which will begin on ____________, 2014 and end on ________.

If the tenancy is for a fixed length of time, at the end of the fixed time [choose the appropriate option]:
[ ] the tenancy may continue on a month-to-month basis or for another fixed time.
[ ] the tenancy will end.


Rent
The rent shall be ________/month, (subject to rent increases in accordance with the Residential Tenancy Act (“RTA”), and shall be payable in advance on or before the 1st day of each month. Post-dated rent cheques for one year shall be made payable to the Landlord at the address herein before stated, or at such other address as the Landlord may designate in writing.

[1669]

http://www.housing.gov.bc.ca/rtb/bc_law ... #section12

Part 2 � Residential Tenancies � Rights and Obligations

Division 1 � Creating a Tenancy Agreement

Tenancy agreements include the standard terms
12 The standard terms are terms of every tenancy agreement

(a) whether the tenancy agreement was entered into on or before, or after, January 1, 2004, and

(b) whether or not the tenancy agreement is in writing.

Requirements for tenancy agreements
13 (1) A landlord must prepare in writing every tenancy agreement entered into on or after January 1, 2004.

(2) A tenancy agreement must comply with any requirements prescribed in the regulations and must set out all of the following:

(a) the standard terms;

(b) the correct legal names of the landlord and tenant;

(c) the address of the rental unit;

(d) the date the tenancy agreement is entered into;

(e) the address for service and telephone number of the landlord or the landlord's agent;

(f) the agreed terms in respect of the following:

(i) the date on which the tenancy starts;

(ii) if the tenancy is a periodic tenancy, whether it is on a weekly, monthly or other periodic basis;

(iii) if the tenancy is a fixed term tenancy,

(A) the date the tenancy ends, and

(B) whether the tenancy may continue as a periodic tenancy or for another fixed term after that date or whether the tenant must vacate the rental unit on that date;

(iv) the amount of rent payable for a specified period, and, if the rent varies with the number of occupants, the amount by which it varies;

(v) the day in the month, or in the other period on which the tenancy is based, on which the rent is due;

(vi) which services and facilities are included in the rent;

(vii) the amount of any security deposit or pet damage deposit and the date the security deposit or pet damage deposit was or must be paid.

(3) Within 21 days after a landlord and tenant enter into a tenancy agreement, the landlord must give the tenant a copy of the agreement.