"We are frustrated": BC landlord group to hold rally for better laws

A group of BC landlords are petitioning the government for fairer tenancy laws and have decided to take their plight outside the office of BC Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon this Sunday, March 10.

The rally organizer, Baldeep Jhanb, shared that the landlord group has tried to schedule meetings with the minister four times so far but has constantly been told that he does not have time in his schedule to speak to them. The hope is that the rally will force their concerns to be heard.

“We are sending a message to the government through this rally to please listen to genuine and bona fide concerns,” said Jhanb.

The group is demanding amendments to the tenancy laws to be fairer toward landlords. Jhanb shared that the current tenancy laws favour tenants and cause financial problems for landlords when they have to deal with problematic tenants, as they provide no recourse for landlords.

“Some tenants are difficult when leaving the property. They damage the property and we can’t locate them. If we can even locate them, it’s hard for us to cover the cost from the tenant.” he said.

“We’re asking the government to please come to our security and bring some kind of insurance programme, something like contingency fund.”

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Jhanb noted the need for harmony between landlords and tenants. He detailed that landlords are trying to provide affordable housing in today’s challenging economy but do not have the financial security from the government to do so.

“When it comes to the security of landlords’ investments, there is no recourse we have to go through,” said Jhanb. “Who is responsible [for providing] affordable housing? The landlords and here, landlords are not secure.”

The petition’s amendments include speeding the response time of residential tenancy branch decisions, creating insurance programs for tenants, and reducing eviction-related costs.

“We are asking the government to look into those 10 points and amend the current tenancy laws, which are too favourable to the tenants, and make necessary changes,” Jhanb said.

“We’re not asking anything out of the cloud. We’re just asking very simple and basic things from the government. Amend tenancy laws and make [them] more fair and equal for both parties.”

The landlord group will rally from 1 pm to 3 pm tomorrow outside the housing minister Kahlon’s office in Delta.