Vancouver tenant vows to fight proposed rent increase for building repairs
A Vancouver tenant is hoping to fight off a proposed rent increase that could be imposed because of landlord repairs.
If you’ve rented in Metro Vancouver for any period of time, rent increases for various reasons are probably something you’re more than familiar with. While BC froze rent increases during the pandemic, it is now fair game.
The allowable rent increase in BC in 2022 is 1.5% which was already applied, but for this apartment in question, an additional increase has been proposed thanks to an Application for Additional Rent Increase for Capital Expenditures.
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Daily Hive Urbanized received an email from a woman who lives in the building and is using the alias, Jessica Kindler, for privacy reasons.
“The building I live in is owned and operated by Hollyburn. In 2019, we received notice that the building was going to restore the parkade.”
Kindler doesn’t own a car, so this didn’t really matter to her personally.
In March of this year, Kindler received a package from Hollyburn with a notice from the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) about the increase.
“At first, I believed this to be illegal since we don’t own the apartment and I already get a yearly MAX rental increase.”
This is indeed legal even if you’re not in a stratified building, something that Kindler also discovered. It stems back from a decision announced back in 2018 when the BC government announced that the rent increase formula would be changing. The change went into effect in 2021, and it essentially allowed landlords to apply for an additional rent increase to “recoup costs of necessary capital expenditures in the residential property.”
Kindler says the added increase for her unit is $21.70, but that there were several amounts listed in the documents.
“We have the option to fight this expense (which I am),” said Kindler.
She also added that there’s no end date for the increase, and that when she asked for more information she was told to wait for the hearing.
“There are no details to what was done and why it needed to be done (normal wear and tear, not taken care of, hazardous, etc.).”
Kindler has lived in the apartment for 15 years and told Daily Hive Urbanized that the building has 103 suites.
“I don’t know what others are doing but I plan to fight this. Apparently there is a time frame where receipts are not allowed. I am hopeful that the article will be able to shed light on this issue and maybe another building has advice on how they dealt with this.”
Kindler added that on top of all this, the parking and laundry fees have also increased.
Daily Hive Urbanized has reached out to Hollyburn Properties, but has not yet heard back.
The “trial” is supposed to take place this October, and Kindler says that “it doesn’t make sense to me to charge renters for what will benefit the building financially.”
Have you had your rent increased above the annual allowable amount? Let us know in the comments.
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