University students and others who need rental units on Vancouver Island now have protection against dishonest landlords.
Yesterday, Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister, Selina Robinson announced amendments to legislation, whereby tenants now have protection against massive, illegal rent hikes at the end of a lease.
Robinson says tenants now have the security to know that their rent will only increase incrementally.
This new legislation restricts a landlords ability to use the vacate clause in fixed-term tenancy agreements to special circumstances.
The problem with the vacate clause is that tenants who couldn’t cover additional monthly rent hikes would be evicted but had to provide landlords with written notice if they didn’t renew their lease.
Robinson says this legislation limits rent increases to the maximum allowable amount, which is currently two percent plus inflation.
If landlords withhold security deposits, tenants now have the option of applying for a money order faster than was the case previously.
