What Have My Tenants Got Me Into Now?

Q: My tenants just sent me an e-mail that they intend to vacate at the end of October. I knew that the only way i could claim lost rent for November is if I tried to re-rent the suite right away, so I placed an ad immediately after I received the message. Now I have chosen tenant for November 1st and signed a tenancy agreement, but my current tenants have changed their mind. Isn't it right that I have to give consent for them to withdraw their notice?

A: If the tenant had given you valid notice, then yes; you would need to give your notice. there are two reasons for this - the first being that all necessary information would not be included. Notices to end tenancy must include both the tenant's and the landlord's names, the address of the rental unit and the date notice was served, the date the notice is effective and the signature of the person giving the notice. Of course a signature cannot be contained in an e-mail. Secondly , e-mail is not a valid means of service. Proper service (for most documents) can be personal on the tenant, person on an adult occupant, affixed to the door or other conspicuous place, left in a mailbox, sent via fax to a number provided by the tenant or in the mail. In this case, your present tenancy is still intact and you will need to either negotiate with your current tenants to move out or your new tenants not to move in! Either way it's likely to cost you some money.

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 Al Kemp

Spring Hope Food Drive

Landlords already offer a very important service to over one third of British Columbians by providing accommodations for those who choose to - or have no choice but to - rent their homes. ROMS BC and BCAOMA are proud to provide you and your tenants with an opportunity to facilitate giving to those who need our assistance in this fragile time of year. 

Many of our members have signed up their buildings for this inspiring event and food will be collected on March 21st. If you not registered for the Spring Hope food Drive and reside in Victoria, there is a bin for non-perishable food at the ROMS BC Office. For more details call us at 250. 382.6324 or toll free at 1.888.330.6707.

Provincial Rental Housing Conference - Photos

ROMS BC hosted the first ever Provincial Rental Housing Conference on November 22nd and 23rd, and it was a great success. Over two days, delegates participated in workshops geared to the rental housing industry, attended an industry exhibition and ROMS BC 42^nd AGM all at the beautiful Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort and Spa. 

 

Lisa Pynn from BC Assesment conducting her workshop: Your Rental Property Assesment - Digging Deeper.

Daryn Martiniuk from the Residential Tenancy Branch giving a presentation: What's New at the RTB.

 Mike Bush feeding a live colony of bedbugs provided by Victoria Pest Control after their workshop: Bedbugs - Stigma, Anatomy and Control.

 Carly Ludwar-Jellis - Member Service Manager at ROMS BC addressing the delegates at ROMS BC's 42nd AGM.

Scott Souder from the conference's platinum sponsor, RONA, speaking at the ROMS BC's 42nd AGM.

Are You a Rental Housing Professional?

ROMS BC is very excited to announce the long- awaited arrival of an accreditation program for landlords in BC. Members currently have access to workshops on more than 25 topics ranging from tenant selection to enforcing orders, but until now there was nothing physical to show for the time you spent improving your knowledge. You will now be able to show that you are more than just an average landlord; you are a Rental Housing Professional. Many members take as many workshops as they can, and accreditation will be a wonderful way to recognize this dedication to landlords improving their professional and managerial skills.

The ROMS BC Rental Housing Professional accreditation program is open to all members and members’ staff, including but not limited to office staff, on-site managers and caretakers. Participation is as easy as attending workshops and collecting credits. Five credits are required for accreditation, which lasts three years and can be extended. Workshops of four hours or less are worth one credit, while workshops over four hours are worth two credits. And as a bonus; once you acquire four credits, your fifth workshop is free (up to a $49 value).

Credits will be offered for any workshop presented by ROMS BC!that has a cost of $29 or more [before any applicable discount]; workshops presented by Associate members are not eligible for credits.

But what about all the workshops members have already taken? ROMS BC is willing to award credits for any workshop attended after January 1st, 2011.

ROMS BC recognizes that many members act as landlords with their spouses or business partners, and that their combined knowledge contributes to their success. Because of this, in addition to individual accreditation, joint accreditation can be achieved. (Joint accreditation is not applicable for property managers or staff.)

--Hunter Boucher