Landlord & Tenant Act

[Seeker]

Questions for our resident legal experts since I'll probably start renting, to students, in September:

1. What are legal grounds for eviction?

2. If I make an exception for someone (like I know he'll be able to pay me back) do I have to make it for everyone?

3. Can I charge a penalty payment for late payments of rent?

4. How much notice for eviction, what am I supposed to do with the stuff?

5. Utilities: If tenants pay their own utilities, how does that work? Do I get a bill and we split it (if I'm living and renting in the same house, like I plan), or is it possible to get seperate bills?

6. What are my responsibilities if someone is an idiot and slips on the driveway and breaks something?

7. Can I have a legal '******* clause' that lets me get rid of people I can't stand?

[Willem]

You should indicate where you're living, those types of issues are provincial matters.

I can answer the one about utilities though. Unless there is a seperate metre, the responsibility will be yours if it's in your name, and it will be strictly an honour thing if they choose to pay or not.

And the exception bit, of course not. It's up to you who you give a break to, there's no such thing as a precedent there. Besides, how will someone know you gave another person a break a year ago?

As for the slipping example, make sure you have a good insurance policy. You'll be just as liable as if a stranger did the same thing.

[CerberusIV]

You really need advice based on the law in Korea. Tenancy law varies between countries and what is lawful in one may not be in another.

In the UK the easiest way to handle this is what is know as an Assured Shorthold Tenancy, but there are several different types of tenancy agreement. Basically you need an agreement that allows you to give the same amount of notice as the frequency of the rent payment - weekly or monthly. Overdue rent is normally grounds for eviction but you have to actually enforce it.

It should be possible to have an agreement which allows you to give notice without grounds, provided you specify a notice period. Eviction without notice will be much more difficult.

As for utilities in a shared house arrangement the easiest solution is to charge the rent including an amount for utilities. You will have to estimate this and then make an adjustment depending on how your bills go. Make sure you specify who pays any local taxes that may apply to people renting accommodation.

You said students. Does the college have an accommodation service or does it not work like that? Can they advise you? Whatever you do you really must get proper advice. It may cost money to do so now but you can be sure it will cost more in the long run if you don't.

[TheStinger]

Entirley depends on juristiction. The more left wing your government the more protection tennants have.(gross oversimplification but hey I post here)

[Seeker]

I'm only working in Korea for this year.

This is for London, Ontario.

Re: students

there are 4 student residence buildings and still a student housing shortage in London. The majority of students are 'off-campus' (ie they rent).

[Willem]

Originally posted by Seeker
I'm only working in Korea for this year.

This is for London, Ontario.

Hey that's my town, and I'm going to be looking for a place real soon, like May. What kind of arrangement were you thinking of? If it's a bachelour or a small one bedroom, that's what I'm hoping for.

Sorry, but I can't help you with the laws, the Tories changed a number of things the last few years and I never bothered keeping up with them. You should go to the Ontario web site, they'll probably have some info there.

[Zkribbler]

Landlord-tenant is a very highly regulated area of the law. You've posed very astute questions, but you'd be better off spending a few bucks and talking to a lawyer who specializes in the field.

Landlords usually have associations, which should be able to give you form contracts and stuff like that.

[Willem]

Here's a web site I just found which has general info plus links to the actual regulations:

Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal

[Seeker]

Thanks Willem.

I'm fairly certain it will be a place in 'Old East' (if you know where that is) that I've been looking at for a while now. It's near the U, accross the river.

If you're interested my e-mail is %alrawn@yahoo.com% percent symbols added to prevent spam sniffers.

I'm also wondering what is fair rent.

It will be one bedroom, you must chip in on utilities (so have showers, not baths), 2 bathrooms, 6 bedrooms (hopefully all rented in 3 months).

I'm thinking $300-450 a month, I'm still looking at the classifieds to see what's normal.

-I am willing to pay for Digital Cable for the house.
-I won't pay for your internet connection.
-I will be willing to chip in on setting up a lan for the house if everyone wants to.

Also, please note I'm a first timer and the house may be a little* unfurnished at first, pretty much appliances and bedframes.

So if you're moving away from momsie and daddsie for the first time, bring some stuff...

*note: understatement.

Thanks a lot for the link. If you know anyone else looking tell them that there's a landlord who loves strategy games....

[FrustratedPoet]

/me wishes he was 4 years younger and Canadian so he could go to Uni in London, Ontario and live in Seeker's house.

[Willem]

Originally posted by Seeker
Thanks Willem.

I'm fairly certain it will be a place in 'Old East' (if you know where that is) that I've been looking at for a while now. It's near the U, accross the river.

If you're interested my e-mail is %alrawn@yahoo.com% percent symbols added to prevent spam sniffers.

I'm also wondering what is fair rent.

It will be one bedroom, you must chip in on utilities (so have showers, not baths), 2 bathrooms, 6 bedrooms (hopefully all rented in 3 months).

I'm thinking $300-450 a month, I'm still looking at the classifieds to see what's normal.

-I am willing to pay for Digital Cable for the house.
-I won't pay for your internet connection.
-I will be willing to chip in on setting up a lan for the house if everyone wants to.

Also, please note I'm a first timer and the house may be a little* unfurnished at first, pretty much appliances and bedframes.

So if you're moving away from momsie and daddsie for the first time, bring some stuff...

*note: understatement.

Thanks a lot for the link. If you know anyone else looking tell them that there's a landlord who loves strategy games....

It sounds like a communal thing and that hasn't worked out for me very well in the past; I value my privacy a great deal. Plus it sounds like I'm much older than the people you'd like to have living with you; I've been away from "momsie and daddsie" for a fair number of years now. I'll keep it mind though, and hang on to your email address just in case.

You're picking a bad time to be thinking about getting students, this year is almost over now.

[Seeker]

It's for next academic year.

I'll be 24.

If you don't like 'communal' style then it becomes a question of how much bread ya got.

I'd be willing to share the whole place (you get 1 bath to yourself, 3-4 bedrooms) for $900 + (your) utilities.

If you're not interested that's OK of course but since you post here I know that you're probably not like the typical punks I'm dreading.

EDIT: Thanks again for that link, it had just what I wanted, 60 days notice for a monthly tenancy, although I note there seems to be a loophole that I can cut that in half if I claim to be doing repairs.

[Willem]

Originally posted by Seeker
It's for next academic year.

Well I'll be needing a place no later than May. I've just had my world come crashing down on my head and I don't have time to wait until Sept. You can check this thread for details:

My Lousy Luck

I'll be 24.

Well I'll be 46, so I don't think I'd fit in very well with a house full of students.

If you don't like 'communal' style then it becomes a question of how much bread ya got.

I'd be willing to share the whole place (you get 1 bath to yourself, 3-4 bedrooms) for $900 + (your) utilities.

Way out of my price league, as my thread will no doubt indicate to you.

Thanks again for that link, it had just what I wanted, 60 days notice for a monthly tenancy, although I note there seems to be a loophole that I can cut that in half if I claim to be doing repairs.

I'm not surprised, Mike Harris and crew punched all sorts of holes into the laws.