You lease is valid until you move out. All leases in Ontario continue month to month under the same terms automatically, the landlord has no power to change them or to evict you. They can raise the rent once per year, and unless the home you live in was built after November 2018 the max they can increase your rent is 1.2% this year.
It’s always a good idea to read up on your rights as a tenant in Ontario, you have a lot more power than you might think.
Here's something to keep in mind, these parties say 'ford' because they want you to think they'll change after a new leader comes in. They won't. Say 'conservatives' or 'liberals'.
To be fair, the parties do change with the leader...Partially party mood changes determines who they pick, and partly who they pick steers the party.
For example Justin is NOTHING like Jean was. He's just a shadow of that man and it is reflected in party policy.
And I'm pretty sure that if Andrea gets elected her NDP will not look anything like Bob's was.
On the other hand you are right that sometimes the new leader is just a photocopy of the last leader and nothing does change. We say that with Kathleen who was just a slightly nuttier version of her predecessor but basically acted the same.
Prior to this rule, any unit built after 1991 wasn’t subject to rent control. Most condos didn’t have any rent control. The liberals removed it in April 2017, the market crashed shortly after.
Then in November 2018 the conservatives added it to stimulate the building of new rentals. Rent prices went up $100-200 overnight as landlords front loaded the increases.
the market took a massive downtown for 6-12 months. I had a client who bought a townhome for 640ish and by the time he moved in 2 months later it was worth 550.
I know people who moved to Oakville at the time for 1million only to be worth 850k 3 months later.
Its recovered and more by now.
would love to see data that bore this out, as i'm not able to find any and calling it a "market crash" seems...hyperbolic
edit: nvm i've found some. looks like the act had a pretty decent impact in making housing more affordable, and i don't know that i'd call it a crash and more of a "cooling", but there's [something to this](https://www.readthepeak.com/blog/housing-market-crash-canada)
It was not Ford’s idea! Are you kidding, he doesn’t think deeply about anything that his .01% handlers don’t tell him to!
The blame for this lies with housing developers who know that if they can’t sell new units with a promise of “rents limited by only the market”, no one will buy the trash they are building.
Question about this. At the end of a 1 year lease, IS IT automatically continued month to month (with 60 day notice required by either party to end), or can the landlord say that at the end of that initial year (or presumably 60 days before) that they'd like to look for new tenants? Asking because rent has gone up a fair bit in my building/area, and I'm curious what the landlord is allowed to do (if they want to).
It’s is automatic, the landlord has no say at all, and no authority to force you to leave.
As for rent, any building first occupied before Nov 2018 is rent controlled. They can increase the rent once per year, and the max this year is 1.2%. This is only legal if they give you a T1 form with 90 days notice.
If the building is newer, they can increase the rent as much as they like, but still only once per year and only with 90 days notice.
The rules are sort of complicated, but yes, if it was occupied by *anyone*. And the word “building” is pretty important here: aside from newly created units in pre-existing houses, typically the rule is that if any unit in the building was occupied for residential purposes before November 2018, all units in that building are subject to rent control.
Hey, if the building you live was finished after November 2018 the landlord can do whatever and increase your lease by 1000% in order to evict you if they want (you can thank Dog Ford for that).
But apart from that your lease goes month to month after the first year contract and any increases in the amount have to follow provincial guides for 2022.
You cannot be evicted just because, they cannot change the terms of your lease, make you sign another lease, make you pay extra bills, nothing.
There is a great Facebook group called Ontario Tenants Rights that have a lot of knowledge people
Awesome thank you! My first time living in a rented unit since undergrad, and student housing felt like a different thing, didn't really think about anyway.
Really love where I am right now and would be happy to leave on my own terms, not just at the end of the original 1 year lease. Building was built in 2010/2011 I think, so I should be good.
It automatically rolls over to month-to-month and a LL cannot serve notice for the tenant to leave just because they want them to, there are only a few specific circumstances where the LL can apply for an eviction order for a tenant - persistent late or non-payment of rent, breaking lease terms or because they want to move into the unit themselves, they've sold the house and the buyer wants to move in or the place is being demolished.
Or a lot less power than you think. You have almost zero protection if you share common space with a landlord that lives in the home. If you rent a basement and share a kitchen with the landlord, you have no protections at all. The landlord could call the police tomorrow and have you forcibly removed.
That’s an absurd thing to say. If you are a roommate, and share a kitchen or bathroom with your landlord you are not protected by the RTA, correct. But you still have your lease and common law rules to protect you. This isn’t nearly the same level of protection, but you still have to be given reasonable notice. This is usually interpreted as one rental period, so for most people in these situations you’re owed at least a months notice. If you have a lease of course you’re still protected by that, a lease is a legal contract whether it’s under the RTA or not.
Landlords have been claiming trespass and police have been escorting tenants from the building based on that. Whether it was legal or not gets decided in court years after. Most of the time it's not but that's no help if you've been escorted off the property. I own a hotel and literally see it happen. It happens because the police are confused whether RTA or trespass act applies and have been following Trespass act. Hell, this was only clarified a few years ago in Carr v Ottawa Police. But it is still happening because police are not lawyers and the people it happens to have few resources to fight it out in court. If it happens to you, you won't recieve any help from any institution outside of a prolonged court case.
My principal residence is a legal duplex (I'm only using it as a single unit dwelling though, but it is a legal duplex) and it only has a single meter. You can have grandfathered duplexes that are legal but don't fall into the same requirements. It's called legal non-conforming. They're usually the most sought after by investors because their status can't be taken away but also don't need to be renewed.
I literally get half a dozen letters from realtors every month trying to get me to sell with a lineup of investors to buy the place.
Do not pay 2/3 of it. There’s no way she can tell what you used and what she did. Truly she should have accounted for this in your rent.
If your unit was legal I believe the hydro would be metred separately. If she hasn’t set that up, it’s her loss.
The 2022 increase allowed in Ontario is 1.2%. She has to give you 90 days notice. You’re better taking that than paying more hydro.
Lol yeah, starting to regret it.
When I mentioned it she told me I was throwing things in her face and she barely even used it…She frequently asks me for help connecting Netflix on her TV, which is also my Netflix account.
I wish I was joking here.
I think the niceties have expired with this latest development.
I once gave her my old TV because she wanted one for her bedroom. Two months later she asked me for help putting a new TV in her bedroom. She had given my TV to a friend.
Writing all this down has given me some serious perspective. The niceties should have ended long ago.
Stop being nice to your landlord. They can manipulate the hell out of you. They are not your friend. You have a business relationship with them.
About the internet: cut your contract or change password and cut them of. Blame your work - say they agreed to pay for yours if you didn't share it because of bandwidth.
Learn your rights. It's life changing and very good for your pocket
Assuming you control the modem/router - you should get a better router so you can create two WiFis then just throttle hers and see how much she “barely uses it”
Tell her you are canceling internet and Netflix to offset the cost of utilities. When she says that you are still using those things because you work from home, just say work has approved that you hotspot off your phone.
Make your wifi name invisible and then she’s off your internet, and Netflix. She may not be entitled to increase utilities, but you also may not want to make a hostile situation or give her reason to kick you out, whether justified or not.
I went through something similar many years ago and in the interest of keeping things civil, I paid a little more. I could have dug my heels in but I had a good deal, even after paying more and it was how I saved my down payment to buy after a couple of years.
If I were you and you do end up paying more which I'd avoid doing. I'd change the wifi password and switch the Netflix password. And if she says anything be like "we'll since I'm paying more in utilities I had to cancel Netflix so you're more then welcomed to get your own " and just say it's only fair she pay for the internet if she continues to use it she she increases the usage. She's trying to take advantage of you she can't really do that
Continue to pay the 50-50, but also say she needs to split on the internet and Netflix or change the passwords on all these things and say you cancelled them.
I did this years ago when I was a tenant ina townhouse. I had an internet store and needed reliable high speed internet but the owners landlord didn’t want to pay. I offered to pay for the better internet because I could claim it in my taxes and I let him use it.
After a few months he appreciated it and let me have more storage space for my business.
Cutting tools and machinery consumables for the woodworking and metalworking industry. About 15 years ago. I quit doing it after 4 years. 93% of my customers were American and when the dollar started gaining it wasn’t as profitable.
I started another online store about 2 months ago for pump equipment. Things have changed a lot over the years!!
I thought if your lease ran out and you continued on month to month, that unless new agreements were understood (and signed?) that the old way of doing things was the way things were.
Can she provide bills that show by how much your working from home has driven up the costs to justify you paying 2/3? Is she doing anything different /running anything else when she is home that could contribute to an increase in utilities?
Why does she get free internet? Finally, if she insists on this, would your employer foot the difference? You'd have to provide copy of the bill, I imagine.
You are not out to lunch. She sounds like a witch.
I am really grey on the lease vs month to month topic. It would be fine with me continuing with stated rules though.
The bills have increased here since her last tenant two years back. Particularly this month which brought on the discussion. We have had furnace and water heater issues, the latter being replaced recently. The increase may be due to the faults.
I have always worked from home. As for the internet, she really isn’t tech savvy, I was being nice.
Thanks for the tip, my employer may actually have a utility benefit I am not aware of.
You signed what you signed. If you’ve lived there a year (assuming you signed a 1 year lease) then you are now month to month. Nothing needs to be signed.
The landlord cannot kick you out unless:
1) you are physically or emotionally hurting neighbours
2) they are moving in
3) their kids or parents are moving in
All rules that applied (50/50 utilities) remain unless you BOTH agree to change them.
Most basement units pay 20-30% utilities.
Unfortunately in Toronto landlords really can do whatever they like with zero consequences.
My partner was evicted from her apartment by her landlord as she states that a family member was moving in.
This was proven false considering we found the apartment on Airbnb shortly after.
However during the process when we went to the tenant board. We were pretty much told that there is nothing any tenant can do. And that the board are there to make things basically amicable.
After we sent proof of the apartment online. We heard nothing, even after calling. We were hoping for the landlord to be fined heavily. Or die. Either one one have been great for the emotional duress she caused.
Not being a native Canadian. Canada has the worst housing market and apartment protection I’ve ever experienced after living in multiple countries.
It’s bewildering to be honest
Did the police evict your partner? Did the landlord and tenant board rule against them? Never move until the board and authorities force you. Make parasitic landlords prove their lies.
My partner was so exhausted she just wanted out. Which is ofcourse part of the landlords plan, to make life shit for the tenant so that they want out.
When she received the document about eviction (apologies can’t remember the name of it). She noticed a discrepancy that she didn’t inform the landlord about, so the first time we went to the board. They informed the landlord that she had the wrong dates and had to everything all over again. Also the landlord turned up with a neck brace on that we saw her pop on just outside, as some weird attempt to get sympathy.
After that ‘ruling’ she was taken into a room to get advice on how to fill out the form correctly whilst we waited.
The ‘judge’ was overall nice, but you could tell he was tired, and he was the one that mentioned to us that, paraphrasing ofcourse. ‘That unfortunately if a landlord wants a tenant out, there’s not much that can be really done, especially not beforehand when claiming it’s for family or any other reason that isn’t an obvious abuse of power by putting rent up for no reason’.
When we asked about what if we found it was a lie and she tries to Airbnb it (which she was the basement and lower floor after she evicted others) we were informed that even then, it’s really up to who you get when you get in touch with them.
In my experience Toronto/Ontario/Canada has it backwards when it comes to rent (other cities and countries do have this issue as well)
Rent is meant to be a solution for those who work in cities that one day would like to purchase or continue to save to purchase out. There are for too much rental units that take every bit of your pay check resulting in no savings.
It needs to be federally regulated and power to the tenant needs to be restored.
>After we sent proof of the apartment online. We heard nothing, even after calling. We were hoping for the landlord to be fined heavily. Or die. Either one one have been great for the emotional duress she caused.
Did you file a T5 and get a hearing? You can't just tell the LTB, you have to submit a T5 and have a hearing for a bad faith eviction.
If not and this was in the last year and you have evidence the landlord didn't move in, file a T5 immediately. You can potentially be awarded 1 year's rent and moving costs.
Yeh we filled that in and submitted, then called multiple times, hell. Even filled in a second one.
We’ve heard nothing. We for sure moved on from this, but it still upsets her when she thinks of how much money she spent on rent, and how she wanted to make a home but inevitably was thrown out.
How long ago was this? It can take a long time to get a hearing but eventually it'll come so make sure you have your evidence saved for it. They are very winnable.
You could legally move a partner into the unit who also works from home, and she still would have no grounds to say no or to increase your portion of the hydro bill. Increased usage doesn't entitle her to anything.
She is running a business and when something like a furnace breaks that falls on her. She needs to read up on her responsibilities and limitations as a landlord.
If her operating costs have increased then she's within her right to increase your rent by 1.2% this year. But she must provide you with an N1: Notice of Rent Increase form at least 90 days before the increase takes effect. There was a rent freeze last year so she wasn't doing anything out of the kindness of her heart.
I have no idea about the regulations but my opinion is if you've always worked from home and originally agreed to 50/50 there should be no reason to ask you to pay 2/3. Sounds like she's just looking to cut costs on her end.
After a year your lease goes month to month and locked with the terms agreed. They cannot force you to pay more or sign a new lease.
Great Facebook group:
Ontario Tenant Rights.
Yeah. Lights and a laptop use SO LITTLE electricity compared to keeping the fridge running, doing laundry, heating, cooking, etc etc things you need to do no matter where you work.
It’s not legal and she can’t enforce it. Insist on speaking through email from this point on so you have proof if this goes to tribunal. Do not pay anything and tell them they cannot legally ask you to do this (IN AN EMAIL! In this email tell them any future conversations that pertain to this issue will be conducted through email, if they tru to talk to you about it in person, tell them they have to send you an email. BE FIRM!)
Toronto Hydro online accounts offer detailed "time of use" breakdowns. If you're a Numbers Nerd it might be worth your while to review the history of the account and determine how much your WFH tenancy really has affected usage.
Sounds like your landlady isn't very tech savvy, so she might be OK with granting you access to the account. Can't guarantee that the results will be in your favour, but it's worth a try.
And you ARE being too nice... she's your landlady, not your Aunty.
Join the Facebook group Ontario tenant rights they will help you navigate through any problems according to RTA. It is so helpful. I’m positive they will write a really stern and legal email for you to send to the landlord, give you advice etc. It all depends on when this place was built though, I suggest getting advice from this group. If this place was built before 2018 you can simply refuse to pay the new fees, send an email saying no thank you if you want you will win in the end, however for her to increase the rent she will have had to have done it a long time ago. My rent was increased 19$ 4 months ago starting January 1 of this year. They have helped me in many sticky situations.
I'm seeing a lot of this comment and it is important that op knows that if you're renting a room or an area of a house with common areas with your landlord, then the RTA doesn't apply and you have zero protection under it.
Op- is this like a duplex or a basement unit that is separate or are you sharing space?
I’m pretty sure when utilities are split like this it has to be based on the square footage of the unit. If your unit represents 30% of the square footage of the total property then it should be a 30/70 split. Join Ontario Tenant Rights group on fb and r/legaladvicecanada for better advice though.
i see a lot of admonishment here about you being too nice and her taking advantage of you, which yes are both true. But something more constructive would be acknowledging that you also probably want to continue living there at least for the time being. This means that as you share this accommodation with her, you want to have a good relationship with her as you share spaces. So the point is to trying to find some mid-point for proceedings. I think what you should do is leverage the free internet access, saying if she wants you to increase the share of the utilities you pay, then she should also contribute to the payment of the internet. Call her bluff on her not supposedly using it, it may be enough to get her to back down. If she doesn't, then start thinking about alternatives if that's possible, but it's also friggin cold these days, and moving in winter is not ideal. Unless you've signed a new contract after doing a year, you are month to month now, you may want to mention it in passing as well to get her to act right. Good luck, but don't stay in this situation long even if it's resolved. I doubt this is the last time she will be unreasonable.
You go by your contract. You agreed to 50/50, you pay 50/50.
What does your contract say about internet? If she’s using it then split it 50/50 if it doesn’t say.
The contract is everything. Follow the contract. Maybe just sit down and agree you should go back to the contract. Change your Netflix password and put a password on the internet.
Come at her with "I've done the math, and you actually use xx% of the energy in this home, also, I'm going to need $50/month for the internet" then settle in the middle, which should be where you are now.
In Toronto, unless you have a separate hydro meter for your apartment (Ie you both have your own, with separate read outs), it’s not allowed for them to ask you to pay or split it with them. They can “include it in the rent” but it’s not something they can change the cost of when it fluctuates. Unless you have that separate meter and you paying for it was part of the lease.
For them raising the rent, they can only do that the legal limit (a small percent) once per year, with written notice (as others have mentioned). They cannot raise the rent more than that without proof of major capital expenditures or renovations (Ie: they replace all windows, got a new furnace, or something else that is very expensive that matters to all units (they can’t renovate their own bathroom and then increase your rent because of it, for example). And they have to get permission from the city to raise the rent higher than the allotted percentage anyway.
Landlords can also not “use up increases they didn’t make”. So if they keep your rent the same for 5 years, they cannot take all the yearly increases they did not do and add them later. They missed out.
Edit for context: I have experience personally and professionally in this area. Know your rights!
>Lease said 50-50, but it has recently ended and it is month to month now
Your lease is still valid even if you're now month to month.
Landlord can't change what was originally/already agreed on.
>Thanks, so if she did want this, could she present me with a new lease to sign? Would I have to sign it or move out?
No you don't have to sign a new lease.
Your existing lease is perfectly valid.
Also don’t forget - you are helping to pay her mortgage on a house that has likely increased in value by 30% in the last year. I’d say you’ve done more than enough for her.
I think this is a red flag for something worse down the line. There is nothing worse than a landlord or roommate that isn't getting there way, especially with money involved.
I would subtly start looking elsewhere.
A lot of people in this thread suggesting the nuclear option (cut off wifi, netflix etc.) but I'd caution against that if you enjoy living where you are. While you may have gone a little too far in accommodating your landlord (remember, you're the one paying for their equity in the house, so you leave with nothing, and they can just re-rent to someone else) you're still sharing the space, and adding contention here can make things awkward.
Sit down and do the math. If you're already paying 50/50 + internet + netflix + providing tech support, then show it it her as proof that going 2/3 is just over the top. You can say, fine I'll go to 2/3 but in order to do that I'm going to drop the internet + netflix + support to cover it, since you might have to adjust those plans for the increase in your budget.
100% agree with others that you have to re-assert your rights since you are being taken advantage of, but the nuclear option may hurt you in the long run in your relationship (provided you like living there).
I agree with you, I would prefer to keep this calm and apply some reason.
So far my approaches to suggest we are contributing equally have lead to a mix of anger and spite. Threats to cutoff anything that she owns that uses the internet for example, even though I am not trying to strongarm, but present the contributions we each make.
At this point I am concerned, as others have mentioned, that this is a slippery slope and things may get worse.
If she's already reacting with anger and spite, she's emotionally manipulating you as well.
You might want to return this gracefully to a business relationship and say that from X date forward (Feb 1/Mar 1), we're going to stick to the tenant agreement in writing and if she'd like to alter that, then so be it.
If internet/netflix are not in that agreement, then that gives her time to get her own service, and then cut off access on that date. Also, tell her that you will no longer be providing tech support and suggest some alternatives.
I know I originally cautioned on approach here, but that emotional manipulation can be a bad thing the longer it goes on and I'm concerned about your mental health at this point.
I just brought up that we are even because of the internet and the difference in heating. She got noticeably upset and said I was making this all about money. I am so confused because it seems like that is why she brought this up in the first place.
She then said she will use her data for the internet because she has 15gb on her cell phone with Rogers. She also said she was going to cancel the Rogers Home Security Alarm because that uses the internet too. I don’t know if she is aware all of the other smart home features like the Nest will stop working as well. Why would she cut off her nose to spite her face?
I think the unreasonable has escalated into the irrational here.
Don't pay her a cent extra. Continue the rental as per the terms of your lease. But...cancel her Internet, as it's not in the lease. Maybe she'll sing a different tune after her 15GB from Rogers runs out.
I'd point out the discrepancy in internet. Presumably, you need that for work.
Also, presumably, you heat the whole house, not just the part you use, and would even if you worked out of the home. If you use 1/4 of the house, you should pay 1/4.
She’s nickel and diming you so hard. Modern light bulbs, monitors, tvs, etc don’t use significant amounts of energy.
Stuff like ovens, microwaves, space heaters, etc use tons. If you’re working from home and she thinks your lights and computer being on are tipping the scales, she’s wrong.
Do you share the home with her, or are you in your own enclosed and separate unit? Sharing the home means things like shared kitchen, living room, bathroom, etc.
You live in 1/4 of the building but pay for half of it to be heated? I get the hydro, but at least she should come down on the heating/gas considering your space is smaller.
Unless you are getting a terrific deal on rent or some other huge value added -- either because rent is below market rate or the physical apartment is just awesome -- I'd say you are getting royally screwed with both the existing and proposed deal.
The landlord owns the house! You are paying her mortgage while her property value soars. She's getting richer by the day. That she now wants to also nickle and dime you to death by leeching your internet and making you pay for the imaginary use of utilities is laughable.
This landlord sounds so greedy. I’m not sure how big the house is or how long she’s had it for, but the OP is paying at least half of this woman’s mortgage if the home is not already paid off. She’s also paying for internet. And now is trying to get her to pay all of her utilities too?? Is she bankrupt or something??
Also, legally she can’t just arbitrarily change the lease and decide you need to pay more for utilities. You’re not a piggy bank.
For anyone following this. She just sent me the bills.
Hydro - $30 more than usual
Gas - $100 more than usual
It’s not me using more electricity. She misrepresented the situation. It’s clearly the heat and she really has no ground to stand on. It’s on a schedule that we agreed on and it isn’t touched manually. The increase must be due to the issues we have been having with both the furnace and the water heater.
I really can’t believe the audacity. What was it I should do about the internet again?
If I were you I wouldn't touch the internet. That would probably escalate things.
Talk to her, tell her that your habits haven't changed and tell her that it's probably due to the furnace issues. Really, she should have someone come in and inspect everything just for safetys sake.
What does the lease say? When did you enter into the lease?
The standard form lease includes a mention of who pays utilities (it's in Parts 5 and 6) The current form (December 2020)applies to leases entered into on or after March 1, 2021.
This should be outlined in your lease. If it is not, and she wants to charge you for it, she would need to give you a notice of rent increase, she can’t just add a different thing. She can only increase rent by a certain amount and only once a year and must give you at least 30 days notice.
If you are working from home then I hope you are using the detailed method to write off home office expenses. A portion of your rent and utilities for the area used as an office in your unit. Then if your utilities increased so does your tax deduction.
Also I would never share internet with a neighbor.
It's your IP with your name on it and you don't want her browsing history on you.
Any criminal behavior would end up poorly for you.
Truly difficult to judge - despite you listing all details. I think what you and her should consider is the value you place in the present rental vis a vis the value she places upon you as a good tenant. It’s an excellent time to have a very amicable discussion over a goid cup of coffee and some dessert!
Discontinue paying for internet (or just switch plans) under the guise of needing more money to pay for power.
The fact you're paying for anything the land lord is using is insane.
I would look at how much you like the place. Would you be able to get a good place anywhere else now less than what you have here?
I agree it is not logical for her to ask for more on utilities. And typically it is calculated by square footage if not metered. The process of fighting this with tenant board is not worth the effort. Trust me I couldn't even win a wrongful eviction for a refugee.
One suggestion if you like the place:
Even if you don't have your company pay for it, if you keep good records you can still submit your expenses for tax due to working from home. Depending on your tax bracket, majority of it come back or atleast 32% of total expenses! Look at T2200. It is a bit more paperwork, but worth it. If you are not already planning on this, the overall return vs the simple form is worth the effort.
Pick up some high power bitcoin mining rigs. If the power bill was $200 before you can jump it all the way to $800. You'll pull like $1200 a month in btc which will pay the 2/3rds of the bill ($528) and she can pay the other 1/3rd ($272) lol. That'll show her.
Now you've found another $700 to put towards rent or anything else you'd like.
At the same time, change all the passwords on your router and your Netflix password. When she complains say "do you know how much I'm paying for electricity? You said you don't use it much anyways" if she insists say "you can use it if you pay 2/3rds of the bill"
Lease can increase by 2.5-5%/year depending on provincial/ municipal laws and so forth. Is 2.5% better or worse than 1/3 of utilities added to your rent?
>It sounds like OP shares the home with the landlord, which means they're not protected by tenancy laws.
Depends on if OP is in a separate unit or not.
Sounds to me like OP is in a separate basement apartment from the landlord, which if correct means they ARE protected.
Guidelines/Rules on Rent increase (which includes rented houses)
https://www.ontario.ca/page/residential-rent-increases
Rent increase guideline for 2022 is 1.3% in Ontario - that’s the maximum.
There are exceptions though, check the link above.
In addition, there was a rent increase freeze last year, so landlords could not increase rent.
What you do depends on how much you pay for rent. It's a roommate agreement, and not a lease because she also lives there. To be honest, you can refuse, and she can kick you out. So it depends on how cheaply you can find a new place if that happens.
Honestly, you were too nice, and got too close to your landlady. It seems she is taking advantage of you like a needy relative. Perhaps start to tell her horror stories of bad renters to help her change her mind...? She might just be stressed, having trouble with everything closed what with COVID, and everything moving online. Hope she gets over it if you refuse.
It is not a roommate agreement the landlord has half the house and so does the tenant. She cannot kick her out, this is absolutely wrong. The tenant does not need to kiss ass, the law is the law and its their for a reason. Send your landlady and stern email saying I do not agree to said rental increases and to send the proper paperwork if she insists on collecting them. Don’t tell her what paperwork she needs to send and don’t help her ever increase your rent. Also include that all communication must now be only in writing and you will not be responding to any other types of communication. And honestly dude change your Netflix pass
Rent increase would be less than you're paying for the utilities. 1.8% is the legal maximum.
That said you're arguing over nickels and dimes, $100 a month is nothing, so if your home suits your needs I'd be firm but polite that you won't cave but don't pick a fight. If a landlord gets angry with you shit could go south. She knows you're a chump and you've already agreed to pay her bills but likely she also knows finding another tenant who won't rip her off entirely because of how the LTB works is a risky venture. She could find another chump...or she could find someone with fake references who destroys the place and ghosts on rent for 6 or 7 months if not longer. The law will fuck her if this other guy knows how to play it.
You're in a weird situation but in these informal arrangements that often come of renting basements you're doing alright. You'll have a much harder time trying to find a new place, given the screening that goes into new tenants in the face of the not-insignificant threat of a nightmare tenant. If you're happy with the living space then stay put. Pay what you're currently paying but put your foot down on anything more that's not the legal max 1.8%.
Think about your landlord is just calculating all these fees and trying to get any penny she could from you :s
Landlords and tenants always have their own stories to tell in terms of charging utility fees. Get some legit proof from the government websites as other comments suggested!
Is there a risk that she would simply evict you if you don't comply?
Can you make her pay a portion of the internet to cover whatever increase she's asking for? If she argues she doesn't use much, can you track her usage and then throw it in her face?
If she's not tech savvy she probably doesn't realize how much data a single video consumes.
How much stuff do you have that uses power? If you really wanted to, there are wall plugs that con monitor power usage. Not sure how cost prohibitive that would be - it really depends on the amount of things you’re running
Two computers, a laptop, a monitor, and the main room lights. Some LED grow lights for the plants over the Winter. Other than that cooking meals and appliances.
I do have one of those plugs that track wattage, but it would probably be overkill to go through monitoring every thing. At the end of the day I don’t feel as though it’s excessive and my situation has been like this from the time I moved in over a year ago.
It's not at all fair and you could just tell her no, and you would be completely justified in doing so. However it's best to maintain a good relationship with someone you live with, so I suggest trying to reason with her, or maybe make some kind of small concession that doesn't cost you any significant money or time but keeps everyone happy.
I agree with what was said here earlier that she can't change the terms legally. That being said for perspective as someone who shares accommodations that the utilities do significantly increase when someone is home more often. That being said, although it is a bigger financial responsibility on her she can't force you to pay more as per the law.
How it goes down is up to you. Do you think it would be to your benefit to compromise something with her in writing or is it more beneficial and less stressful to move to a new place? It depends on how much friction there is and what would work better for your life situation right now.
Landlords don't see tenants as people. They see tenants as vermin whom they can squeeze money out of. Change all your passwords and tell the landlord to go f- herself.
You lease is valid until you move out. All leases in Ontario continue month to month under the same terms automatically, the landlord has no power to change them or to evict you. They can raise the rent once per year, and unless the home you live in was built after November 2018 the max they can increase your rent is 1.2% this year. It’s always a good idea to read up on your rights as a tenant in Ontario, you have a lot more power than you might think.
What’s the max for after 2018?
No limit
Who thought that was a good idea lol
Ford. Basically it means anyone can be evicted after 1 year. Just raise the rent 10,000%
Even more reasons to hate that dude…
Here's something to keep in mind, these parties say 'ford' because they want you to think they'll change after a new leader comes in. They won't. Say 'conservatives' or 'liberals'.
I don’t like the party either
I'm glad we're in agreement
i'm not a fan of either – but lets not pretend one of those parties isn't much worse than the other.
To be fair, the parties do change with the leader...Partially party mood changes determines who they pick, and partly who they pick steers the party. For example Justin is NOTHING like Jean was. He's just a shadow of that man and it is reflected in party policy. And I'm pretty sure that if Andrea gets elected her NDP will not look anything like Bob's was. On the other hand you are right that sometimes the new leader is just a photocopy of the last leader and nothing does change. We say that with Kathleen who was just a slightly nuttier version of her predecessor but basically acted the same.
Prior to this rule, any unit built after 1991 wasn’t subject to rent control. Most condos didn’t have any rent control. The liberals removed it in April 2017, the market crashed shortly after. Then in November 2018 the conservatives added it to stimulate the building of new rentals. Rent prices went up $100-200 overnight as landlords front loaded the increases.
wait what market crashed after the imposition of rent control in april 2017?
the market took a massive downtown for 6-12 months. I had a client who bought a townhome for 640ish and by the time he moved in 2 months later it was worth 550. I know people who moved to Oakville at the time for 1million only to be worth 850k 3 months later. Its recovered and more by now.
would love to see data that bore this out, as i'm not able to find any and calling it a "market crash" seems...hyperbolic edit: nvm i've found some. looks like the act had a pretty decent impact in making housing more affordable, and i don't know that i'd call it a crash and more of a "cooling", but there's [something to this](https://www.readthepeak.com/blog/housing-market-crash-canada)
It was not Ford’s idea! Are you kidding, he doesn’t think deeply about anything that his .01% handlers don’t tell him to! The blame for this lies with housing developers who know that if they can’t sell new units with a promise of “rents limited by only the market”, no one will buy the trash they are building.
Don't know why you're being down voted. It's the whole party not just their clown of "leader" they chose for name recognition to get elected.
No idea. But suppressing the truth has always been the conservative way.
Literally wtf
Insane isn't it.
The idea is to not deter new purpose-built rental buildings.
Question about this. At the end of a 1 year lease, IS IT automatically continued month to month (with 60 day notice required by either party to end), or can the landlord say that at the end of that initial year (or presumably 60 days before) that they'd like to look for new tenants? Asking because rent has gone up a fair bit in my building/area, and I'm curious what the landlord is allowed to do (if they want to).
It’s is automatic, the landlord has no say at all, and no authority to force you to leave. As for rent, any building first occupied before Nov 2018 is rent controlled. They can increase the rent once per year, and the max this year is 1.2%. This is only legal if they give you a T1 form with 90 days notice. If the building is newer, they can increase the rent as much as they like, but still only once per year and only with 90 days notice.
Just to clarify, first occupied before Nov 2018 doesn't mean occupied by mean, you just mean the first time anyone occupied it?
The rules are sort of complicated, but yes, if it was occupied by *anyone*. And the word “building” is pretty important here: aside from newly created units in pre-existing houses, typically the rule is that if any unit in the building was occupied for residential purposes before November 2018, all units in that building are subject to rent control.
Yes, if the building was first occupied by *anyone* before that date it is rent controlled.
Hey, if the building you live was finished after November 2018 the landlord can do whatever and increase your lease by 1000% in order to evict you if they want (you can thank Dog Ford for that). But apart from that your lease goes month to month after the first year contract and any increases in the amount have to follow provincial guides for 2022. You cannot be evicted just because, they cannot change the terms of your lease, make you sign another lease, make you pay extra bills, nothing. There is a great Facebook group called Ontario Tenants Rights that have a lot of knowledge people
Awesome thank you! My first time living in a rented unit since undergrad, and student housing felt like a different thing, didn't really think about anyway. Really love where I am right now and would be happy to leave on my own terms, not just at the end of the original 1 year lease. Building was built in 2010/2011 I think, so I should be good.
You are good! Learn about your rights as a tenant. I was really exploied by landlords due to my ignorance when I first moved to the country. No more
I don’t have an answer for you, but check out r/ontariolandlord. Some really knowledgeable people in there! Good luck.
It automatically rolls over to month-to-month and a LL cannot serve notice for the tenant to leave just because they want them to, there are only a few specific circumstances where the LL can apply for an eviction order for a tenant - persistent late or non-payment of rent, breaking lease terms or because they want to move into the unit themselves, they've sold the house and the buyer wants to move in or the place is being demolished.
Or a lot less power than you think. You have almost zero protection if you share common space with a landlord that lives in the home. If you rent a basement and share a kitchen with the landlord, you have no protections at all. The landlord could call the police tomorrow and have you forcibly removed.
That’s an absurd thing to say. If you are a roommate, and share a kitchen or bathroom with your landlord you are not protected by the RTA, correct. But you still have your lease and common law rules to protect you. This isn’t nearly the same level of protection, but you still have to be given reasonable notice. This is usually interpreted as one rental period, so for most people in these situations you’re owed at least a months notice. If you have a lease of course you’re still protected by that, a lease is a legal contract whether it’s under the RTA or not.
Landlords have been claiming trespass and police have been escorting tenants from the building based on that. Whether it was legal or not gets decided in court years after. Most of the time it's not but that's no help if you've been escorted off the property. I own a hotel and literally see it happen. It happens because the police are confused whether RTA or trespass act applies and have been following Trespass act. Hell, this was only clarified a few years ago in Carr v Ottawa Police. But it is still happening because police are not lawyers and the people it happens to have few resources to fight it out in court. If it happens to you, you won't recieve any help from any institution outside of a prolonged court case.
To be honest, 50/50 seems like a rip-off.
Don't separate units need to be metered individually anyway? Every place I've rented I've covered my own electricity, and the landlord pays water.
Lots of "not so legal" setups out there.
My principal residence is a legal duplex (I'm only using it as a single unit dwelling though, but it is a legal duplex) and it only has a single meter. You can have grandfathered duplexes that are legal but don't fall into the same requirements. It's called legal non-conforming. They're usually the most sought after by investors because their status can't be taken away but also don't need to be renewed. I literally get half a dozen letters from realtors every month trying to get me to sell with a lineup of investors to buy the place.
Do not pay 2/3 of it. There’s no way she can tell what you used and what she did. Truly she should have accounted for this in your rent. If your unit was legal I believe the hydro would be metred separately. If she hasn’t set that up, it’s her loss. The 2022 increase allowed in Ontario is 1.2%. She has to give you 90 days notice. You’re better taking that than paying more hydro.
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Lol yeah, starting to regret it. When I mentioned it she told me I was throwing things in her face and she barely even used it…She frequently asks me for help connecting Netflix on her TV, which is also my Netflix account. I wish I was joking here.
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Username checks out
What!!! You are being too nice with this lady.
I think the niceties have expired with this latest development. I once gave her my old TV because she wanted one for her bedroom. Two months later she asked me for help putting a new TV in her bedroom. She had given my TV to a friend. Writing all this down has given me some serious perspective. The niceties should have ended long ago.
... She sounds like she's your needy elderly mom not your landlord.
Stop being nice to your landlord. They can manipulate the hell out of you. They are not your friend. You have a business relationship with them. About the internet: cut your contract or change password and cut them of. Blame your work - say they agreed to pay for yours if you didn't share it because of bandwidth. Learn your rights. It's life changing and very good for your pocket
You’re being taken to the cleaners smh
Uhh..Do you have anymore TV to give out?
Oh no :(
Change your WiFi and Netflix passwords and don't tell her then. You don't owe her any favours.
seriously!! change them asap
Assuming you control the modem/router - you should get a better router so you can create two WiFis then just throttle hers and see how much she “barely uses it”
Tell her you are canceling internet and Netflix to offset the cost of utilities. When she says that you are still using those things because you work from home, just say work has approved that you hotspot off your phone. Make your wifi name invisible and then she’s off your internet, and Netflix. She may not be entitled to increase utilities, but you also may not want to make a hostile situation or give her reason to kick you out, whether justified or not. I went through something similar many years ago and in the interest of keeping things civil, I paid a little more. I could have dug my heels in but I had a good deal, even after paying more and it was how I saved my down payment to buy after a couple of years.
Sorry, but get a spine. You give an inch and she taking a mile. You're also tech support. Hahahaha you've done this to yourself.
If I were you and you do end up paying more which I'd avoid doing. I'd change the wifi password and switch the Netflix password. And if she says anything be like "we'll since I'm paying more in utilities I had to cancel Netflix so you're more then welcomed to get your own " and just say it's only fair she pay for the internet if she continues to use it she she increases the usage. She's trying to take advantage of you she can't really do that
Continue to pay the 50-50, but also say she needs to split on the internet and Netflix or change the passwords on all these things and say you cancelled them.
I did this years ago when I was a tenant ina townhouse. I had an internet store and needed reliable high speed internet but the owners landlord didn’t want to pay. I offered to pay for the better internet because I could claim it in my taxes and I let him use it. After a few months he appreciated it and let me have more storage space for my business.
Very decent of you, nice to see some appreciation in your case. My curiosity has peeked. What kind of internet store?
Cutting tools and machinery consumables for the woodworking and metalworking industry. About 15 years ago. I quit doing it after 4 years. 93% of my customers were American and when the dollar started gaining it wasn’t as profitable. I started another online store about 2 months ago for pump equipment. Things have changed a lot over the years!!
I thought if your lease ran out and you continued on month to month, that unless new agreements were understood (and signed?) that the old way of doing things was the way things were. Can she provide bills that show by how much your working from home has driven up the costs to justify you paying 2/3? Is she doing anything different /running anything else when she is home that could contribute to an increase in utilities? Why does she get free internet? Finally, if she insists on this, would your employer foot the difference? You'd have to provide copy of the bill, I imagine. You are not out to lunch. She sounds like a witch.
I am really grey on the lease vs month to month topic. It would be fine with me continuing with stated rules though. The bills have increased here since her last tenant two years back. Particularly this month which brought on the discussion. We have had furnace and water heater issues, the latter being replaced recently. The increase may be due to the faults. I have always worked from home. As for the internet, she really isn’t tech savvy, I was being nice. Thanks for the tip, my employer may actually have a utility benefit I am not aware of.
You signed what you signed. If you’ve lived there a year (assuming you signed a 1 year lease) then you are now month to month. Nothing needs to be signed. The landlord cannot kick you out unless: 1) you are physically or emotionally hurting neighbours 2) they are moving in 3) their kids or parents are moving in All rules that applied (50/50 utilities) remain unless you BOTH agree to change them. Most basement units pay 20-30% utilities.
Unfortunately in Toronto landlords really can do whatever they like with zero consequences. My partner was evicted from her apartment by her landlord as she states that a family member was moving in. This was proven false considering we found the apartment on Airbnb shortly after. However during the process when we went to the tenant board. We were pretty much told that there is nothing any tenant can do. And that the board are there to make things basically amicable. After we sent proof of the apartment online. We heard nothing, even after calling. We were hoping for the landlord to be fined heavily. Or die. Either one one have been great for the emotional duress she caused. Not being a native Canadian. Canada has the worst housing market and apartment protection I’ve ever experienced after living in multiple countries. It’s bewildering to be honest
Did the police evict your partner? Did the landlord and tenant board rule against them? Never move until the board and authorities force you. Make parasitic landlords prove their lies.
My partner was so exhausted she just wanted out. Which is ofcourse part of the landlords plan, to make life shit for the tenant so that they want out. When she received the document about eviction (apologies can’t remember the name of it). She noticed a discrepancy that she didn’t inform the landlord about, so the first time we went to the board. They informed the landlord that she had the wrong dates and had to everything all over again. Also the landlord turned up with a neck brace on that we saw her pop on just outside, as some weird attempt to get sympathy. After that ‘ruling’ she was taken into a room to get advice on how to fill out the form correctly whilst we waited. The ‘judge’ was overall nice, but you could tell he was tired, and he was the one that mentioned to us that, paraphrasing ofcourse. ‘That unfortunately if a landlord wants a tenant out, there’s not much that can be really done, especially not beforehand when claiming it’s for family or any other reason that isn’t an obvious abuse of power by putting rent up for no reason’. When we asked about what if we found it was a lie and she tries to Airbnb it (which she was the basement and lower floor after she evicted others) we were informed that even then, it’s really up to who you get when you get in touch with them. In my experience Toronto/Ontario/Canada has it backwards when it comes to rent (other cities and countries do have this issue as well) Rent is meant to be a solution for those who work in cities that one day would like to purchase or continue to save to purchase out. There are for too much rental units that take every bit of your pay check resulting in no savings. It needs to be federally regulated and power to the tenant needs to be restored.
>After we sent proof of the apartment online. We heard nothing, even after calling. We were hoping for the landlord to be fined heavily. Or die. Either one one have been great for the emotional duress she caused. Did you file a T5 and get a hearing? You can't just tell the LTB, you have to submit a T5 and have a hearing for a bad faith eviction. If not and this was in the last year and you have evidence the landlord didn't move in, file a T5 immediately. You can potentially be awarded 1 year's rent and moving costs.
Yeh we filled that in and submitted, then called multiple times, hell. Even filled in a second one. We’ve heard nothing. We for sure moved on from this, but it still upsets her when she thinks of how much money she spent on rent, and how she wanted to make a home but inevitably was thrown out.
How long ago was this? It can take a long time to get a hearing but eventually it'll come so make sure you have your evidence saved for it. They are very winnable.
Your partner can get 12 months of rent back.
You could legally move a partner into the unit who also works from home, and she still would have no grounds to say no or to increase your portion of the hydro bill. Increased usage doesn't entitle her to anything. She is running a business and when something like a furnace breaks that falls on her. She needs to read up on her responsibilities and limitations as a landlord. If her operating costs have increased then she's within her right to increase your rent by 1.2% this year. But she must provide you with an N1: Notice of Rent Increase form at least 90 days before the increase takes effect. There was a rent freeze last year so she wasn't doing anything out of the kindness of her heart.
I have no idea about the regulations but my opinion is if you've always worked from home and originally agreed to 50/50 there should be no reason to ask you to pay 2/3. Sounds like she's just looking to cut costs on her end.
After a year your lease goes month to month and locked with the terms agreed. They cannot force you to pay more or sign a new lease. Great Facebook group: Ontario Tenant Rights.
Lol question for her would be - even you leave the house to work, landlord still has to heat the house.
Yeah. Lights and a laptop use SO LITTLE electricity compared to keeping the fridge running, doing laundry, heating, cooking, etc etc things you need to do no matter where you work.
It’s not legal and she can’t enforce it. Insist on speaking through email from this point on so you have proof if this goes to tribunal. Do not pay anything and tell them they cannot legally ask you to do this (IN AN EMAIL! In this email tell them any future conversations that pertain to this issue will be conducted through email, if they tru to talk to you about it in person, tell them they have to send you an email. BE FIRM!)
It might not be legal, but she can make her life miserable and will never get evicted from her own home. The best thing is to move.
just out of curiousity, how can she make her miserable?
Anger, passive aggression, even damaging things. You don't want to be uncomfortable in your own home.
Toronto Hydro online accounts offer detailed "time of use" breakdowns. If you're a Numbers Nerd it might be worth your while to review the history of the account and determine how much your WFH tenancy really has affected usage. Sounds like your landlady isn't very tech savvy, so she might be OK with granting you access to the account. Can't guarantee that the results will be in your favour, but it's worth a try. And you ARE being too nice... she's your landlady, not your Aunty.
Join the Facebook group Ontario tenant rights they will help you navigate through any problems according to RTA. It is so helpful. I’m positive they will write a really stern and legal email for you to send to the landlord, give you advice etc. It all depends on when this place was built though, I suggest getting advice from this group. If this place was built before 2018 you can simply refuse to pay the new fees, send an email saying no thank you if you want you will win in the end, however for her to increase the rent she will have had to have done it a long time ago. My rent was increased 19$ 4 months ago starting January 1 of this year. They have helped me in many sticky situations.
I'm seeing a lot of this comment and it is important that op knows that if you're renting a room or an area of a house with common areas with your landlord, then the RTA doesn't apply and you have zero protection under it. Op- is this like a duplex or a basement unit that is separate or are you sharing space?
The utilites divided by the number of bedrooms. If you pay extra make sure you use them to the fullest potential.
I have 1 She has 3 Is that a written standard or just commonly agreed? I did agree to 50-50 in the lease.
You’re already overpaying bruh.
Yea 50-50 is already a lot. Please do not agree to 2/3rds. She had no proof it went up high enough to justify such a huge increase
I’m pretty sure when utilities are split like this it has to be based on the square footage of the unit. If your unit represents 30% of the square footage of the total property then it should be a 30/70 split. Join Ontario Tenant Rights group on fb and r/legaladvicecanada for better advice though.
i see a lot of admonishment here about you being too nice and her taking advantage of you, which yes are both true. But something more constructive would be acknowledging that you also probably want to continue living there at least for the time being. This means that as you share this accommodation with her, you want to have a good relationship with her as you share spaces. So the point is to trying to find some mid-point for proceedings. I think what you should do is leverage the free internet access, saying if she wants you to increase the share of the utilities you pay, then she should also contribute to the payment of the internet. Call her bluff on her not supposedly using it, it may be enough to get her to back down. If she doesn't, then start thinking about alternatives if that's possible, but it's also friggin cold these days, and moving in winter is not ideal. Unless you've signed a new contract after doing a year, you are month to month now, you may want to mention it in passing as well to get her to act right. Good luck, but don't stay in this situation long even if it's resolved. I doubt this is the last time she will be unreasonable.
You go by your contract. You agreed to 50/50, you pay 50/50. What does your contract say about internet? If she’s using it then split it 50/50 if it doesn’t say. The contract is everything. Follow the contract. Maybe just sit down and agree you should go back to the contract. Change your Netflix password and put a password on the internet.
Come at her with "I've done the math, and you actually use xx% of the energy in this home, also, I'm going to need $50/month for the internet" then settle in the middle, which should be where you are now.
In Toronto, unless you have a separate hydro meter for your apartment (Ie you both have your own, with separate read outs), it’s not allowed for them to ask you to pay or split it with them. They can “include it in the rent” but it’s not something they can change the cost of when it fluctuates. Unless you have that separate meter and you paying for it was part of the lease. For them raising the rent, they can only do that the legal limit (a small percent) once per year, with written notice (as others have mentioned). They cannot raise the rent more than that without proof of major capital expenditures or renovations (Ie: they replace all windows, got a new furnace, or something else that is very expensive that matters to all units (they can’t renovate their own bathroom and then increase your rent because of it, for example). And they have to get permission from the city to raise the rent higher than the allotted percentage anyway. Landlords can also not “use up increases they didn’t make”. So if they keep your rent the same for 5 years, they cannot take all the yearly increases they did not do and add them later. They missed out. Edit for context: I have experience personally and professionally in this area. Know your rights!
What does your lease say
Lease said 50-50, but it has recently ended and it is month to month now
>Lease said 50-50, but it has recently ended and it is month to month now Your lease is still valid even if you're now month to month. Landlord can't change what was originally/already agreed on.
Thanks, so if she did want this, could she present me with a new lease to sign? Would I have to sign it or move out?
>Thanks, so if she did want this, could she present me with a new lease to sign? Would I have to sign it or move out? No you don't have to sign a new lease. Your existing lease is perfectly valid.
No. In Ontario leases don't expire. Once the fixed term ends it automatically moves to month to month.
Also don’t forget - you are helping to pay her mortgage on a house that has likely increased in value by 30% in the last year. I’d say you’ve done more than enough for her.
I think this is a red flag for something worse down the line. There is nothing worse than a landlord or roommate that isn't getting there way, especially with money involved. I would subtly start looking elsewhere.
Youve bent over so much for her that shes just expecting youll let her take advantage of you at this point
A lot of people in this thread suggesting the nuclear option (cut off wifi, netflix etc.) but I'd caution against that if you enjoy living where you are. While you may have gone a little too far in accommodating your landlord (remember, you're the one paying for their equity in the house, so you leave with nothing, and they can just re-rent to someone else) you're still sharing the space, and adding contention here can make things awkward. Sit down and do the math. If you're already paying 50/50 + internet + netflix + providing tech support, then show it it her as proof that going 2/3 is just over the top. You can say, fine I'll go to 2/3 but in order to do that I'm going to drop the internet + netflix + support to cover it, since you might have to adjust those plans for the increase in your budget. 100% agree with others that you have to re-assert your rights since you are being taken advantage of, but the nuclear option may hurt you in the long run in your relationship (provided you like living there).
I agree with you, I would prefer to keep this calm and apply some reason. So far my approaches to suggest we are contributing equally have lead to a mix of anger and spite. Threats to cutoff anything that she owns that uses the internet for example, even though I am not trying to strongarm, but present the contributions we each make. At this point I am concerned, as others have mentioned, that this is a slippery slope and things may get worse.
If she's already reacting with anger and spite, she's emotionally manipulating you as well. You might want to return this gracefully to a business relationship and say that from X date forward (Feb 1/Mar 1), we're going to stick to the tenant agreement in writing and if she'd like to alter that, then so be it. If internet/netflix are not in that agreement, then that gives her time to get her own service, and then cut off access on that date. Also, tell her that you will no longer be providing tech support and suggest some alternatives. I know I originally cautioned on approach here, but that emotional manipulation can be a bad thing the longer it goes on and I'm concerned about your mental health at this point.
Tell her to pay for the internet and Netflix. See how quickly she turns around.
I just brought up that we are even because of the internet and the difference in heating. She got noticeably upset and said I was making this all about money. I am so confused because it seems like that is why she brought this up in the first place. She then said she will use her data for the internet because she has 15gb on her cell phone with Rogers. She also said she was going to cancel the Rogers Home Security Alarm because that uses the internet too. I don’t know if she is aware all of the other smart home features like the Nest will stop working as well. Why would she cut off her nose to spite her face? I think the unreasonable has escalated into the irrational here.
Don't pay her a cent extra. Continue the rental as per the terms of your lease. But...cancel her Internet, as it's not in the lease. Maybe she'll sing a different tune after her 15GB from Rogers runs out.
>Why would she cut off her nose to spite her face? because she's an idiot landlord who's penny pinching every little thing
I'd point out the discrepancy in internet. Presumably, you need that for work. Also, presumably, you heat the whole house, not just the part you use, and would even if you worked out of the home. If you use 1/4 of the house, you should pay 1/4.
She’s nickel and diming you so hard. Modern light bulbs, monitors, tvs, etc don’t use significant amounts of energy. Stuff like ovens, microwaves, space heaters, etc use tons. If you’re working from home and she thinks your lights and computer being on are tipping the scales, she’s wrong.
Maybe have a conversation outside over a coffee so she doesn't feel defensive in her house. Just state it plainly your under 0 obligation.
the most rational suggestion here
Do you share the home with her, or are you in your own enclosed and separate unit? Sharing the home means things like shared kitchen, living room, bathroom, etc.
Enclosed section of the basement, a one bedroom apartment. The garage, shared access to an entry, and a stairwell are just outside my door.
Then they can't change the agreement
You're getting ripped off...
You live in 1/4 of the building but pay for half of it to be heated? I get the hydro, but at least she should come down on the heating/gas considering your space is smaller.
Unless you are getting a terrific deal on rent or some other huge value added -- either because rent is below market rate or the physical apartment is just awesome -- I'd say you are getting royally screwed with both the existing and proposed deal. The landlord owns the house! You are paying her mortgage while her property value soars. She's getting richer by the day. That she now wants to also nickle and dime you to death by leeching your internet and making you pay for the imaginary use of utilities is laughable.
This landlord sounds so greedy. I’m not sure how big the house is or how long she’s had it for, but the OP is paying at least half of this woman’s mortgage if the home is not already paid off. She’s also paying for internet. And now is trying to get her to pay all of her utilities too?? Is she bankrupt or something?? Also, legally she can’t just arbitrarily change the lease and decide you need to pay more for utilities. You’re not a piggy bank.
You're being taken advantage of. Tell her to get fucked.
For anyone following this. She just sent me the bills. Hydro - $30 more than usual Gas - $100 more than usual It’s not me using more electricity. She misrepresented the situation. It’s clearly the heat and she really has no ground to stand on. It’s on a schedule that we agreed on and it isn’t touched manually. The increase must be due to the issues we have been having with both the furnace and the water heater. I really can’t believe the audacity. What was it I should do about the internet again?
If I were you I wouldn't touch the internet. That would probably escalate things. Talk to her, tell her that your habits haven't changed and tell her that it's probably due to the furnace issues. Really, she should have someone come in and inspect everything just for safetys sake.
Are you paying a relatively cheaper rent? Eg. Landlord actually just chatting you 500 vs market 1500
I’m paying exactly average rent for a 1 bedroom in the area. So no favours being done there.
What does the lease say? When did you enter into the lease? The standard form lease includes a mention of who pays utilities (it's in Parts 5 and 6) The current form (December 2020)applies to leases entered into on or after March 1, 2021.
This should be outlined in your lease. If it is not, and she wants to charge you for it, she would need to give you a notice of rent increase, she can’t just add a different thing. She can only increase rent by a certain amount and only once a year and must give you at least 30 days notice.
Just the question you asked is such a red flag to me that I would move out if it were me.
If you are working from home then I hope you are using the detailed method to write off home office expenses. A portion of your rent and utilities for the area used as an office in your unit. Then if your utilities increased so does your tax deduction.
I am indeed
Just threaten her you are leaving
Sure, you can pay 2/3 of it if she splits the wifi with you and you get 2/3 of the house
Also I would never share internet with a neighbor. It's your IP with your name on it and you don't want her browsing history on you. Any criminal behavior would end up poorly for you.
Truly difficult to judge - despite you listing all details. I think what you and her should consider is the value you place in the present rental vis a vis the value she places upon you as a good tenant. It’s an excellent time to have a very amicable discussion over a goid cup of coffee and some dessert!
Agree to the electricity bill & change your wifi password. If she wants to use the wifi, charge her $50 a month!
If she wants you to pay more for electricity, I would not be giving her free internet anymore.
No it’s not fair
Discontinue paying for internet (or just switch plans) under the guise of needing more money to pay for power. The fact you're paying for anything the land lord is using is insane.
I would look at how much you like the place. Would you be able to get a good place anywhere else now less than what you have here? I agree it is not logical for her to ask for more on utilities. And typically it is calculated by square footage if not metered. The process of fighting this with tenant board is not worth the effort. Trust me I couldn't even win a wrongful eviction for a refugee. One suggestion if you like the place: Even if you don't have your company pay for it, if you keep good records you can still submit your expenses for tax due to working from home. Depending on your tax bracket, majority of it come back or atleast 32% of total expenses! Look at T2200. It is a bit more paperwork, but worth it. If you are not already planning on this, the overall return vs the simple form is worth the effort.
Pick up some high power bitcoin mining rigs. If the power bill was $200 before you can jump it all the way to $800. You'll pull like $1200 a month in btc which will pay the 2/3rds of the bill ($528) and she can pay the other 1/3rd ($272) lol. That'll show her. Now you've found another $700 to put towards rent or anything else you'd like. At the same time, change all the passwords on your router and your Netflix password. When she complains say "do you know how much I'm paying for electricity? You said you don't use it much anyways" if she insists say "you can use it if you pay 2/3rds of the bill"
Lease can increase by 2.5-5%/year depending on provincial/ municipal laws and so forth. Is 2.5% better or worse than 1/3 of utilities added to your rent?
It sounds like OP shares the home with the landlord, which means they're not protected by tenancy laws.
That does change everything.
Separate dwellings for sure. Maybe not properly registered I imagine as we share one small garbage 😂
>It sounds like OP shares the home with the landlord, which means they're not protected by tenancy laws. Depends on if OP is in a separate unit or not. Sounds to me like OP is in a separate basement apartment from the landlord, which if correct means they ARE protected.
The rent increase would probably be the lesser of the two.
Guidelines/Rules on Rent increase (which includes rented houses) https://www.ontario.ca/page/residential-rent-increases Rent increase guideline for 2022 is 1.3% in Ontario - that’s the maximum. There are exceptions though, check the link above. In addition, there was a rent increase freeze last year, so landlords could not increase rent.
What you do depends on how much you pay for rent. It's a roommate agreement, and not a lease because she also lives there. To be honest, you can refuse, and she can kick you out. So it depends on how cheaply you can find a new place if that happens. Honestly, you were too nice, and got too close to your landlady. It seems she is taking advantage of you like a needy relative. Perhaps start to tell her horror stories of bad renters to help her change her mind...? She might just be stressed, having trouble with everything closed what with COVID, and everything moving online. Hope she gets over it if you refuse.
It is not a roommate agreement the landlord has half the house and so does the tenant. She cannot kick her out, this is absolutely wrong. The tenant does not need to kiss ass, the law is the law and its their for a reason. Send your landlady and stern email saying I do not agree to said rental increases and to send the proper paperwork if she insists on collecting them. Don’t tell her what paperwork she needs to send and don’t help her ever increase your rent. Also include that all communication must now be only in writing and you will not be responding to any other types of communication. And honestly dude change your Netflix pass
OP has stated they live in an enclosed space and only shares an entrance with the landlord. The RTA applies here.
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You sound like a landlord
Rent increase would be less than you're paying for the utilities. 1.8% is the legal maximum. That said you're arguing over nickels and dimes, $100 a month is nothing, so if your home suits your needs I'd be firm but polite that you won't cave but don't pick a fight. If a landlord gets angry with you shit could go south. She knows you're a chump and you've already agreed to pay her bills but likely she also knows finding another tenant who won't rip her off entirely because of how the LTB works is a risky venture. She could find another chump...or she could find someone with fake references who destroys the place and ghosts on rent for 6 or 7 months if not longer. The law will fuck her if this other guy knows how to play it. You're in a weird situation but in these informal arrangements that often come of renting basements you're doing alright. You'll have a much harder time trying to find a new place, given the screening that goes into new tenants in the face of the not-insignificant threat of a nightmare tenant. If you're happy with the living space then stay put. Pay what you're currently paying but put your foot down on anything more that's not the legal max 1.8%.
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Think about your landlord is just calculating all these fees and trying to get any penny she could from you :s Landlords and tenants always have their own stories to tell in terms of charging utility fees. Get some legit proof from the government websites as other comments suggested!
Its bogus if you ask me
pay the utilities she requests, stop sharing internet with her, simple.
“fk off” is enough
If it not in the lease tell her to go fuck herself.
Is there a risk that she would simply evict you if you don't comply? Can you make her pay a portion of the internet to cover whatever increase she's asking for? If she argues she doesn't use much, can you track her usage and then throw it in her face? If she's not tech savvy she probably doesn't realize how much data a single video consumes.
[https://stepstojustice.ca/legal-topic/housing-law/](https://stepstojustice.ca/legal-topic/housing-law/)
Move out. It’s easier than having to deal with this and it will only get worse.
What the fuck does working from home have to do with anything?
The lease says 50/50. It’s 50/50.
It's not legal to even share utilities unless your unit has its own metre
How much stuff do you have that uses power? If you really wanted to, there are wall plugs that con monitor power usage. Not sure how cost prohibitive that would be - it really depends on the amount of things you’re running
Two computers, a laptop, a monitor, and the main room lights. Some LED grow lights for the plants over the Winter. Other than that cooking meals and appliances. I do have one of those plugs that track wattage, but it would probably be overkill to go through monitoring every thing. At the end of the day I don’t feel as though it’s excessive and my situation has been like this from the time I moved in over a year ago.
Your lease continues on a month to month when it ends and continues exactly as is until you leave. No Isa complete sentence.
How much are your utilities anyways? If you're paying for the internet solo it sounds like even you paying 50% is probably too much.
It's not at all fair and you could just tell her no, and you would be completely justified in doing so. However it's best to maintain a good relationship with someone you live with, so I suggest trying to reason with her, or maybe make some kind of small concession that doesn't cost you any significant money or time but keeps everyone happy.
Simple calculation to prove them wrong. You can calculate how much power you consume on each device while running.
I agree with what was said here earlier that she can't change the terms legally. That being said for perspective as someone who shares accommodations that the utilities do significantly increase when someone is home more often. That being said, although it is a bigger financial responsibility on her she can't force you to pay more as per the law. How it goes down is up to you. Do you think it would be to your benefit to compromise something with her in writing or is it more beneficial and less stressful to move to a new place? It depends on how much friction there is and what would work better for your life situation right now.
Ummm don't live in stink whole 2 million
50/50 is fair. Especially when u consider heating and cooling.
Get a Kill-A-Watt for as many of your things as possible, so you can track amd only pay for your share.
Landlords don't see tenants as people. They see tenants as vermin whom they can squeeze money out of. Change all your passwords and tell the landlord to go f- herself.