Aging in place (or staying in your home as you get older) has many benefits, especially if your home is fully paid for.
It’s familiar and comforting, maintains your connection to family, neighbours and memories, can be cost-effective, and ultimately delays the stressful transition of moving.
However, sometimes the obstacles of aging in place prove to be too great, and becoming a renter again emerges as the most viable option.
When that happens, it’s important to know what your rights and responsibilities are as a tenant. The Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) is very specific about expectations. Updated rules apply if you are moving into a home or apartment that was first occupied after November 15, 2018 (i.e. newer construction rentals).
Among other things, those newer rental properties are not rent-controlled, meaning that a landlord has no limit on the amount he can raise the rent each year. This could lead to hundreds or thousands of dollars in additional rent after the initial lease period. It is important to understand the risk that this may impose, especially on those with fixed incomes.
For rental units that were first occupied before November 15, 2018, a landlord may only raise the rent by the adjusted amount, which is calculated according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). In the last few years, that increased amount has been around 2.5%.
Other things to consider when becoming a tenant include: knowing your rights if the property you are renting goes up for sale, an imposition on guest limits, or if you can sublet the property.
You should also keep in mind that it is the landlord’s responsibility to maintain the property, and that includes lawn care and snow removal. The landlord cannot request extra payment from you for those services.
Tenants have successfully sued landlords at the Landlord and Tenant Board for charging extra, or inducing a tenant to sign a contract for landscaping services.
Renting can be a wonderfully care- and worry-free way to live, but if you haven’t rented for a while, ensure that you understand the terms of, and sign, a Standard Lease Agreement, which is accessible online on the province’s website.
This article was written for the Around&About, a local publication serving Espanola and all of the surrounding communities: Nairn Centre, McKerrow, Massey, Webbwood, Walford, Sagamok, Birch Island, Worthington.
