Landlord info session coming up

Are you a landlord, or have you considered purchasing a rental property, or renting out a room or apartment in your house? If so, then the Landlord Information Session on March 7^th is for you.

Presented by the Barrie Chapter of the Simcoe County Alliance to End Homelessness, this forum will provide lots of useful information on many topics, and let you ask questions or connect with experts who can help solve many landlord issues.

Homelessness and lack of affordable housing are problems that must be addressed in many ways, and private market rentals are part of the solution. Yet many landlords get turned off due to a bad experience, while other potential landlords are scared away. This doesn’t have to be the case; there are community resources that can help make renting a better experience for landlords and tenants.

This session will include presentations from a lawyer with the community legal clinic who will explain rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants, and perhaps debunk some myths about both. Did you know that it’s a myth that a tenant can’t be evicted in the winter, or that it is illegal to charge more than one month’s rent as a deposit? Or you might not know that you pet bans aren’t effective anymore, but it’s getting easier to ban smoking in rental units. Get other useful information from the Community Legal Clinic at this session.

One group who have trouble with housing are those with a disability. Yet a tenant with a reliable monthly government cheque may be the least likely to fall behind on the rent, since you don’t get laid off from a disability! Yet some landlords worry that a tenant with a disability might cause more problems. A representative from the Canadian Mental Health Association will explain the resources that can help landlords and tenants have a harmonious relationship so our most vulnerable aren’t left unhoused.

A representative from Simcoe County will explain grants or credits available to renovate a rental unit to be more accessible. Not only does this provide better housing, but it expands your potential market, especially as the population ages. There will also be advice about tax benefits from a professional accountant.

One tenacious problem these days is bedbugs. Luckily, there is a new way of dealing with them in a single, non-toxic treatment, and it will be presented at this session.

The Landlord Information Session is on Wednesday, March 7^th and runs from 6:30 to 9 PM, at Collier United Church. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Kelly Bell at kbell@simcoecommunityservices.ca or 705-739-9909 by February 29th. We’d love to see you there, to help support you in your rentals.

Published in my Root Issues column in the Barrie Examiner as "Info session available for aspiring landlords".

Erich Jacoby-Hawkins is a director of the Ontario School of Economic Science and Earthsharing Canada.