Housing shortage?

The Residential Tenancy Branch is shooting itself in the foot with the heavy handed rules that are being imposed to landlords. I have a rental unit in my home and I will never again have a tenant in this suite. This landlord is fed up with all the deficiencies and damage left when the tenancy ends, without fair recourse or resolution. My suite will stay empty before I rent to one more tenant. 

The province needs to look at both sides of the coin, I understand that certain landlords are unfair and unethical but the pendulum swings both ways. There are many tenants that also are unfair and unethical, leaving behind expensive damage and unpaid bills. I know that tenants pay for the space they are using however that does not give them the right to trash the home and walk away without repercussions or even worse being allowed stay because the ‘Act’ says that this is okay. 

When our community leaders ponder why they cannot find enough housing for the people who cannot afford to own their own home, I am telling them that the landlords are tired of the damage and lack of respect for the properties they are receiving from their tenants. Many try short term rentals and I totally understand that. The dynamic of short term renters is completely different than that of the ‘entitled’ attitude. For the most part, they are more respectful and show appreciation for the space they are using. Then when a landlord has found a way to keep their unit in one piece with people who really care about their surroundings and the avenue to make a little extra revenue, often to survive financially, it is snuffed out in some communities by making those units illegal. 

If short term housing is allowed, in comes the provincial government to slap on an eleven percent ‘penalty’ for landlords trying to support themselves. This is on top of the income tax that is required at tax time for the rental revenue, is this really fair? Being taxed in both areas may be a deterrent to the short term renters, however it will never provide the housing that they expect to gain by shutting down the short term rentals.

The hotels are whining because they are losing business to the short term rentals but they continue to build more hotels, as many as two new hotels at the same time on the same property at the north end of Kelowna. How dire is their situation really?

Do the leaders really think their remedies are working? They need to get their heads out of the sand.

Ellen Ramsay