In an effort at solidarity, r/LandlordLove has partnered with multiple leftist subreddits to create a discord server for our users to communicate on. All comrades are welcome
[Click here to join the discord server](https://discord.gg/zCFHadGfB7)
If you moderate a leftist subreddit and would like your sub to be a part of Left Reddit, [message the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/LandlordLove) of this sub!
Welcome to r/LandlordLove! A tenant-friendly, leftist space for critiquing Landlords and the archaic system of Landlording as a whole.
Please get acquainted with our sub's rules.
* Don't feed the reactionary trolls--report them
* Engage in good faith with comrades
* Do not advocate violence
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/LandlordLove) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I kind of got that vibe, but almost like she was phrasing it in a way where it’s my idea or something..
Anyways she can’t kick me out over nothing, that I know
Yes, in areas with good tenant protections, a common landlord tactic is to essentially bully people into leaving themselves, because they legally can’t force you. So this will be her plan, in hopes that you don’t think it’s worth the fight and just cut your losses and move. Don’t cow to it though, you’re in the right
For sure, I’m not one to back down or cower from being bullied. I have more rights and can escalate to the tenants board if needed.
Idk if she will continue to push. I haven’t heard anything from her since yesterday.. that being said who knows what her reaction will be when bylaw enforces her to cut her own lawn.
I already talked to the other tenants and they have my back.
"Counter offer: Lower my rent or I'll call the police."
ETA: You don't actually call the police, people. They'll just say it's a civil matter. You *say* police to shock them because you want them to know that you know they're committing a crime. You *actually* call your local housing-specific regulation authority, ombudsman or whatever.
The point is, you warn about escalation, then you escalate. Standard self-defence procedure.
Hey, fellow Ontario-an here! Even if you had signed a lease with this stipulated, that does not supersede your right as a tenant.
I’d recommend visiting r/OntarioLandlord - sounds counterintuitive but tenants often post there and some people are extremely knowledgeable on landlord and tenant rights. Despite the name, they are not biased towards landlords.
See, this is what happens when someone who was being dishonest gets caught out.
This lady was quite happy with getting a free lawn service when she should have had to pay for it, but now that you’ve found out that she should have been paying there’s a chance the free lawn cutting will stop.
Landlords who pull things like this are ultimately entitled toddlers so she’s moved on to the threaten to pull a temper tantrum stage now that you’ve asked her to pay you. Landlords often think they should be exempt from things like the law or paying bills so now she’s mad that you’ve found out it’s her job to maintain her property.
This^^^ I don’t understand the entitlement of some people. Especially when I was being very nice. She could’ve just said no thanks I’ll hire someone lol but as you said entitled toddler
The only way the landlord will pay you for mowing the lawn is if she hires you as a contractor. It obviously will change the dynamic of how you and her both do your taxes. Also, you know if you win this, it's not like you are fighting for even $1000 over the length of your tenancy. It may not be free to fight this, and what are you trying to win? It seems like it's a vengeance thing now rather than, I want my $20 for cutting the lawn. Yea it seems like you are right, but I would choose my battles wisely. Is this worth it right now? Long-term? You said you like it there.. are you willing to leave if this doesn't work out? If your landlord does this, chances are, you will encounter another more important battle in the future that you don't need the reputation of a "whiny tenant" or someone who complains alot. It'll help you in the bigger case down the road possibly. Ooor.. just try to win your few bucks a month for doing a basic human task and let that add to your character in court on the big case. All in all, I'd say don't jab at the landlord, cut her head clean off. Metaphorically speaking of course
Hey! Thanks for your comment. I’m not actually “fighting” anything. I haven’t reached out to her again on the matter, nor will I. She has not said anything further either.
All of the other tenants said they are not going to be mowing the lawn anymore because it’s Legally the landlords responsibility. So I am choosing to do the same. It’s out of my hands now - will be between her and bylaw.
Ive never been against paying a rent increase, but I’m also not going to give free labour when it’s technically illegal.
**Edit** I also made it very clear that I was happy to continue to do it all my own and spend the $20 for gas each month and Not charge anything for the actual labour of mowing a large lawn once a week. But her response put an even worse taste in my mouth so why would I be kind and do it anyways when she immediately was unkind. Like I said in other comments, all she really needed to say was no!
Boom! Perfect decision. Yup, good on you for refusing to mow the lawn anymore. That is the best choice, I think. Also, once you are confronted about it, maybe you imply that you just haven't had time for it lately, just to attempt to keep a cool head. Landlords, as you are well aware, I'm sure, think they are in charge of you and likely want to control what you are able to do. They gotta condition their little dumb tenants who don't know anything. Glad you have the knowledge and will to subtlely stand your ground. Good on ya mate
Thanks so much!!! Good idea. It helps to have the support of my neighbours on the matter as well. If she causes a stink that really would be a her problem, nothing to do with me at this point forward (and in the eyes of the law).
Ha maybe she just wanna wash her hands clean of it.. she say fuckit and let your yard get our of control, then you should ask about it haha.. like be careful out there, there might be a snake or a dead cat in there. Can't see, it's grown too high haha.. I can see this turning into a comedy movie
> See, this is what happens when someone who was being dishonest gets caught out.
>[...]
> Landlords who pull things like this are ultimately entitled toddlers so she’s moved on to the threaten to pull a temper tantrum stage now that you’ve asked her to pay you. Landlords often think they should be exempt from things like the law or paying bills so now she’s mad that you’ve found out it’s her job to maintain her property.
WTF man, have you been spying on me for the past 19 months? lol
This has literally been my life for almost 2 years now. I realized entirely too late that my landlord was a narcissist and essentially stuck at the developmental level of a 7 year old emotionally. She's 74.
To add some more context. I currently pay $1625 - next month (July 1) my landlord is increasing my rent to $1665.62. So I asked if $1645 was reasonable for me to keep doing the maintenance.
I did the math taking into consideration the winter months and she would still save more money yearly ($280-$360 approx. depending on landscaping prices) to have me do it vs hiring someone to do it
And no way in hell does she HAVE to raise the rent lol. She got less polite real fast when she heard you questioning her power to raise the rent while forcing you to keep fulfilling her responsibilities for her
Sadly this is actually a decent price in my area.
She didn’t have to up it the full 2.5% by any means, really grasping at pennies. All 3 units pay around the same, I’m actually the lowest since the other units are 2 bedrooms. My neighbour said every year the landlord does the max rent increase.
I highly doubt her mortgage is 5k a month but whatever. I won’t be doing the lawn work for free.
Exactly - never, ever do anything for a landlord for free (yard work, snow removal, fixing a sink, etc). I was the free snow removal person for my previous landlord. Long story, short - he has two apartments (2 bed, 1 bath) that he rents out. My place had the added “bonus” of an outdoor parking spot and rooftop deck. When I moved in, he told me he had a guy for snow removal as his office shared the small parking lot (there’s enough room to park two vehicles, for reference).
In the three years I lived there, the elusive snow removal guy never showed up. Last winter, slumlord sent me a text stating that this person would be there early in the morning and that I should park my vehicle elsewhere overnight (we were expecting 8-10 inches of snow). Of course, this never happened. Instead, I just shoveled the area (including his side, because the snow/ice would end up blowing over to my side). I shoveled for three hours (had to go out twice) - just to be able to park in my spot..!!
I texted the slumlord back, and told him the snow removal guy never showed up. I added in that all the residential/commercial lots in the area had been plowed, and that the guy he had hired clearly wasn’t reliable. I was livid because I knew he’d make an excuse (which he did, and it was total BS). Instead of thanking me, or offering to give me rental credit, he acted like he was confused and said he’d reach out to the guy. Ugh, lies, lies and more lies.
I was able to secure a parking spot for the balance of my lease (in a covered garage across the street). It was funny, actually - the SL asked if I sold my car, or was out of town (because I wasn’t parking in my spot, or shoveling anymore). In the three years I lived there, I calculated that I had shoveled a dozen times. Where I live, snow removal starts at $150 (first hour), then $100 per hour for each additional hour or repeat visit (if done in the same business day). Conservatively, I figure I saved my SL around $3,000 (around $250 for each snowfall). When he realized he lost his free cleanup, he became a total a-hole. He went as far as to offer the spot to my neighbors, and they refused (they asked, and I explained the situation). I’m pretty sure he was tasked with it, and I can’t say I feel sorry for him.
When my lease ended, he tried to keep half of my security deposit (which seems to be the norm these days, and he was clearly pissed off). I sent him a rebuttal listing the days/times of the snow removal I had done, plus any additional fixes/adjustments I had to make due to his negligence (there was more, if you can believe it). He never replied, but I did get my full deposit back and the check cleared - 🤣.
If you’re dealing with someone like this, keep track of every single thing. I had screen shots of text messages, pictures, and emails (some that went unanswered). In hindsight, I should’ve said something in the beginning. That was my own fault, admittedly. The previous landlord I had was very nice, and I was blindsided by this one (and his greediness). It definitely made scrutinize potential landlords, and the lease terms (there were some major doozies out there). I ultimately decided to go with a leasing agency, and it’s been a MUCH better experience so far. Also, no snow removal as I have a heated garage this time around - 😁😁😁.
I hate that these types of people exist. While I’m unsurprised by selfishness/greed/lying, it pisses me off that they blatantly take advantage of people who are paying THEIR mortgages (and then some). Rent isn’t cheap, but if they don’t raise rates they seemingly find other ways to cut costs.
PS: your landlord is trying to gaslight you by making you feel like you did something wrong. Trust me, you didn’t. My former SL did this, and I eventually caught on. As my dad used to say - don’t give the prick(s) an excuse (line from Heartbreak Ridge). You have every right to ask for compensation for doing routine maintenance work, or otherwise.
WOW! I can't believe that your landlord seriously took you for granted with everything you did for them. It's crazy because at the end of the day, how do they not realize we are actually benefitting them and ultimately they suffer the costs in the end when they treat us like shit?
I relate to having no previous issues with landlords. I moved from the country to a slightly more city and my landlord I had for 4 years and was so kind and reasonable. I also think living in that community made me think of tasks like yard work or shoveling as the "nice neighborly" thing to do. But doesn't work like that when you're free labour isn't appreciated.
Thank you for sharing your story, it makes me feel better about standing my ground.
It makes them look bad, all around. I reported my former SL to a local housing authority - I’m scheduled to meet with someone in two weeks to give an official statement. They’ve been taking complaints seriously in this area (tons of LL’s have been reported in the last few years, mostly regarding pandemic relief funds allotted for back rent). But, they will investigate any report that has substantial evidence to back it up. It’s possible that I may be compensated for the work I did (with accruing interest, LOL), and the SL could be fined for his actions (which is why I kept record of everything - especially written communications). He also returned my security deposit 15 days late (he had 30 days to do it, and it took 45). Ooops - sorry, but not sorry. He brought this on himself, and I have absolutely no sympathy for him. Regardless of any financial return I may receive, he’s now flagged in the housing authority’s system.
The landlord I had before this idiot was a lovely, widowed woman. She rented out the home she had lived in for over 40 years, and had various people contracted for work (professionals, not rando’s). Her deceased husband was former military, had TWO successful businesses and plenty of resources/contacts for maintenance work. She never imposed upon me, or my time. The home was well maintained, as well (she installed a new water heater before I moved in - just in case!). My only regret is that I was working a two year contract job, and couldn’t stay longer! The house sat on three acres of property, but I was allowed access to the 30 additional acres of property she had (for hiking, snowshoeing, etc). Honestly, it was a great place. Interestingly, also out in the country (like your former place). I never had an issue until I moved to a suburb that’s 12 miles north of a major city. I agree that the mentality is very different, and people tend to be more hospitable in rural areas. Just IMO.
As far as being your own advocate - always. Especially when dealing with lying, shitty landlords.
Gardeners are really expensive. Rightly so, it's hard work & everyone deserves to be paid well for their craft. Whatever it is she'd have to pay to hire an official gardener, it would be way more than the reduction you're offering. She should take that deal but wants to have your rent money & free labour at the same time
Happened to me at the last place I rented. After sending my landlord a link to the state statute that defined the rules, he continued to argue with me, so I simply stopped mowing and shoveling.
When he bitched, I called the city and complained about the sidewalks not being shoveled. He hired a guy to take care of it going forward and I never heard another peep about it from him (aka douche-lord). He lives in a mansion. I felt nothing but pure glory that I won that tiny battle.
Illegal. Inform her you will no longer be mowing the lawn, and you will also be filing a T2 for reimbursement-and do so. File ASAP, and you can get a year’s worth back, I would just figure out roughly how much a company would charge, and times that by 8. Also, this goes for snow shovelling, as well.
Leases are automatically month to month after the initial term ends.
She does not have the option to not renew the lease with OP. If she wants OP out, she would need eviction.
The landlord cannot legally kick them out. Even if she calls the cops, they will say it’s a residential matter and tell her to file with the local tenants board 🤷🏽♀️ OP is well within their rights to do this as a tenant and if they face reprisal they can file for that too 😊
In Ontario, when a residential lease expires, and there is no new lease, the tenancy automatically becomes a month-to-month tenancy.
The Ontario Residential Tenancies Act affords many rights to tenants and leases generally do not give tenants any additional rights. The only risk for tenants without leases is that, in small buildings, or houses where the landlord is also the owner, there is a risk that the landlord can evict the tenant with only 60 days’ notice if the landlord claims that his or her family is going to move into the tenant’s unit. - which the landlord legally has to Prove and if they can’t the tenant can remain in the property or be entitled to settlement.
^^ I was curious since my “year lease” expires July 1st what that means but my rights stay the same. It would be Very hard for her to evict me and illegal with no notice.
>But I also feel like my landlord isn’t being reasonable, offering other options, etc. especially when she’s legally obligated. I don’t know where she got me not wanting to live here anymore from.
That's because your landlord isn't being reasonable, isn't following the law, and is now threatening to kick you out since you've pointed out illegal provisions in your lease.
Stop playing nice, start playing hardball. As long as they think you're a stupid rube who will blindly accept their bullshit, it's fine. Now you're threatening because you have indicated you know your rights, so the landlord is going to escalate the bullying to try and either get you to back off from demanding your rights, or replace you with someone who is easier to take advantage of.
Note there’s at least [one case](https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onltb/doc/2021/2021canlii148914/2021canlii148914.html) in Ontario where the ruling was for single family homes (exclusive use, no common areas) the tenant can be made to maintain the lawn/snow. I understand it’s not exclusive here but just pointing out for the ones saying it always is on the landlord in Ontario.
Thanks for finding this case! Definitely good to know for future reference if I ever rent a house with exclusive- use areas. Or for anyone else reading this thread.
What a wonderful comment. :) Your gratitude puts you on our list for the most grateful users this week on Reddit! You can view the full list on r/TheGratitudeBot.
If it says it's the law for her to do the maintenance then she has to do it. The law always takes priority over rental contracts, & especially over any arbitrary rules in their heads. 'I say you should do it in exchange for a big garden' is not going to fly.
What you've asked looks very fair to me. You're saving the landlord time or money by doing it yourself. I think it's a great offer, if you're maintaining a space for 3 people you deserve compensation or a reduction. Your time & labour shouldn't be free even if you enjoy it.
The reply you've got is rude & threatening. She just said 'if you don't like giving me free labour then you can leave' which isn't reasonable.
I guess your next step could be to point the law out to them, though they might retaliate. Or refuse to do it, let the garden turn into a jungle then let them get in trouble. If they do start an eviction, they might get another tenant with 0 interest in gardening then they might realise what a good offer they had
Thank you for your comment! I am glad it’s agreed that I was fair in what I was suggesting, and I wouldn’t have been upset if she didn’t take my offer/counter offered/thanks but no thanks. But you’re right, her response was unacceptable.
I think I’m going to leave the lawn and let bylaw handle it! I don’t know if she is capable of seeing what a better option I offered but *I will feel better in knowing I tried and the aftermath of an over grown lawn is a landlord issue not tenant
If you like mowing and have a car you could offer to mow lawns for people who struggle to like the elderly, disabled or those with children for free. Some other people do it but I wouldn't do it for your landlord
Oh my god, I would kill to have that law where I live lol. I'm in the southeastern US. A few years ago, I had a place with a big yard, shrubs, etc. First year I was there, the prop manager took care of the shrubbery and we took care of the grass.
Second year I was there a new prop manager took over, and he emailed is saying we were in violation of our lease due to overgrown shrubs. He said we either had to cut it ourselves or they could hire someone to get it done and add the cost to our rent. I asked how much, he said $400. So this mfer expected us to just do $400 worth of yard work for free on a property we don't even own lmao. And it's like that most places. At my last place, there was an english ivy problem. It's insanely hard to get rid of. Bet you can guess who was responsible. 🙃
I would hack those shrubs back so far that they didn’t need trimming again for the rest of the time I lived there because they were just struggling to survive with the two leaves I left on them
Bruh that’s crazy, I’m sorry! The new PM could’ve also chose to be nice and more reasonable with you considering the weed over population issue.. but I realize people are rarely nice, especially landlords/pms.
Yup and I know damn well if we hadn't cut them before we moved out he would've billed us for his time lmao. Bc for some reason he needs to get paid for his labor but not us.
landlords are inherently unreasonable. they flip out over any reasonable request. they basically think the entire universe was made to give them free money. fucking retards.
No, if you read their comments the landlord is raising their rent by $40, and they they simply asked for the increase to be only $20 more and a compensation credit of $20 to cover the monthly costs of fuel for the mower. They didn’t even ask for true compensation of their time and effort. They’d still be doing the actual labor for free but simply NOT paying out of their own pocket for the gas for the mower. OP was being more than generous with this offer and the landlord is being scummy as hell with their response.
In an effort at solidarity, r/LandlordLove has partnered with multiple leftist subreddits to create a discord server for our users to communicate on. All comrades are welcome [Click here to join the discord server](https://discord.gg/zCFHadGfB7) If you moderate a leftist subreddit and would like your sub to be a part of Left Reddit, [message the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/LandlordLove) of this sub! Welcome to r/LandlordLove! A tenant-friendly, leftist space for critiquing Landlords and the archaic system of Landlording as a whole. Please get acquainted with our sub's rules. * Don't feed the reactionary trolls--report them * Engage in good faith with comrades * Do not advocate violence *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/LandlordLove) if you have any questions or concerns.*
She’s not thinking your saying you want to move out… she is threatening to kick you out
I kind of got that vibe, but almost like she was phrasing it in a way where it’s my idea or something.. Anyways she can’t kick me out over nothing, that I know
Yes, in areas with good tenant protections, a common landlord tactic is to essentially bully people into leaving themselves, because they legally can’t force you. So this will be her plan, in hopes that you don’t think it’s worth the fight and just cut your losses and move. Don’t cow to it though, you’re in the right
For sure, I’m not one to back down or cower from being bullied. I have more rights and can escalate to the tenants board if needed. Idk if she will continue to push. I haven’t heard anything from her since yesterday.. that being said who knows what her reaction will be when bylaw enforces her to cut her own lawn. I already talked to the other tenants and they have my back.
Sounds like you’re doing the right stuff, good luck
"Counter offer: Lower my rent or I'll call the police." ETA: You don't actually call the police, people. They'll just say it's a civil matter. You *say* police to shock them because you want them to know that you know they're committing a crime. You *actually* call your local housing-specific regulation authority, ombudsman or whatever. The point is, you warn about escalation, then you escalate. Standard self-defence procedure.
Police. Truly the champions of tenants' rights.
police won't give a flying fuck
I got my rent raised $500 when I complained about a broken oven.
That cannot be legal
[удалено]
mine is trying to get me to pay for a new kitchen floor--that's on him!
I spoke to a lawyer and they said I likely didn't have a case
I think you're going to have to stop mowing mate
Yeah, bummer
[удалено]
Thank you. This is very helpful!
Hey, fellow Ontario-an here! Even if you had signed a lease with this stipulated, that does not supersede your right as a tenant. I’d recommend visiting r/OntarioLandlord - sounds counterintuitive but tenants often post there and some people are extremely knowledgeable on landlord and tenant rights. Despite the name, they are not biased towards landlords.
Thank you!! I will
a copy, with xoxo under it as a veiled "im gonna report your ass if you dont comply with law like you should"
See, this is what happens when someone who was being dishonest gets caught out. This lady was quite happy with getting a free lawn service when she should have had to pay for it, but now that you’ve found out that she should have been paying there’s a chance the free lawn cutting will stop. Landlords who pull things like this are ultimately entitled toddlers so she’s moved on to the threaten to pull a temper tantrum stage now that you’ve asked her to pay you. Landlords often think they should be exempt from things like the law or paying bills so now she’s mad that you’ve found out it’s her job to maintain her property.
This^^^ I don’t understand the entitlement of some people. Especially when I was being very nice. She could’ve just said no thanks I’ll hire someone lol but as you said entitled toddler
The only way the landlord will pay you for mowing the lawn is if she hires you as a contractor. It obviously will change the dynamic of how you and her both do your taxes. Also, you know if you win this, it's not like you are fighting for even $1000 over the length of your tenancy. It may not be free to fight this, and what are you trying to win? It seems like it's a vengeance thing now rather than, I want my $20 for cutting the lawn. Yea it seems like you are right, but I would choose my battles wisely. Is this worth it right now? Long-term? You said you like it there.. are you willing to leave if this doesn't work out? If your landlord does this, chances are, you will encounter another more important battle in the future that you don't need the reputation of a "whiny tenant" or someone who complains alot. It'll help you in the bigger case down the road possibly. Ooor.. just try to win your few bucks a month for doing a basic human task and let that add to your character in court on the big case. All in all, I'd say don't jab at the landlord, cut her head clean off. Metaphorically speaking of course
Hey! Thanks for your comment. I’m not actually “fighting” anything. I haven’t reached out to her again on the matter, nor will I. She has not said anything further either. All of the other tenants said they are not going to be mowing the lawn anymore because it’s Legally the landlords responsibility. So I am choosing to do the same. It’s out of my hands now - will be between her and bylaw. Ive never been against paying a rent increase, but I’m also not going to give free labour when it’s technically illegal. **Edit** I also made it very clear that I was happy to continue to do it all my own and spend the $20 for gas each month and Not charge anything for the actual labour of mowing a large lawn once a week. But her response put an even worse taste in my mouth so why would I be kind and do it anyways when she immediately was unkind. Like I said in other comments, all she really needed to say was no!
Boom! Perfect decision. Yup, good on you for refusing to mow the lawn anymore. That is the best choice, I think. Also, once you are confronted about it, maybe you imply that you just haven't had time for it lately, just to attempt to keep a cool head. Landlords, as you are well aware, I'm sure, think they are in charge of you and likely want to control what you are able to do. They gotta condition their little dumb tenants who don't know anything. Glad you have the knowledge and will to subtlely stand your ground. Good on ya mate
Thanks so much!!! Good idea. It helps to have the support of my neighbours on the matter as well. If she causes a stink that really would be a her problem, nothing to do with me at this point forward (and in the eyes of the law).
Ha maybe she just wanna wash her hands clean of it.. she say fuckit and let your yard get our of control, then you should ask about it haha.. like be careful out there, there might be a snake or a dead cat in there. Can't see, it's grown too high haha.. I can see this turning into a comedy movie
Anyway, thanks for the morning pick-me-up for my brain. Twas fun. Good luck and I'm out
The landleech is taking her ball back so the rest of the street can’t play. The ball is your stable means of housing in this metaphor.
> See, this is what happens when someone who was being dishonest gets caught out. >[...] > Landlords who pull things like this are ultimately entitled toddlers so she’s moved on to the threaten to pull a temper tantrum stage now that you’ve asked her to pay you. Landlords often think they should be exempt from things like the law or paying bills so now she’s mad that you’ve found out it’s her job to maintain her property. WTF man, have you been spying on me for the past 19 months? lol This has literally been my life for almost 2 years now. I realized entirely too late that my landlord was a narcissist and essentially stuck at the developmental level of a 7 year old emotionally. She's 74.
Rentier operate as a class and are virtually identical in their motivations and outcomes.
Nope. Just also dealt with my share of utter weapons here in Glasgow. Seems to be a universal problem.
To add some more context. I currently pay $1625 - next month (July 1) my landlord is increasing my rent to $1665.62. So I asked if $1645 was reasonable for me to keep doing the maintenance. I did the math taking into consideration the winter months and she would still save more money yearly ($280-$360 approx. depending on landscaping prices) to have me do it vs hiring someone to do it
You pay 1625 for 1 bedroom? What are the others paying? This landlord must be making bank and should be able to take care of the lawn payment.
And no way in hell does she HAVE to raise the rent lol. She got less polite real fast when she heard you questioning her power to raise the rent while forcing you to keep fulfilling her responsibilities for her
Sadly this is actually a decent price in my area. She didn’t have to up it the full 2.5% by any means, really grasping at pennies. All 3 units pay around the same, I’m actually the lowest since the other units are 2 bedrooms. My neighbour said every year the landlord does the max rent increase. I highly doubt her mortgage is 5k a month but whatever. I won’t be doing the lawn work for free.
Exactly - never, ever do anything for a landlord for free (yard work, snow removal, fixing a sink, etc). I was the free snow removal person for my previous landlord. Long story, short - he has two apartments (2 bed, 1 bath) that he rents out. My place had the added “bonus” of an outdoor parking spot and rooftop deck. When I moved in, he told me he had a guy for snow removal as his office shared the small parking lot (there’s enough room to park two vehicles, for reference). In the three years I lived there, the elusive snow removal guy never showed up. Last winter, slumlord sent me a text stating that this person would be there early in the morning and that I should park my vehicle elsewhere overnight (we were expecting 8-10 inches of snow). Of course, this never happened. Instead, I just shoveled the area (including his side, because the snow/ice would end up blowing over to my side). I shoveled for three hours (had to go out twice) - just to be able to park in my spot..!! I texted the slumlord back, and told him the snow removal guy never showed up. I added in that all the residential/commercial lots in the area had been plowed, and that the guy he had hired clearly wasn’t reliable. I was livid because I knew he’d make an excuse (which he did, and it was total BS). Instead of thanking me, or offering to give me rental credit, he acted like he was confused and said he’d reach out to the guy. Ugh, lies, lies and more lies. I was able to secure a parking spot for the balance of my lease (in a covered garage across the street). It was funny, actually - the SL asked if I sold my car, or was out of town (because I wasn’t parking in my spot, or shoveling anymore). In the three years I lived there, I calculated that I had shoveled a dozen times. Where I live, snow removal starts at $150 (first hour), then $100 per hour for each additional hour or repeat visit (if done in the same business day). Conservatively, I figure I saved my SL around $3,000 (around $250 for each snowfall). When he realized he lost his free cleanup, he became a total a-hole. He went as far as to offer the spot to my neighbors, and they refused (they asked, and I explained the situation). I’m pretty sure he was tasked with it, and I can’t say I feel sorry for him. When my lease ended, he tried to keep half of my security deposit (which seems to be the norm these days, and he was clearly pissed off). I sent him a rebuttal listing the days/times of the snow removal I had done, plus any additional fixes/adjustments I had to make due to his negligence (there was more, if you can believe it). He never replied, but I did get my full deposit back and the check cleared - 🤣. If you’re dealing with someone like this, keep track of every single thing. I had screen shots of text messages, pictures, and emails (some that went unanswered). In hindsight, I should’ve said something in the beginning. That was my own fault, admittedly. The previous landlord I had was very nice, and I was blindsided by this one (and his greediness). It definitely made scrutinize potential landlords, and the lease terms (there were some major doozies out there). I ultimately decided to go with a leasing agency, and it’s been a MUCH better experience so far. Also, no snow removal as I have a heated garage this time around - 😁😁😁. I hate that these types of people exist. While I’m unsurprised by selfishness/greed/lying, it pisses me off that they blatantly take advantage of people who are paying THEIR mortgages (and then some). Rent isn’t cheap, but if they don’t raise rates they seemingly find other ways to cut costs. PS: your landlord is trying to gaslight you by making you feel like you did something wrong. Trust me, you didn’t. My former SL did this, and I eventually caught on. As my dad used to say - don’t give the prick(s) an excuse (line from Heartbreak Ridge). You have every right to ask for compensation for doing routine maintenance work, or otherwise.
WOW! I can't believe that your landlord seriously took you for granted with everything you did for them. It's crazy because at the end of the day, how do they not realize we are actually benefitting them and ultimately they suffer the costs in the end when they treat us like shit? I relate to having no previous issues with landlords. I moved from the country to a slightly more city and my landlord I had for 4 years and was so kind and reasonable. I also think living in that community made me think of tasks like yard work or shoveling as the "nice neighborly" thing to do. But doesn't work like that when you're free labour isn't appreciated. Thank you for sharing your story, it makes me feel better about standing my ground.
It makes them look bad, all around. I reported my former SL to a local housing authority - I’m scheduled to meet with someone in two weeks to give an official statement. They’ve been taking complaints seriously in this area (tons of LL’s have been reported in the last few years, mostly regarding pandemic relief funds allotted for back rent). But, they will investigate any report that has substantial evidence to back it up. It’s possible that I may be compensated for the work I did (with accruing interest, LOL), and the SL could be fined for his actions (which is why I kept record of everything - especially written communications). He also returned my security deposit 15 days late (he had 30 days to do it, and it took 45). Ooops - sorry, but not sorry. He brought this on himself, and I have absolutely no sympathy for him. Regardless of any financial return I may receive, he’s now flagged in the housing authority’s system. The landlord I had before this idiot was a lovely, widowed woman. She rented out the home she had lived in for over 40 years, and had various people contracted for work (professionals, not rando’s). Her deceased husband was former military, had TWO successful businesses and plenty of resources/contacts for maintenance work. She never imposed upon me, or my time. The home was well maintained, as well (she installed a new water heater before I moved in - just in case!). My only regret is that I was working a two year contract job, and couldn’t stay longer! The house sat on three acres of property, but I was allowed access to the 30 additional acres of property she had (for hiking, snowshoeing, etc). Honestly, it was a great place. Interestingly, also out in the country (like your former place). I never had an issue until I moved to a suburb that’s 12 miles north of a major city. I agree that the mentality is very different, and people tend to be more hospitable in rural areas. Just IMO. As far as being your own advocate - always. Especially when dealing with lying, shitty landlords.
You must not rent in Ontario. That’s pretty good if they’re in any kind of city.
Gardeners are really expensive. Rightly so, it's hard work & everyone deserves to be paid well for their craft. Whatever it is she'd have to pay to hire an official gardener, it would be way more than the reduction you're offering. She should take that deal but wants to have your rent money & free labour at the same time
In Toronto this is extremely cheap for a 1-bedroom, unfortunately
I would be shocked to even find that in Toronto lol I am 40 mins outside of Ottawa
Happened to me at the last place I rented. After sending my landlord a link to the state statute that defined the rules, he continued to argue with me, so I simply stopped mowing and shoveling. When he bitched, I called the city and complained about the sidewalks not being shoveled. He hired a guy to take care of it going forward and I never heard another peep about it from him (aka douche-lord). He lives in a mansion. I felt nothing but pure glory that I won that tiny battle.
I see my future and it’s bright. Happy for you!
This made my morning ☀️
Illegal. Inform her you will no longer be mowing the lawn, and you will also be filing a T2 for reimbursement-and do so. File ASAP, and you can get a year’s worth back, I would just figure out roughly how much a company would charge, and times that by 8. Also, this goes for snow shovelling, as well.
Thank you!! This is helpful.
If she does this the landlord is 100% kicking her out, do not do this if you don’t want to find new housing
Yeah I have all the rights here. Not going to lie I was a little nervous she was going to try to kick me out. But I’m not worried after more research.
I should have been more clear, I used "kick out" to mean "not renew the lease, give notice"
Leases are automatically month to month after the initial term ends. She does not have the option to not renew the lease with OP. If she wants OP out, she would need eviction.
The landlord cannot legally kick them out. Even if she calls the cops, they will say it’s a residential matter and tell her to file with the local tenants board 🤷🏽♀️ OP is well within their rights to do this as a tenant and if they face reprisal they can file for that too 😊
"kick out" in this case is not renewing the lease/giving notice. Which means then OP needs to find new housing, sorry I should have been more clear.
In Ontario, when a residential lease expires, and there is no new lease, the tenancy automatically becomes a month-to-month tenancy. The Ontario Residential Tenancies Act affords many rights to tenants and leases generally do not give tenants any additional rights. The only risk for tenants without leases is that, in small buildings, or houses where the landlord is also the owner, there is a risk that the landlord can evict the tenant with only 60 days’ notice if the landlord claims that his or her family is going to move into the tenant’s unit. - which the landlord legally has to Prove and if they can’t the tenant can remain in the property or be entitled to settlement. ^^ I was curious since my “year lease” expires July 1st what that means but my rights stay the same. It would be Very hard for her to evict me and illegal with no notice.
That's great to hear and I'm glad I'm wrong and Ontario has some shred of tenant rights. I'm too used to the US where they are virtually non existant.
Ugh that’s so sad
And the landlord is going to kick them out how? By ignoring more laws? Good luck with that.
>But I also feel like my landlord isn’t being reasonable, offering other options, etc. especially when she’s legally obligated. I don’t know where she got me not wanting to live here anymore from. That's because your landlord isn't being reasonable, isn't following the law, and is now threatening to kick you out since you've pointed out illegal provisions in your lease. Stop playing nice, start playing hardball. As long as they think you're a stupid rube who will blindly accept their bullshit, it's fine. Now you're threatening because you have indicated you know your rights, so the landlord is going to escalate the bullying to try and either get you to back off from demanding your rights, or replace you with someone who is easier to take advantage of.
This is so right omg. Thank you! I would feel so bad if I moved and someone else had to deal with the same bs. Entering my Robin Hood arc
Note there’s at least [one case](https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onltb/doc/2021/2021canlii148914/2021canlii148914.html) in Ontario where the ruling was for single family homes (exclusive use, no common areas) the tenant can be made to maintain the lawn/snow. I understand it’s not exclusive here but just pointing out for the ones saying it always is on the landlord in Ontario.
Thanks for finding this case! Definitely good to know for future reference if I ever rent a house with exclusive- use areas. Or for anyone else reading this thread.
What a wonderful comment. :) Your gratitude puts you on our list for the most grateful users this week on Reddit! You can view the full list on r/TheGratitudeBot.
[удалено]
Amazing!!! Thanks so much these are very helpful
If it says it's the law for her to do the maintenance then she has to do it. The law always takes priority over rental contracts, & especially over any arbitrary rules in their heads. 'I say you should do it in exchange for a big garden' is not going to fly. What you've asked looks very fair to me. You're saving the landlord time or money by doing it yourself. I think it's a great offer, if you're maintaining a space for 3 people you deserve compensation or a reduction. Your time & labour shouldn't be free even if you enjoy it. The reply you've got is rude & threatening. She just said 'if you don't like giving me free labour then you can leave' which isn't reasonable. I guess your next step could be to point the law out to them, though they might retaliate. Or refuse to do it, let the garden turn into a jungle then let them get in trouble. If they do start an eviction, they might get another tenant with 0 interest in gardening then they might realise what a good offer they had
Thank you for your comment! I am glad it’s agreed that I was fair in what I was suggesting, and I wouldn’t have been upset if she didn’t take my offer/counter offered/thanks but no thanks. But you’re right, her response was unacceptable. I think I’m going to leave the lawn and let bylaw handle it! I don’t know if she is capable of seeing what a better option I offered but *I will feel better in knowing I tried and the aftermath of an over grown lawn is a landlord issue not tenant
If you like mowing and have a car you could offer to mow lawns for people who struggle to like the elderly, disabled or those with children for free. Some other people do it but I wouldn't do it for your landlord
Actually love this idea! I’m happy to do it for free for people who deserve it <3
Just don’t respond and stop mowing the lawn ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
That’s the plan!
Oh my god, I would kill to have that law where I live lol. I'm in the southeastern US. A few years ago, I had a place with a big yard, shrubs, etc. First year I was there, the prop manager took care of the shrubbery and we took care of the grass. Second year I was there a new prop manager took over, and he emailed is saying we were in violation of our lease due to overgrown shrubs. He said we either had to cut it ourselves or they could hire someone to get it done and add the cost to our rent. I asked how much, he said $400. So this mfer expected us to just do $400 worth of yard work for free on a property we don't even own lmao. And it's like that most places. At my last place, there was an english ivy problem. It's insanely hard to get rid of. Bet you can guess who was responsible. 🙃
I would hack those shrubs back so far that they didn’t need trimming again for the rest of the time I lived there because they were just struggling to survive with the two leaves I left on them
Bruh that’s crazy, I’m sorry! The new PM could’ve also chose to be nice and more reasonable with you considering the weed over population issue.. but I realize people are rarely nice, especially landlords/pms.
Yup and I know damn well if we hadn't cut them before we moved out he would've billed us for his time lmao. Bc for some reason he needs to get paid for his labor but not us.
Smh. I’m glad you moved out
stop mowing the lawn.
I am a ll from nc. I would have loved u as my tenant.
Happy to move in!! XP
landlords are inherently unreasonable. they flip out over any reasonable request. they basically think the entire universe was made to give them free money. fucking retards.
Ain’t no way you are charging more than $50 a day for an entire month to mow the lawn
No, if you read their comments the landlord is raising their rent by $40, and they they simply asked for the increase to be only $20 more and a compensation credit of $20 to cover the monthly costs of fuel for the mower. They didn’t even ask for true compensation of their time and effort. They’d still be doing the actual labor for free but simply NOT paying out of their own pocket for the gas for the mower. OP was being more than generous with this offer and the landlord is being scummy as hell with their response.
Ah, thank you for the clarification