Laws in our lives
Laws in our lives
By Reena Basser
There is so much protection offered to the tenant by the Ontario government, that I think it’s wise to go over some of the main topics on this issue that effects many people. My column is meant to bring to light some of the key points of Ontario Law. I am a Paralegal practicing in North York, which means that I am not a lawyer, but have legal training and am licensed to go to court and give people advice and fill out forms and other things all regulated by the Law Society of Upper Canada.
ARE FEES FOR “BREAKING A LEASE” LEGAL?
There are NO fees for “breaking a lease” if you give the Landlord the correct amount of notice and you are at the end of your tenancy. For instance, if you pay monthly (with a lease or not), you must provide 60 days notice. If you have a lease that states that you are to remain as a tenant for 1 year, you still must provide the 60 days notice, 2 months prior to the end date of the lease.
PRIVACY:
24 hours: the Landlord must give you WRITTEN notice of 24 hours to enter your apartment. They must also provide a reason as well as a time (between the hours of 8 am to 8 pm). If there is an emergency (such as a plumbing problem), no notice is necessary. Also, the Landlord may enter your apartment if you have given NOTICE to move. They may show it to potential renters. However, they must try to give you notice about people entering your apartment and they must only enter between the hours of 8 am to 8 pm.
REPAIRS AND MAINENTANCE:
Let’s say the Landlord refuses to make needed repairs in your apartment. How can you convince the Landlord to carry out his or her obligations?
If the Landlord fails to make the repairs on your VERBAL request or has a history of failing to make the repairs, you must put your request in writing, including the date of the letter. You should keep a copy.
If the repairs are still not done in a reasonable time, call your city Building Inspector to make an appointment for them to come and investigate the problem. Keep a copy of the inspector’s report for your records.
If you are still having problems you can phone the Investigation and Enforcement Unit of the Landlord and Tenant Board at: 416-585-7214. They are a special division of the Board and they will respond very quickly and efficiently.
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(Reena Basser Licensed Paralegal Phone: 647-210-1775, office near Wilson and Bathurst. Help for Tenants, Traffic Tickets and Small Claims Court)
Note: all information provide in this column is intended for TENANTS, rather than those with commercial leases.
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