CBC NEWS, MARCH 31, 2020
APRIL 1, 2020 – RENT DAY
Premier Doug Ford has reiterated several times in the past week: “No one should be kicked out of their home or rental apartments based on not being able to pay their rent.”
Evictions have been halted in Ontario as the Landlord and Tenant Board has suspended all hearings for the duration of the outbreak.
However, Ford has been quick to say anyone who is able to pay their rent should, adding “this doesn’t give a free pass to people.”
What assistance are landlords getting?
Although landlords have been offered a mortgage deferral of up to six months through their bank, real estate agent Sunny Singh of IPRO Realty LTD. warns renters against thinking that means landlords don’t have to pay.
“That’s mortgage deferral, not mortgage forgiveness,” he explained.
“A lot of tenants are getting confused and saying, ‘Hey, you know what, the landlord doesn’t have to pay his mortgage.’ That is not entirely true — the landlord still has to pay some sort of interest to the bank when all this is done,” Singh said.
In fact, the deferral is a loan that will end up costing the landlord more money in the end.
Dear Tenants, EFFECTIVE MARCH 25, 2020, THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA INTRODUCED THE CANADA EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT (CERB). THIS DIRECTIVE ENSURES THAT TENANTS WHOSE INCOME HAS BEEN LOST OR SEVERELY REDUCED, AND TENANTS WHO BECAME ILL OR WERE FORCED TO REMAIN IN QUARANTINE BECAUSE OF COVID-19, RECEIVE UP TO $2,000 IN ASSISTANCE. THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN EARLY APRIL, WITH INDIVIDUAL INCOME SUPPORT PAYMENTS OF UP TO $2,000 EXPECTED TO FLOW TO ELIGIBLE TENANTS APPROXIMATELY TEN DAYS LATER. THE PAYMENTS WILL CONTINUE FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS. TENANTS WHO ALREADY RECEIVE EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AND/OR OTHER TYPES OF GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE WILL NOT QUALIFY FOR CERB, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THEIR REGULAR PAYMENTS WITHOUT ANY DISRUPTION. THE CERB PROGRAM ENSURES THAT TENANTS AFFECTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO MEET THEIR RENT PAYMENT OBLIGATIONS. AS A RESULT, LANDLORDS WILL HAVE THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO CONTINUE OPERATING THEIR BUILDINGS UNDER THESE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES. PLEASE BE ADVISED, THAT LANDLORDS ARE ENTITLED TO REQUEST VERIFICATION FORM TENANTS TO SUPPORT THE CLAIM OF LOSS OF INCOME AND ITS CONNECTION TO COVID-19. TENANTS ARE EXPECTED TO DO THEIR PART AND CO-OPERATE WITH THEIR LANDLORDS. TENANTS WHO SIMPLY REFUSE TO PAY RENT WITHOUT ATTEMPTING TO COLLABORATE WITH THEIR LANDLORDS, WILL RECEIVE AN N4. ONCE THE LANDLORD TENANT BOARD RESUMES OPERATION, THE LANDLORD WILL PROCEED TO OBTAIN JUDGEMENT FOR THESE FILES. VALIANT RENTAL PROPERTIES LIMITED |
March 20, 2020 RENT PAYMENTS Dear Tenants: With the current situation regarding COVID-19 and the Government and Health Agencies encouraging “social distancing”, we would like to offer our tenant payment options which do not require face to face interaction. Option 1: Pre-Authorized Debit -Your full rent amount will be automatically withdrawn from your bank account on the first day of the month. -In order to facilitate this, we must have a signed authorization form along with a void cheque. A copy of this form can be obtained from your Superintendent, or download a copy from our website (www.vrpl.ca). The form and void cheque must be received a minimum of 7 days prior to the end of the month. Option 2: Cheques, Money Orders, Post-Dated Cheques -These methods of payment can be dropped through the mail slot of your Superintendents office door. -Alternatively, a secure drop box has been installed in the waiting area of our Head Office located at 177 Nonquon Road, 20th Floor. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 8:30AM to 4:30PM Option 3: One-Time Credit Card Payment Over the Phone. -Superintendents can manually process credit cards over the phone. We accept Visa and MasterCard. -Prior to processing payment, you must send written authorization via email to your Superintendent. Here is an example of the written authorization that is required: “I, John Doe, authorize Valiant Rental Properties Limited to process a payment of $___on my Visa card to be applied to my April rent for apartment ___ at ___ Nonquon Road”. -Once your written authorization is received, please call your Superintendent and recite the card number and expiry date to them. They will manually enter the information on their POS machine and process the payment. They will confirm over the phone with you once payment has been approved. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these methods of payment, please contact your Property Manager. Sincerely, Valiant Rental Properties Limited |
