Originally Posted by
BetCheckBet
Yes I know... Two landlord questions on here in one day... Pretty sure I have zero recourse but figured I'd ask for a few opinions.
Ontario has rent control which means that normally a landlord can't increase rent more than a few percentage points a year. That being said there is nothing to my knowledge controlling parking. On Friday we received notice that parking fees have been increased. That is fine because I get they can't stay flat forever. That being said everyone in building was given a notice (no explanation) that parking was going up from 50$ to 85$ and would commence in 40 days... Ends up being an extra 400 a year. 50 bucks pretty standard in my area. For instance heated enclosed residential parking lots in my area go from 50-60$. Parking in my building isn't even indoors... So it feels pretty dirty what management is doing and basically tenants have no options as street parking sucks here.
I've spoken to the super who is pretty pissed off himself and encouraged me to voice concerns with management which I will. All that being said we were likely going to move in the next few months but I still feel what they are doing is unfair to the tenants who have to stay here. While my building is not low income it's certainly not high income and this change will affect some students, elderly, or struggling families.
Any thoughts?
Have you also looked at your rent contract? Is your lease for only the living premises, or does it include one/two parking spaces? Have you been billed for your rent and parking separately? Do you have a separate contract for the parking?
It does sound like a backdoor rent increase, particularly if the parking area has not been maintained (swept clean regularly, re-paved, new striping, no surveillance). It's hard to imagine a 70% increase being justified based on costs associated with operating the parking area.
My gut reaction is if the parking is provided by the building owner and is below the rental building or within a fenced in area that includes the building, it would be part of your rental, hence rent control should apply.
Again, the rent control regulations are most probably online now (thank the internet for leveling the playing field in the landlord v renter game), so try searching you local ordinances to see if the rent controls apply here.