'Don't want to be forced out': Nanaimo residents concerned about proposed rent increase

A group of tenants in Nanaimo have been caught off guard by a proposed rent increase that some say could push them out.

While the rent increase goes beyond the province's annual two per cent cap, housing advocates say no one is breaking the rules.

"Most of our people that live in our buildings are old age pension, disability, stuff like that, since the rent is so low," said resident Alethea Stanford, who lives at Willow Grove Estates in Nanaimo.

"I've had a lot of people from our buildings come to me scared saying, 'I don't want to be forced out,'" she said.

Documents shared by tenants show the landlord wants to recover the cost of replacing the aging plumbing and a roof at Willow Grove Estates.

"I would definitely be forced to move if they were successful in getting that $143 increase," said tenant Vicki Donofrio.

Another tenant says her rent could rise from $780 a month to $840, a nearly seven per cent hike.

The property manager says the landlord is entitled to apply for a rent increase beyond the provincial cap if the increase is for necessary repairs.

Necessary repairs include "roofs, foundation work, plumbing, electrical – things that are really necessary to keep a building running," said Hunter Boucher, Landlord BC vice president of operations.

The group says the policy is only a few years old, and one of its goals is to maintain aging rental stock in B.C. as the province wrestles with a housing crisis.

"To ensure that landlords have some type of income stream to fund these types of capital projects that provide some of the most needed housing in B.C.," said Boucher.

'PASSING ALONG THE COST'

Requests for rent increases that go beyond the province's two per cent annual limit must first be approved by B.C.'s Residential Tenancy Branch before they're put in place.

However, advocacy group Together Against Poverty Society (TAPS) argues the policy is a method for landlords to increase profits.

"It is kind of passing along the cost of doing business from the landlord to tenants, and in this case tenants in B.C. are already paying astronomical rates for rent," said Emma White, TAPS vacancy control campaigner.

A hearing to discuss the proposed rent increase is scheduled for July 10.

"If you’re a landlord and you have that kind of money to buy a property, you should have the money to maintain it," said Stanford.

In the meantime, tenants are hoping residents will band together at the meeting.

"I just hope everyone shows up to speak their piece at the tenancy board thing and we’ll see how it goes," said resident Caitlin Samuelsson.

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