Protecting Tenants and Strengthening Community Housing Act, 2020
Key Updates to the Residential Tenancies Act.
The global pandemic has brought with it unprecedented events and challenges to the real estate market.
As homeowners scrambled to pay their mortgages in the face of economic uncertainty, renters too faced challenges with paying rent.
On the same token, Landlords were left uneasy about whether tenants would pay rent, and fear of how they will pay the bills should tenants miss a payment.
The Ontario Government has been swift to act, bringing about changes and updates where it was most needed.
Government Passes Bill 184
Today, it was announced that the Ontario government has passed Bill 184, Protecting Tenants and Strengthening Community Housing Act 2020.
Changes apply retroactively to March 17, 2020, when the state of emergency was first declared.
The update aims to provide stability to the rental market and make it easier to resolve disputes.
A few of the key changes aimed at protecting tenants from unlawful evictions:
Requiring tenant compensation of one month’s rent for “no-fault” evictions.
Allowing the Landlord and Tenant Board to order up to 12 months’ rent in compensation for eviction notices issued in bad faith.
Compensation for the tenant when the landlord does not allow the tenant to move back in after renovations or repairs.
Doubling the maximum fine amounts for offenses under the Act
The province’s residential eviction ban will end when Ontario’s state of emergency expires, with the deadline extending until the end of the calendar month.
Currently, the provincial order suspending residential evictions in response to the pandemic will end on July 31, 2020.
Written By Deanna Allegranza, Realtor.
For more information about this, or any other issues relating to Landlord or Tenant rights, don’t hesitate to drop me a note at info@deannaallegranzarealty.com
