Latest news with #rentincrease
BBC News
17-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
HS2 tenants reveal ongoing problems over rent and repairs
When Rob Taylor first moved into his HS2-owned barn conversion in the Warwickshire hamlet of Gilson, it was his "little piece of heaven".Ten years later, the area is surrounded by the High Speed Two works, with road closures, dust and noise now part and parcel of everyday the surroundings, he has had two large rent increases in quick succession - £250 a month last year and £400 a month this year. "It's crazy, I don't know who could afford it", My Taylor said it carries out rent reviews in line with tenancy agreements, and that several properties, including Gilson, were historically let below market value to account for their proximity to major construction activity. But the heating engineer said he cannot see how Carter Jonas, the company that manages the properties on behalf of HS2, can justify the rise."We're in the middle of a 360 building site and it gets more and more intense." He also accuses the company of failing to address several maintenance issues, including his garden decking which he says still hasn't been replaced three years after it was removed."It doesn't matter how much I complain, nothing happens."He added it was sad to see the house "rolling into poor condition", with threadbare carpets, loose brickwork on an external wall and leaks all being ignored. HS2 bought up hundreds of homes along the high-speed rail route, letting out those it didn't demolish and said it had to balance tenant circumstances with its responsibility to deliver value for public Taylor is among a number of tenants in Gilson who have contacted the local MP, Rachel Taylor, who represents North Warwickshire and has written a letter to HS2 demanding answers, and also raised it in a meeting with them recently."There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to how they can put the rent up by so much and not carry out essential repairs', she a statement, HS2 said they were increasing the rent in line with market conditions but she argued there should be an element of compensation for people living with the High Speed Two works on their is also critical of Carter Jonas and the way it has treated people and said it was "failing" in its role as managing agent. At the Grade II listed house Richard Sorensen rents from HS2 in Blithbury, Staffordshire, he said there is an endless list of has lived there with his family for four years, and said they were drawn to the property because of the views over the valley. "It is absolutely beautiful living here".But he claims the house doesn't have a "functioning heating system" so they are freezing in the winter. This is a point HS2 denies and it said measures, such as installing loft insulation, had been taken to mitigate heat loss have also had leaks from the roof and through the walls, with water coming into the bedroom which HS2 said they repaired. HS2 told the BBC Carter Jonas had attended to repairs throughout the Sorensen said, "I think they treat tenants disgustingly, they seem to regard us a lower form of life."He said even an improvement notice by Lichfield District Council, which found extreme cold in the property, had been has threatened legal action against Carter Jonas but he said as crown tenants they had limited legal February this year the company applied for listed building consent to carry out some work and issued him with a notice to quit on the basis that the work couldn't be carried out with them living believes it's a revenge eviction and said it had been extremely stressful."They seem to be happy to let the building fall apart for four years and the moment we threaten legal action they evict us."Despite all the issues with the property, they love the house and he said "the thing that upsets us the most is the thought that it's going to be left to rot".In response HS2 said: "We are satisfied that Carter Jonas is managing the property professionally and appropriately and have recently obtained listed building consent to commence more significant works."
CTV News
16-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Québec Solidaire housing critic launches petition to change rent hike formula
Quebec Solidaire MNA Andres Fontecilla questions the government during question period, Thursday, September 28, 2023 at the legislature in Quebec City. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press) Three months after Quebec Housing Minister France-Élaine Duranceau announced she was altering the formula used to calculate rent hikes, Québec Solidaire (QS)'s Andrès Fontecilla launched a petition to change it again. Calculations have shown that though the new method would have led to a slightly lower average rent increase this year, it would be a bit higher in subsequent years. The new proposed regulation bases rent increases on a base percentage, the consumer price index, variation in municipal and school taxes, insurance costs and capital expenditures. Though landlord associations said they were pleased with the changes, tenants and advocates have pointed out that the formula will allow for even higher rent increases. Quebec's housing tribunal predicted the average rent increase this year would be 5.9 per cent, an all-time high. Fontecilla stresses that the number will be the 'minimum' as 'many, many landlords will have an even higher increase.' The new rent hike formula will 'take money out of renters' pockets and into the pockets of landlords,' said Fontecilla. READ MORE: Quebec is changing how rent increases will be calculated after hikes hit historic high His petition, which garnered over 5,200 signatures in just a few days, says 'the use of the overall CPI as the main criterion for increases does not adequately reflect the specific costs associated with the operation of rental properties and maintains the influence of market fluctuations in the calculation of increases.' It also points out that the draft regulation does not protect access to housing or provide rent caps. Those signing the petition are urging MNAs to reject the current draft regulation, develop a new one aimed at genuine rent control based on operating expenses, and introduce an absolute cap on yearly rent hikes. The petition also calls for the creation of a public rent registry, accessible free of charge, allowing tenants to view the history of rents and major renovations, and a rent freeze until a 'new, fair regulation' comes into effect. A spokesperson for Duranceau's office said the current calculation formula had been in use for 40 years and needed to change as it was complicated to understand for both landlords and tenants. Duranceau said the new method, which she said is a 'balanced proposal,' will be more predictable, easier to understand and will lead to fewer cases before the housing tribunal. 'The goal is to maintain balance by offering more predictability for both tenants and landlords. By using the average CPI over the last three years, we avoid large variations. And it is easier to understand,' she said in an email. But Fontecilla accused Duranceau of protecting the interests of landlords to the 'systematic' detriment of renters, who make up 40 per cent of Quebec's population. About 63 per cent of Montrealers rent. 'It even rewards bad landlords because even if there will be an automatic increase for them even if they did absolutely nothing for the building and let it degrade,' he told CTV News. He added he hopes every renter in the province will sign the petition to put pressure on Duranceau to rethink the method and to put in place better rent control measures. Fontecilla said a new method should be more balanced, reward landlords who improve their dwellings and that will help reduce pressure on renters. 'The main issue at the heart of the housing crisis is that rents are increasing too much too quickly and it's impoverishing tenants,' he said. Meanwhile, landlords have been complaining about losing money due to Quebec's rent regulations. But Fontecilla pushed back, saying the real-estate business has never been so profitable and there 'must be an end to speculative activity.' Fontecilla hopes to bring the petition to the National Assembly at the beginning of the next session in September.
CBC
09-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
AISH recipients in community housing will see rent hike under new Alberta regulations
Albertans who receive payments under AISH, or Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped, who live in community housing where rent is set at 30 per cent of income will soon see the amount increase by $220 a month. Changes to the Social Housing Accommodation Regulation, approved by cabinet via orders-in-council in May and June, will result in an AISH recipient who receives $1,901 a month paying $570 in rent. The current amount is $349 a month. The changes take effect Oct. 1 for new tenants or at an existing tenant's next annual rent review. AISH recipients used to have $735 of their monthly amount exempted from the eligible income used to determine rent. An order in council signed on May 15 by Assisted Living and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon removed that exemption. Personal benefits remain exempt. This set of benefits covers expenses such as some of the cost of medical equipment and supplies, special dietary needs and maintenance of wheelchairs and scooters. The changes are meant to "increase fairness" in how rent is assessed. People on government benefit programs like AISH and income support pay about 17 per cent of their income on rent. Nixon was not made available for an interview with CBC News. His press secretary provided a written statement instead. "Under the revised approach, rent for social community housing tenants and housing benefit recipients will be calculated as 30 per cent of total household income, treating household income from employment and assistance programs equally," Amber Edgerton wrote in an email. "This new approach aligns with the 2020 Affordable Housing Review Panel recommendations and creates a clear, standardized approach to rent setting that is fair to all tenants." Housing providers were notified about the change via a June 13 letter from an assistant deputy minister in Nixon's department. Simplifying rent Irene Martin-Lindsay, executive director of the Alberta Seniors and Community Housing Association, said housing providers asked for the change to simplify how the rent is calculated. The current system creates inequities in rent depending on a tenant's circumstances, she said. Someone who is employed or on senior benefits is charged 30 per cent of their income or more depending on the size of the unit. Martin-Lindsay said providers will advocate with the government to ensure people on AISH get the support they need. "We agree with equitable treatment of income in principle, but we don't want to create hardship for anybody because we know that everybody's situation isn't the same," she said. "Do they have other medical costs that can't be covered? Do they have other expenses that are over and above? Housing is one piece of what you need to live on." Groups that advocate for people with disabilities say they hadn't heard about the changes until they were contacted by CBC News. Doug Manderville, president of the board of directors for Voice of Albertans with Disabilities, was once on AISH after becoming quadriplegic in his early twenties. He is upset the Alberta government will not allow AISH recipients to keep the $200 Canada Disability Benefit, making it an outlier among the provinces. Manderville says the rent increases will add more financial strain. "People with disabilities struggle enough, whether it be physically or mentally," Manderville said. "Struggle every single day, just getting up in the morning, just having proper services, proper care, proper housing, food on the table and now they have to worry about this … it's not fair." The government is taking additional measures to determine rent and rental subsidies. The Canada Child Benefit and Alberta Child and Family Benefit will be included as income for setting rent for people who receive rent supplements starting Jan. 1, 2027. The same benefits will be considered eligible income when determining rent in community housing at the start of 2028, which will result in rent supplements decreasing and rents increasing for this set of renters. Civida, a social housing provider in Edmonton, said 16 per cent of their tenants have AISH as their primary source of income. In a written statement, the organization said it plans to implement the changes.
CTV News
01-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
‘Every year is worse': Housing crisis reaches boiling point ahead of Quebec's moving day
A sign advertising an apartment for rent is shown on moving day in Montreal, Monday, July 1, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes As Montreal prepares for its traditional moving day, the housing crunch reached alarming new heights — with hundreds of households still searching for a roof over their heads and advocates calling for urgent action. 'We see a lot of people who are low income and very vulnerable tenants struggling to figure out how to pay rents,' said Gary Saxe, executive director of Project Genesis, a housing rights organization based in Côte-des-Neiges. 'And every year is getting worse as rents go higher and higher.' Saxe said rents have gone up 'astronomically' over the last few years — and it's not just a problem on July 1, but all year round. According to the City of Montreal, about 270 households remain without housing secured, including 35 who are expected to need emergency shelter on Tuesday. Saxe said the current crisis is a result of multiple factors that have compounded over several years, including consistent above-average rent hikes approved by Quebec's housing tribunal (TAL) and significantly low vacancy rates — especially in more affordable units. 'It's a structural problem, and it's forcing people to hold onto whatever apartment they can, because they know they won't find anything else they can afford,' he said. A recent report from Statistics Canada showed asking rents in Montreal have risen nearly 71 per cent since 2019. The city's vacancy rate in 2024 sat at just 1.5 per cent, and competition for lower-priced apartments remains fierce. For Montrealer Egor Matveev, the search for housing came at the worst possible time. Matveev and his girlfriend had just moved into a one-bedroom apartment in St-Henri in early June, after three years of long-distance dating. The move marked the beginning of a new chapter: he was moving into his first apartment, she had relocated from Ontario, they'd packed a U-Haul, and their move-in date fell just before their anniversary on Fête nationale. But on the weekend of June 14, while they were out of town, they got a call from a friend: their apartment building had caught fire. 'When we saw videos of the fire, my girlfriend started crying, and I was really emotional too,' Matveev said. 'It was terrible to see just how big the fire was.' The roof of the building's top floor — where their apartment was — had collapsed. 'Everything we had in there was effectively gone,' Matveev told CTV News. Still, he considered himself 'one of the lucky ones,' with a stable job, temporary housing arrangement at his mother's home, and insurance that helped cover the cost of an Airbnb. Finding a new place, he said, was nonetheless gruelling. The couple visited around 30 apartments before finally signing a lease just days ago for a unit in Verdun. He said several listings were snatched up quickly, but what struck him most was the lack of support from the city. 'It's a tragedy the way our cities — all over the country — deal with housing,' Matveev said. 'The kind of rules they set up, the way land is allocated, and the way housing is built — there are so many barriers, and they cave to pressure not to build what's needed like social housing like social ones.' In response to the growing housing crisis, the City of Montreal has urged anyone in need to call 311 to be connected with available resources. Projet Montréal promises new measures At a press conference Monday, Luc Rabouin, leader of Projet Montréal said the party is proposing a $100-million guarantee fund aimed at helping non-profits purchase rental buildings and preserve affordability. 'We will guarantee from 10 to 15 per cent of the amount of the banking loan to be sure [these organizations] receive the money they need,' he said. Rabouin estimates this could protect up to 5,000 affordable housing units from rent hikes. The party also wants the Office municipal d'habitation de Montréal (OMHM) to intervene more quickly in eviction cases and proactively reach out to displaced tenants. But housing advocates like Saxe warned that those efforts, while welcome, are not enough. 'What's really needed — the real solution — is investment in social housing,' he said. 'It's the only way to give people who can't afford market rents a chance to live in dignity and in decent conditions.' For now, he added, the situation is likely to keep getting worse unless bold action is taken. 'We're going to see that continue unless two things happen: Quebec changes the way that the TAL calculates rent increases,' Saxe said. 'And, again, that more social housing comes.'
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NYC residents in rent-stabilized apartments hit with increases of 3-4.5 percent
The two million New Yorkers living in rent-stabilized apartments will see their rents go up for the fifth year in a row after the panel tasked with setting rates increased them 3% for one-year leases and 4.5% for two-year leases. The Rent Guidelines Board approved the increases by a margin of 5 to 4 during a final vote at El Museo del Barrio in East Harlem Monday evening. The vote comes amid the mayoral election, which has focused sharply on the issue of affordability. Left-leaning Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, the presumptive Democratic nominee after his win over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, has pledged to push for a rent freeze should he win. The nine-person board consists entirely of mayoral appointees, including two landlords and tenant representatives, tasked with deciding the rates for New York's 1 million rent-stabilized units. Mayor Adams reacted with dismay to the vote. 'I urged the Rent Guidelines Board to adopt the lowest increase possible, as I've done in the past,' he said. 'While the board exercised their independent judgment, and made an adjustment based on elements such as inflation, I am disappointed that they approved increases higher than what I called for.' Tenants and housing advocates have long called for a rent freeze or rollback to alleviate the burden on New Yorkers amid the city's affordability crisis and housing crunch. 'Tenants are the majority in New York City. And we are pissed off. We are sick and tired of the landlords and lobbyists trying to buy our city. We outnumber them, and we have already shown we can out organize them,' Cea Weaver, director of the New York State Tenant Bloc, said in reaction to the vote. 'Come November, we will elect Zohran Mamdani and win the rent freeze tenants so desperately need,' she said. 'Eric Adams is squeezing in one last rent hike for his real estate donors before tenants show him the door. This will be the last rent hike New Yorkers ever see from a mayor bought and paid for by real estate.' Mamdani was quick to decry Monday's numbers but promised 'change is coming.' 'This Mayor is once again placating real estate donors rather than serving the working people he once claimed to champion,' Mamdani said in a statement. 'Make no mistake: even a supposedly modest rent hike in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis will push New Yorkers out of their homes.' At the same time, landlords argue that rent hikes are required to help them offset rising maintenance and other costs, particularly in older and outer-borough buildings. 'While we are disappointed that the RGB once again adjusted rents below inflation, we appreciate that they stood up to political pressure calling for rent freezes that would accelerate the financial and physical deterioration of thousands of older rent-stabilized buildings,' New York Apartment Association CEO Kenny Burgos said in a statement. Last year the Board approved increases of 2.75% for one-year leases and 5.25% for two-year leases. In May it took the unprecedented step of lowering the range of potential increases for two-year leases — already decided upon the month before — from a minimum of 4.75% to 3.75% with a maximum of 7.75%. The one-year lease proposal remained unchanged with a span of 1.75% to 4.75%. Monday's vote came 10 years to the day since the Board approved the city's first-ever rent freeze for one-year leases under Mayor Bill de Blasio. At the time it was composed entirely of de Blasio appointees, a formula Mamdani hopes to replicate if elected. The only time the board has voted for a total rent freeze was in 2020 during the pandemic. The last rent freeze of any kind was in 2021 for the first six months of one-year leases. The new rent rates agreed Monday will go into effect on Oct. 1.
