The FMTA Board of Directors has approved a new fee structure for FMTA members.  Now it's more affordable than ever for Tenant Associations to become members of the FMTA.

Membership dues for the FMTA are now:

Individual - $20 / year
Senior, Student, Unemployed - $5 / year
Supporter/Organization Member - $50 / year
Tenants' Association:

1. <10 members = $50/per year
2. 10-50 = $100/year
3. 50 - 100 = $150/year
4. 100< = $200/year

Condo Tenants Association: $20/year

The Federation of Metro Tenants Associations (FMTA) is helping with the formation of a Condo Tenants Association in Toronto. We will be holding a webinar on Tues April 15, from 7.00pm to 8.00pm to discuss the details of the Condo TA and why it is being put together. All condo tenants in the GTA are invited to register and view this important webinar and become members in order to have a consolidated voice in advocating for fair rights and provisions in your tenancy similar to those in residential rental buildings.

Condo Tenants can register for this webinar at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3130889404377960706

Using Go-to-webinar will require downloading free software.  Please leave time (5-10 minutes) before attending the seminar to download the software.

If you have questions or other information, please contact 416-646-1772 or email [email protected].

Are you a Condo tenant in the City of Toronto?

The FMTA has heard from thousands of Condo tenants throughout the years and we know that they face particular issues.  However unlike other tenants in hi-rises, condo tenants in the City have a difficult time organizing.

Why?

Well, there are several reasons, however the biggest one is related to the isolated nature of condo rental.  While tenants in hi-rises share the same landlord and often have similar issues, tenants in condos will often share a large building with dozens of landlords or hundreds of different owners. 

Condo tenants face other major issues, which is why the Board of Directors for the FMTA is helping condo tenants to launch a TORONTO CONDO TENANT ASSOCIATION.

Tenants who are interested in joining the Condo Tenant Association or who are interested in learning more should attend the FMTA's Webinar on Condo Tenant Associations being held on April 15 at 7.00pm.

More information on how to register for the Webinar will be forthcoming.

For more information, please contact the FMTA at [email protected].

The article describes the struggle of a tenant pursuing justice through the Landlord and Tenant Board. After obtaining a judgment against their landlord from the LTB, the tenant had another uphill battle trying to get the judgment enforced- in order to get money owed to them by the landlord.

The article calls on the   province to introduce an enforcement arm for the Landlord and Tenant Board and for greater licensing and accountability for landlords.

Click here to read the full article.

With a cold winter approaching, many tenants are having issues with snow removal, ice and heat.  The following are common questions that tenants have about issues in the winter:

1. When does my landlord have to turn on the heat?
In Toronto, according to the Municipal Code, where the landlord provides heat, it is your landlord's responsibility to keep the inside temperature of your unit at 21°C minimum from September 15th through to June 1. This does not apply to common areas such as hallways or laundry rooms.

2. There is a leak in my apartment. Who is responsible for patching it up?
If there are leaks in your unit, it is your landlord's responsibility to deal with it. Toronto’s Municipal Code states that roofs and their components must be kept weather-tight and “free from leaks, loose, unsecured and unsafe objects and materials, dangerous accumilations of ice and snow and hazards.”

If you have notified your Landlord about the leak and they have not fixed it, and either your personal property gets damaged as a result or you can no longer stay in your unit, it is your landlord's responsibility to compensate you for these costs.

3. Who is required to shovel the snow?

Your landlord is responsible for snow removal. The landlord has to clear snow from driveways, landings, steps, walkways, parking spaces and similar areas of a yard within 24 hours.

What can I do?

Tip for Tenants: To start things off, it's a good idea to write your landlord a letter reminding them what their responsibilities are under the law before taking further action. You can also  document everything by taking pictures, creating a log of important dates and times and sending your landlord emails, text messages and letters.

If your landlord is keeping your heat below the correct temperature, not repairing leaks, or refusing to remove snow from relevant areas, you can contact 311 and ask for Municipal Licensing and Standards. They can send an inspector to your house for free to check the temperature or other bylaw violations. If they find that there is a bylaw violation, they will issue an order from the city to your landlord.

If you have unresolved maintenance issues, you can also file a T6 application for maintenance at the Landlord and Tenant Board. The application costs $45 and is available  on the Landlord and Tenant Board website.

This year, a little under 40,000 rent reduction notices are going out to tenants in the City of Toronto.

Go to the City of Toronto's website to learn more and see if you qualify for a rent reduction. Click here to visit the City of Toronto website.  You can also call the Tenant Hotline at 416-921-9494.

 The following are the most common tenant questions on automatic rent reductions: 

1. Do I need to ask my landlord to take the reduction?

No. The reduction is automatic. You do not need to ask your landlord or obtain their permission. You can simply pay them less when you pay your rent. 

2. My landlord is not giving me the reduction. How can I get them to do so?

Your landlord does not give you the reduction, the reduction is automatic. You can simply reduce the money off your rent and you do not have to ask their approval. 

3. The notice I got says that my rent has been reduced to $800, is this true?

There is an example in the notice which assumes a rent of $800. This is only an example. Your reduction is based off of whatever your rent was last month.

4. How do I calculate what my new rent is?

There are several ways to calculate your new rent.

a) You can call the Tenant Hotline at 416-921-9494 and we can do the calculation for you.

b) Use the hand written formula available on your rent reduction notice.

c) If you have a calculator with a % button, you can simply punch in your current rent, hit the minus button, punch in the reduction percentage and hit the % button.

d) Go to the City's rent reduction website

5. I got notice of a rent increase a few months ago and notice of a rent reduction recently. How can I have a rent increase and rent reduction at the same time?

Provincial law allows landlords in Ontario to increase the rent once every 12 months. In 2014, landlords will be able to increase rent by 0.8%. Provincial law also forces all municipalities to reduce a tenant's rent when a landlord's taxes go down by 2.5% or more. It is quite common for tenants to receive a rent increase and rent reduction in the same year, and sometimes even on the same day. In these cases, a tenant's rent will go down by the rent reduction percentage and then go up by the rental increase percentage. 

6. My landlord says that they will be challenging the reduction and I therefore should not take it. Is this true?

All landlord's are able to apply to challenge rent reductions at the Landlord and Tenant Board. They have until March 31, 2014 to apply, though the case may not be heard until much later in the year. Until the Landlord and Tenant Board says otherwise, you can take your reduction immediately if you wish.

You can also choose to pay your old rent and then claim your reduction (and any money owed to you) retroactively at any point in 2014. So you could choose to wait and see if your landlord will challenge the reduction before you take it.

Remember, you must claim the reduction before the end of 2014. 

7. The Landlord says I have to give them a copy of the rent reduction notice before I can claim the rent reduction. Is this true?

No. The landlord received notification of the rent reductions in September. You are not required to give them a notice even if they demand it. You can simply reduce your rent by the amount on the notice. 

8. The Landlord says the notice doesn't apply to me. Is this true?

No. The notice does apply to you. If you are a tenant in a long term care home, if you receive a rent subsidy, or if you live in a non-profit building, the rent reduction may affect you differently then other tenants. For more information please call the Tenant Hotline at 416-921-9494. 

9. How do I check to see if I got the rent reduction myself?

All tenants can call the FMTA tenant hotline at 416-921-9494 to calculate their rent reductions. In addition, tenants can find out more information about rent reductions and search for their rent reduction on the City rent reduction website.

10. I have lost my notice of automatic rent reduction. Where can I get a copy?

You can phone Revenue Services at the City of Toronto and they can send you a copy. You can ask to be referred to the Revenue Services Customer Services line by calling 3-1-1.

The FMTA is inviting all Tenant Association leaders and tenant advocates to a Tenant Meet and Greet on November 29th at 1pm!

This is your chance to meet other tenant associations as well as councillors and MPP's including:

MPP David Zimmer
Councillor David Shiner
Councillor Janet Davis
Councillor Anthony Perruzza

The event will be at 644 Sheppard Avenue East (in the tenant Party room).  The building is within walking distance from Bayview Station.  Special thanks to the Bayview Village Place Tenants Association for hosting!

This event will also recognize gracious funding that the FMTA has received from the Ontario Trillium Foundation for our Tenant Community Project program and will be a chance to discuss your issues with other tenant leaders in Toronto!

Please RSVP to the FMTA by calling 416-646-1772 or emailing [email protected].

TCHC has recently unveiled a new program for their residents.

The CONNECTED FOR SUCCESS TM program is committed to offering an affordable Internet solution for youth, seniors, singles, and families currently living in Toronto Community Housing.

Rogers and Compugen are partnering with TCH in the provision of low cost internet ($9.95 month) and computers fully loaded at $150.00 + tax exclusively for TCH residents.

How do residents find out about this offer?

There are 4 ways to find out:

‚Ä¢ Letter: Eligible residents will receive a letter from Rogers Communications in the mail explaining the program and the offer. Each letter will contain an unique PIN Code for each resident that they will need to quote when they will call in to Rogers and Compugen to take advantage of the offers. 

‚Ä¢ Newsletter: An article will appear in the fall edition of the Resident Connection newsletter

‚Ä¢ Posters: There will be posters within TCH buildings and high traffic areas near TCH buildings.

‚Ä¢ Website: Rogers Communications website, Rogers Youth Fund‚Ñ¢

http://www.rogersyouthfund.com/Rogers_connected_for_success.html 

All TCHC tenants interested in this program can call 1-866-689-0758 for more info, or speak to your local engagement staff.

Join the FMTA and ACTO for a Right to Housing Community Forum: International Strategies for Action on  Wednesday October 23^rd at 7pm.

What will it take to end homelessness? Is a right to housing within our reach?

Come hear success stories from the world-wide movement for the right to adequate housing!

SCC 115 – Oakham House

Ryerson University – 63 Gould Street

Closest subway – Dundas Station)

Free

This event is part of FMTA's 3rd annual International Tenants Day events in 2013.

What is International Tenants Day?

International Tenants Day is an annual event coordinated by the Swedish-based International Union of Tenants. It aims to promote tenant rights around the world while creating awareness of tenant issues.

International Tenants Day takes place on October 7th this year, but events in Toronto are being held on October 23rd.

Our speakers:

Fiona King is Senior Policy Officer at Shelter Scotland based in Edinburgh. Shelter Scotland helps over half a million people a year struggling with bad housing or homelessness and has been campaigning for housing rights for the past 40 years. In 2003, Scotland introduced legislation providing for an enforceable legal right to housing.

Miloon Kothari is an outspoken critic of the countries and institutions that see the neo-liberal and military/security policies as a means to achieving democracy and human rights. Formerly UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on adequate housing (2000-2008), he is also the convener of the Habitat International Coalition's Housing and Land Rights Network. Miloon lives in Delhi, India.

Rob Robinson is co-founder of the Take Back the Land National Movement and a member of the US Human Rights Network. He is a member of the Human Right to Housing program at the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative (US). Rob spent two and a half years homeless in Miami and ten months in a New York City homeless shelter and has been in the housing movement in New York City since 2007.

Organized by the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario, Federation of Metro Tenants Associations and the Right to Housing Coalition Ontario. This venue is wheelchair accessible. For more information please contact [email protected]  www.acto.ca

Transit tokens will be provided by FMTA ‚Äì please email [email protected] or call 416-646-1772 to confirm your transit needs.