The City of Montreal will try to bring bad landlords in line over the next year by establishing mandatory “responsible owner” certification for all buildings with six or more dwellings as well as a register of all leases signed on its territory. .
These measures had been promised during the election campaign by the mayoress Valérie Plante, who had even specified that they would be tabled in the first 100 days of her mandate.
Initially, the mandatory certification was to target properties with eight or more units, but we are now thinking of extending it to all buildings with six or more units, reveals Benoit Dorais, responsible for housing issues on the executive committee.
Plex owners will therefore not have to obtain this certification.
Statistics show us that it is in the largest buildings that we see a problem, that there are recalcitrant and neglectful owners.
Benoit Dorais, responsible for housing issues
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, ARCHIVES THE PRESS
Benoit Dorais, responsible for housing issues on the executive committee of the city of Montreal
The municipal administration hopes to reduce the number of unsanitary and poorly maintained housing.
The functioning of the certification system is under development. It will likely require owners to have their buildings inspected by professionals, who will confirm that all systems (electricity, plumbing, etc.) are in good condition and that the apartments are free from mold, for example.
If the building is compliant, the certification will be valid for five years. Otherwise, the owner will have one year to complete the required work.
All leases in one register
We are also looking at how to set up the lease register, which will require all landlords, without exception, to send each signed lease to the City so that it can be consulted by the public. The goal is to allow new tenants to know the rent that was paid by the former occupants of a dwelling.
The certification and lease registry projects are expected to be tabled with city council in February. They will then be the subject of public consultations, explains Benoit Dorais.
In the meantime, the City of Montreal has launched a campaign to inform tenants of their rights in the event of an eviction attempt by their landlord. Under certain specific circumstances, a landlord can ask a tenant to leave, but they don’t have all the rights, notes Dorais.
“The majority of owners do things right, but there are some who try their best. ”