By Enraged Bitch

After renting for many years I have come to the conclusion that there is no way for a renter to have autonomy or receive fair treatment in this society, despite the obvious wealth and resources around us. What I mean by autonomy is that because the renter or family is constantly subject to the whim of the landlord and the City of London, he/she/they are put into double binds that can prevent him or her from being able to improve or even achieve healthy living standards.
Let’s be clear about what renting is: it is NOT BEING HOMELESS. It’s not a privilege; it is a basic human right that is controlled by government, property owners and corporations, not people who reside in their homes. One step above not being homeless would be to have adequate heat, hydro and water. Quality of life would be having the ability to influence and control your living situation so that you are comfortable, healthy and feel like it is your home. How many of us have this?

The Double Bind
If I want to rent, I need at the very least these things:
o    good credit
o    money (1st and last)
o    references from other landlords

However, if I get the apartment and have problems that force me to move out such as:
o    poor heating, water or utility problems
o    no attention to repairs
o    unfair treatment or neglect by the landlord or company

That family or renter will be put in turn in the a situation where they may not have:
o    good credit
o    money (1st and last for moving, switching bills to new address)
o    PLUS the lease-breaking fee, possibly court fees
o    references from a landlord

Young people besides UWO students also have a hard time finding an apartment and being treated fairly. Unfit landlords and corporations such as Transglobe put hundreds if not thousands of renters in the city in unlivable conditions every year. These individuals and families must either cope with having their basic human rights ignored or be forced to find money, go into debt and find a new place. Those families who survive on Ontario Works have it even harder, and are not always eligible for assistance to move.
People who ask too many questions to a landlord are sometimes treated unfairly or not rented to at all. Often tenants live in fear of their landlord and are afraid to ask for their basic rights, and sometimes even misunderstand that it is they who are paying the landlord.

Solutions
1. There should be an independent body to assist with situations where a renter has no references because of a dispute with a landlord, such as a department of the Landlord and Tenant Board.

2. City Hall should enforce the heat bylaw (currently they do not) and raise the acceptable temperature from a cool 20 Celcius to a humane 23.
3. If landlords want to be cheap on heat, they should charge more rent. Heat is very expensive, but now landlords are including heat in the rent and tenants are paying high bills for electric heaters to compensate for poor heating provided by landlords, and therefore landlords save on heat bills.
4. Heat issues should be made a priority and temperatures should be written into the lease. In a situation where lawful temperature is not adhered to there should be at least no lease-breaking fee, or better still the landlord should owe rent back to the tenant PLUS the cost of moving (to say nothing of compensation for disrupting the tenant’s lives).
5. Ontario Works needs to review its policies to help families and individuals into better living conditions. Being poor doesn’t give anyone motivation to work if you don’t have hot water, clothing and the basic needs in life.
6. Lower deposit fees for Union Gas. Who can afford a down payment of 250$ ? If you have good credit with London Hydro you can request a letter of reference for Union Gas which will help to waive the deposit fee.
7. Consider the Repairs for Rent campaign currently being promoted in Toronto by the OCAP.

Help Now
What we have now: If you are having trouble with a landlord contact or look for information on:
o    The Landlord and Tenant Board
o    THAW program see London Hydro website
o    LIFE SPIN
o    I do not recommend expecting help from City Hall, I recommend contacting them (Heat Bylaw manager, Mayor, your Ward councilor etc.) and telling them to be aware that the heat bylaw need sot be enforced, but I wouldn’t expect help.

HEAT in your home, school and workplace
IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT.