Michael P. Currie's Blog

Hey Landlords & property managers.

This is not a usual post, but wanted to spread the word about this upcoming forum, presented by Residential Housing Providers Nova Scotia & Yardi

Navigating the Residential Tenancies Act:
Strategies for Empowered Property Management

Register Here

Friday, June 13, 2025 | 11:30 am to 2:10 pm | Westin Nova Scotian Hotel
$110.00 Members, $120.00 Non-Members
(Registration includes a three-course plated meal)
Agenda
11:30 am ��� 12:10 pm Networking ��� Lunch
12:10 pm ��� 01:00 pm Session 1: Panel Discussion
01:10 pm ��� 02:10 pm Session 2: Case Law Outcomes

Session 1 ��� Panel Discussion ��� Gain valuable insights and practical solutions from experienced
panelists with in-depth knowledge of Residential Tenancies and Small Claims Court processes. Learn
how to navigate common challenges and make informed decisions as a rental housing provider.
Panel Topics
Navigating Property Rights in a Rental Market
Should You Appeal to the Nova Scotia Small Claims Court? Pros & Cons
Tenant with Legal Representation in Hearings: What Landlords Need to Know
Dealing with Abusive Tenants: Legal and Practical Strategies
Managing Tenants with Complex Societal Challenges
Emergency Situations: What to Do When Police & Residential Tenancies Won���t Assist
Bylaw Compliance: Avoiding Pitfalls & Ensuring Legal Operations
Q&A
Session 2 ��� Case Law ��� Cox & Palmer���s John Boyle and Leandra Bouman will present key Residential
Tenancies case outcomes based on RTO and NSCC adjudicator decisions and the expected impact
of recent RTA amendments.
Panel Topics
Recent case law updates including The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia Simmons Decision and its
Impact on Residential Tenancies and Small Claims Court Hearings
Understanding the Impact of Recent Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) Amendments
Explaining the impact of bylaws. For example, building code violations, short-term rentals,
and occupation allowances.
Explaining best practices for enforcement.
12:00 pm ��� 12:10 pm Opening Remarks
BIOs
Moderator and Panelists
Amanda R. Knight ��� Amanda began acquiring and renovating small MURB���s in Colchester & Pictou
Counties in 2020. By 2023 Amanda had added 12 units to the local housing stock
and currently owns 19 doors. In June 2024, Amanda joined the Community Housing
Transformation Centre as a Program Manager overseeing the Capital Fund for
Nova Scotia. In addition to active involvement in her local community, Amanda
has presented at Law Amendments and was invited to speak at the federal review
panel���s oral hearing on the Financialization of Purpose-Built Rental Housing. Amanda
has been an active RHPNS member since 2020 and was appointed to the board in 2022.
Ursula Eckoldt
Owner and President of Urchin Property Management, oering over 15 years of
professional experience with the last ve years focused on growth and operations
eciency. Ursula is known for her professionalism, integrity, being solutions-oriented,
excellent communication, and ability to use sound business principles. Ursula has
been an active member of RHPNS since 2009 becoming a director in 2023.
Angie Craig
Angie has been working at MetCap Living Management Inc. since 2014. She started as a
Property Manager and was later promoted to the position of Senior Property Manager. In
2018,Angie was appointed to her current position as Regional Director of Operations. In
this role, she oversees the operations in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for one of Canada���s
leading third-party management rms specializing in multi-unit residential property
management. She is always eagerto expand her knowledge of legal processes, particularly
related to Residential Tenancies, and keeps up-to-date with current Building, Fire, and Life
Safety regulations. MetCap Living has been an active RHPNS members since 2010.
Panelists
Ursula Eckholdt, President and CEO, Urchin Property Management
Angie Craig, Director of Operations, NS,
Jennifer Bateman, Associate Director, Canadian Apartment Properties REIT (CAPREIT)
John Boyle, Partner, Cox & Palmer
Moderator
Amanda Knight, Owner, Knight Growth Strategies
Leandra Bouman, Associate, Cox & Palmer���s
MetCap Living Management
Amanda Simpson, Residential Property Manager, Westwood Development

I hope you are able to attend.

Until next time,

Design your landord experience,

Michael P Currie

Landlord By Design

Oh, and I would not be doing my job unless I provided a link to purchase my books, you can get them here!

The post RHPNS 2025 Residential Tenancies Forum appeared first on Landlord by Design.

WOW! Huge Changes With Residential Tenancy April 30th

Well after lots of talk, reports consulatation it looks like the changes to make the Nova Scotia residential tenancy guidlines more in line with what is happening coast to coast, are going to start on April 30. As a member of the Residential Housing Providers Nova Scotia (formerly IPOANS) organization I had a front row seat to an excellent summary that I wanted to share with all of you.

The following was shared by Kevin Russell the executive director of RHPNS – If you own a residential rental property in Nova Scotia, I highly recommend you sign up. Check out member options here

Please be advised that several amendments to Nova Scotia’s Residential Tenancies Act and Regulations will come into effect on April 30, 2025. These changes are aimed at improving efficiency and communication between landlords and tenants.

Key changes include:

New rules and timelines for ending tenancies, including grounds such as repeated late rent, criminal activity, or property damage.Updated notice period: Landlords may now notify tenants three days after rent is due that a lease can be terminated if payment is not made. Tenants have 10 days to pay, move out, or appeal.Improved communication: Landlords must provide an email address if tenants do, making digital correspondence easier.Online publication of decisions: Certain residential tenancy decisions will now be available online to improve transparency.Standardized rule changes in land-lease communities, such as mobile home parks.Revised process for rent increases in land-lease communities beyond the annual allowable amount.

These updates follow the passage of legislative amendments in September 2024 and are designed to better balance the rights and responsibilities of both landlords and tenants.

Read more details in the full government announcement here:
Changes to Residential Tenancies Program for Tenants, Landlords (April 9, 2025)

If you have questions about how these changes affect you, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Feel free to share this email with rental housing providers in your network and your employees.

Best regards,

Kevin Russell | Executive Director 

O: 902.425.3572 |C: 902.789.0946   

168 Hobson Lake Drive, Suite 301, Halifax, NS, B3S 0G4
www.rhpns.ca | CFAA Association of the Year

I hope you find this information valuable.

Until next time,

Design your landlord experience,

Michael P Currie

Landlord by Design

Oh, and if you don’t have it yet, make sure to pick up a copy of my books right here!

Photo credit goes to Ian Panelo

The post WOW! Huge Changes With Residential Tenancy April 30th appeared first on Landlord by Design.

A hot topic in our area comes down to two things. Landlords & tenants need to know the residential tenancy act plus understand their legal property rights. Dalhousie legal aid provides a great resource.

Dalhousie Legal aid just updated their Tenants Rights Guide if you are a landlord in Nova Scotia I highly recommend you read this. They provide a great overview of the residential tenancy act, in an easy to read format. It is called a tenants rights guide, however, landlords & property managers can benefit by using it as a quick reference guide of the Nova Scotia residential tenancy act.

More info on the topic can be found on the Legal Info Nova Scotia Website or on the Dalhousie Legal Aid Tenants Rights Website

The full Nova Scotia residential guide can be found here: NS Residential Tenancy Act

A blank copy of the official Nova Scotia Lease can be found here: Standard From of Lease Form (P)

I want to end by saying the best way to have a great landlord / tenant experience is by starting with a proper screening process. As part of our process we have been using TVS Tenant Verification for several years. They have a Canadian & American website and do a tenant rating. They provide both credit & criminal background checks.

Getting educated has been our best source of risk management. If you are in Nova Scotia you should look up Rental Housing Providers Nova Scotia, and a great resource in the USA is AAOA American Apartment Owners Association

I know this post seems a little advertorial, I assure you that is not my intent, but I do feel strongly about all landlords, property managers and tenants getting educated, and these links provide some really fantastic information.

Until next time,

Design your landlord experience,

Michael Currie ��� Landlord by Design

Also if you do not have it, make sure to pick up a copy of one or both of my books right here!

The post Essential Legal Resources for Tenants & Landlords appeared first on Landlord by Design.

Free Rental Housing Conference October 16, 2024

Hey landlords and property managers. I am connected with the AAOA (American Apartment Owners Association). They are hosting a huge conference on October 16th in California. Lots of great content that is relevant across many boarders, especially Canada & USA.

I have the opportunity to offer all my readers free access to the livestream.

If you would like to livestream the event for free click��HERE��and use code MCURRIEFREE.

Here is what the conference is all about:

Grow Your Knowledge

This is your chance to transform your rental business and boost your confidence. Stay updated on legal trends, meet fellow investors, and take home actionable insights to improve your operations.

Experience a phenomenal day packed with rental industry updates and tips from the country���s top experts. You���ll walk away with new business building ideas, critical legal updates, and risk mitigation strategies you can put to work immediately.

Agenda

Times shown are PT

8:30am PT

Doors open for exhibit hall, networking, light bites, and coffee plus free lunch served later in the day

9:00am PT

Defer Taxes WITH or WITHOUT a 1031 Exchange

Speaker: Scott Varney, Tax Strategist, SV Consultants

10:00am PT

How to Combat the Multifamily Insurance Crisis

Speaker: Lauren Lieb, Sr. Commercial Risk Advisor, InsuranceHub

10:40am PT

CA Eviction  Notices: Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid them

Speaker: Tracey Merrell, Esq., Managing Partner of Education, Kimball, Tirey, St. John LLP

11:40am PT

Complying with California���s Balcony Laws SB 721 and SB 326

Speaker: David Atkins, Senior Account Manager, DrBalcony

12:00pm-1:30pm PT

Lunch provided for in-person attendees

12:30pm PT

The Future for Landlords in California: Legal Shifts and Survival Strategies

Speakers:

Kenny Lim, Managing Partner, California Property Law Group

Rafael Azizian, Managing Partner, California Property Law Group

Zachary Miller, Managing Partner, California Property Law Group

Christian Walsh, Owner and Broker, WIRE Associates

1:20pm PT

Multifamily State of The Industry Roundtable

Moderator:

Julie Anne Peterson, Senior Director, Old Capital

Speakers:

Gary Lipsky, President/CEO, Break of Day Capital

Taylor Avakian, Multifamily Broker/Founder, The Group CRE

Ryan Patap, Sr. Director/Market Analytics, CoStar

2:30pm PT

Squatter Prevention and Tips from the Squatter Hunter

Speaker: Flash Shelton, The Squatter Hunter, SquatterHunters.com

3:00pm PT

Navigating Emotional Support Animal Requests

Speakers:

Kelly Stanaway, Co-President, Fertig & Gordon

Kristen Smith,  Co-President, Fertig & Gordon

4:00pm PT

Closing Remarks

Enjoy the conference,

Until next time,

Design your landlord experience,

Michael P Currie

Landlord by Design

Oh, and of course if you do not have a copy of my latest book, you can grab it here!

The post Free Rental Housing Conference October 16, 2024 appeared first on Landlord by Design.

Coles Notes On Proposed Changes To Nova Scotia Residential Tenancy Act 2024Happy Friday, I have had a lot of people reach out about todays announcement about possible changes coming to the NS residential tenancy act.
So, I decided to make a quick post and easy reference about what it is all about.
Make sure to sign up for the free IPOANS weekly newsletter or check out the Nova Scotia governments Residential tenancy website for more information.

Credit for the following summary goes to Kevin Russell��of IPOANS (Investment Property Owners Association of Nova Scotia)

The Government tabled Bill 467 in the Legislature this morning amending the Nova Scotia Residential Tenancies ACT.��

The proposed�� amendments are as follows:��The Act will extend the restrictions on how much rent can be increased until December 31, 2027.
Amend legislation to put the capped amount back into legislation – the rent cap set at a maximum 5%.
Rent could not be increased more than 5% from January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2027.

Only one rental increase in a 12-month period.

Other amendments include: Shorten timelines for eviction for non-payment of rent����Eviction notice served after rent has not been paid after 3 days.

Define tenant problematic behaviour that may cause lease termination that Includes: repeated late payment of rent, engages in illegal activity, extraordinary damage, interference with rights of another occupant or landlord. Authority to publish Director’s Orders.

Prohibit tenants from profiting from subtenancy agreements.
Housekeeping amendments to improve the delivery of the program.

The amendments will come into effect upon being proclaimed into law, which could be as late as winter 2025.

For more information, please refer to the Province of Nova Scotia’s media release:��Changes to Rent Cap, Residential Tenancies Act

Residential Tenancy Contacts Right Here!
Residential Tenancy Act Right Here!
Residential Tenancy Policies & Procedures / useful Information Right Here!

Hope this helps,

Until next time, design your landlord experience.
Michael P Currie
Landlord By Design

Pick up a copy of one of my books here!

Photo Credit Goes To Nataliya VaitkevichProposed Nova Scotia Residential Tenancy Changes 2024

The post Big Changes To Nova Scotia Residential Tenancy appeared first on Landlord by Design.

When it comes to real estate investing there is no shortage of blogs and websites to help you.

I started a blog as a form of therapy for what I was going through on the property management side of the business. I found it hard to find many stories about this important, however, perhaps less glamorous part of the business.

My top 3 blogs / websites (other than my own) are as follows (in no particular order) – Bigger pockets – Happy Place Property Management – Book Launchers

https://www.biggerpockets.com

Frontpage

Home

That being said there are countless others. Recently I had a company reach out that builds lists of blogs. They made a top 20, but have lots more and not just about real estate.

You can check them out here:

20 Best Canadian Landlord Blogs and Websites

Until next time,

Design your landlord experience,

Michael P Currie

Landlord by Design

If you do not have a copy of my latest book, make sure to grab a copy HERE!

Photo Credit goes to Pixabay

The post 20 Best Canadian Landlord Blogs and Websites appeared first on Landlord by Design.

Hey Landlords,

Landlords in Nova Scotia received some news that will work well for both tenants and landlords. The rent cap has been extended to the end of 2025, it has been increased from 2.5% – 5% per year. New leases will be signed at market rent.

Lots of news articles on the topic have been written in the past week.

Here are some excerpts and links.

The Nova Scotia government is extending the cap on rent increases until the end of 2025, but raising the cap from two per cent to five per cent beginning next year.

Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services Minister Colton LeBlanc introduced the legislation on Wednesday. During a briefing, he said the move is a recognition that renters are struggling financially while also nodding to the challenges some landlords face with the cost of maintaining their properties.

“We chose five per cent to allow landlords to catch up to inflation, while avoiding any large rent increases for tenants,” he said.

LeBlanc noted that when the former Liberal government introduced the rent cap, it was at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and at a time when many people were unable to work due to public health measures.

“Two per cent today doesn’t work.”

The goal, said LeBlanc, is to balance the rights and needs of tenants and landlords in the province until enough new housing stock can be added to the market. The government estimates about a third of Nova Scotians are renters and the province has about 6,000 landlords.

Inflation raises landlord’s costs

Polley’s company, Polycorp Properties Inc., manages 500 units in the Halifax area and Annapolis Valley. He said the limits on rent increases mean landlords can’t keep up with higher costs from inflation.

Polley sees little change ahead until more housing is available.

“It’s not good for anybody, but to the degree that the government is limiting what’s happening in the rental market, it’s long-term negative for the housing industry.”

Landlord Amanda Knight said she wanted to see some recognition by the government of the different challenges rural landlords experience.

Knight said her leases include the cost of utilities and their rising cost, combined with the rent cap, has her contemplating selling units.

“As anyone knows in the province and across the country, utilities have gone up exponentially and when they’re included in rent, I’m basically paying for them,” she told reporters.

Fixed-term leases ignored

Joanne Hussey, a community legal worker with Dalhousie Legal Aid, said she was relieved to see the government extend the rent cap and listen to the concerns renters have expressed through protests, petitions and calls to MLAs.

But Hussey said she was disappointed the government is not taking steps to limit the use of fixed-term leases. Many renters have reported landlords making the switch to fixed-term leases because they are not subject to the rent cap.

What Nova Scotia’s residential tenancy changes mean for you

That, in turn, is increasing demand for affordable units that were already scarce, she said.

“We’re actually seeing increasing pressure on that affordable housing stock from people who are middle-income earners because we know that it is just disappearing so quickly.”

LeBlanc said “it’s fair to acknowledge” that some landlords are using fixed-term leases for unintended uses, but he said he did not want to “create another problem by addressing one problem.”

There is a role for fixed-term leases when used appropriately, said LeBlanc. He said he hopes increasing the rent cap to five per cent will reduce instances of landlords using fixed-term leases to get around it.

This article was written by CBC reporter Michael Gorman – he can be contacted for story ideas @ michael.gorman@cbc.ca

Tenants Hail N.S. Rent Cap Extension, While Landlords Flail

This article was written by MONTAGUE, DEREK of Huddle

HALIFAX — Tenants in Nova Scotia will continue to be protected by a rent cap for at least another two years. On March 22, The provincial government announced it was extending the cap until the end of 2025. But there is an important change happening next year.

Starting January 1, 2024, the cap will increase from two per cent to five per cent per year. The two percent marker has been in place since November of 2020, originally as an emergency measure during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The cap protects long-term tenants who are renewing their annual lease, or a fixed-term tenant signing a new agreement for the same unit. It does not apply to new tenants moving into a unit for the first time.

According to the provincial government, one in three Nova Scotians are renters.

In a press release, Colton Leblanc, Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services, said by keeping the cap in place, and by raising it to five per cent, the government struck a balance for landlords and tenants.

“Nova Scotians are facing challenging financial times, and that factors greatly in every decision we make,” said Leblanc. “We are always working to balance the rights and needs of tenants and landlords. Extending the rent cap by two years will protect renters while adjusting the amount rent can increase will support landlords.”

Kevin Russell, the director of IPOANS, which is a provincial organization representing landlords, disagrees with Leblanc. He said the extension of the rent cap marks an imbalance that doesn’t favour landlords.

Russell says since 2020, landlords have faced two-digit increases in insurance, energy, and other ongoing expenses. He argues a five per cent cap won’t cover the inflation felt by these property owners.

“This does nothing for the smaller landlords who have been under a rent cap since 2020,” Russell told Huddle. “The fact of the matter is, the smaller landlords are well under market rents, and the rent increases under 5 per cent, are not going to cover the expenses. So they’re falling further and further behind.

“At the end of the day, this is just going to result in more landlords, smaller landlords, most commonly called Mom and Pop landlords, to exit the business, because it does not make economic sense for them to remain in the industry.”

ACORN, the prominent tenants’ rights organization, applauded the decision to keep a cap in place. But the organization is still looking for more protections, such as a ban on renovictions and fixed-term leases. Renovictions were banned for a time during the pandemic but the ban was lifted a year ago. The government did introduce new rules around compensation for people displaced by renovictions, however.

Pat Donovan, the co-chair for Spryfield ACORN, called the rent cap extension a victory.

“It gives us two years to contemplate it, to continue working with the government, and hopefully get (permanent) rent cap, which is what we want,” Donovan told Huddle.

“I have no problem with (raising the cap to five percent) at the moment. Hopefully down the road we can get it lowered a little bit. But for right now, it is a good victory.”

Derek Montague is a Huddle reporter in Halifax. Send him your feedback and story ideas:  montagued@huddle.today . 

Province leaves rent cap loophole open for landlords Plus Nova Scotia’s 2% limit on rent increases is going up to 5% next year.

By Matt Stickland – The Coast

In a press conference Wednesday about proposed legislative changes, Colton LeBlanc, the provincial cabinet minister responsible for the Residential Tenancies Act, said his government will extend Nova Scotia’s current rent cap through the end of 2025, and raise the cap on rent increases from 2% to 5% starting Jan. 1, 2024. When asked about landlords exploiting fixed-term leases to get around the rent cap, LeBlanc told the gathered reporters that the extra 3% landlords could charge starting in January should fix the fixed-term loophole. The problem, according to LeBlanc, was that the cap was too low.

Read more at: https://www.thecoast.ca/news-opinion/...

However, if a landlord wants to make as much money as possible on a rental unit, they are still able to sign a fixed-term lease with a tenant, and then jack up the rent on the next person who rents that unit—even if that’s the current tenant. When The Coast reported this on Oct. 17, 2022 a residential property manager told The Coast: “Due to changes in the Tenancy Act, the industry has moved away from month-to-month leases and moved to fixed term so that both tenants and owners are on equal footing in regards to the terms and options of the lease.” Did you catch that? The appeal of fixed-term leases isn’t money, it’s power. A fixed-term lease in Nova Scotia has a lot of benefits for a landlord. Not only do fixed-term leases allow landlords to circumvent the rent cap, but it means tenants have no legal right to stay in a unit at the end of a lease. Periodic leases, the ones that typically last for a year and then roll over into month-by-month, provide tenants with legal protection under the Residential Tenancy Act. Fixed-term leases have no such tenant protections. So on top of fixed-term leases allowing landlords to bypass the rent cap, it also means landlords are less likely to have a prolonged legal battle with a tenant they are trying to evict. Essentially the problem with this legislation is the complete lack of incentive for landlords to stop using fixed-term leases and adhere to the rent cap. Can you imagine a military operation being planned assuming the enemy would just voluntarily not exploit a glaring, publicly known critical weakness? This is the legislative equivalent of that type of naive planning. LeBlanc told reporters fixed-term leases have a role when used appropriately, and that he hopes increasing the rent cap to 5% will stop landlords from exploiting the loophole his government left open, which will continue to allow landlords to use fixed-term leases with little to no consequence. The good news for residents of Halifax is that unlike provincial ministers, the city’s director of housing and homelessness, Max Chauvin, lives in the real world. And he warned council that if the province gets rid of the rent cap, a COVID policy which had been due to expire at the end of 2023, the city would have to figure out how refugee camps work. Today’s announcement doesn’t eliminate the rent cap until 2026, but it also does nothing to make landlords adhere to it. We should start planning for refugee camps.

Read more at: https://www.thecoast.ca/news-opinion/...

Until next time,

Design your landlord experience,

Michael P Currie

Landlord by Design

Don’t have a copy of my latest book? Get it here!

The post Rent Cap Gets Extended & Increased To 5% appeared first on Landlord by Design.

Why invest in student housing?

I wrote this piece for the AAOA (American Apartment Owners Association). If you are not familiar with them make sure to check them out HERE

They had asked me to write a short article about student housing. This is something that is near and dear to my heart. Although as with all types of investing there are challenges, this is one area that both my wife and I find very rewarding and perhaps even live a little vicariously through the lives of some of these well travelled students (most are international). We love hearing their stories.

Hope you enjoy the read and will check out many of the other articles on the AAOA website.

My friend received a call, it was a Friday night at around 9:00 p.m. He had just set up his tenants in a student rental property the day before. The caller was a young woman attending a university in the area. She asked if he could bring over some toilet paper because they were almost out. He was a bit taken aback by the question. He let her know that she and the other tenants were responsible for their own toilet paper. The caller was a bit frustrated and said, “You told me this was an all-inclusive rental.”  

If you live near any postsecondary institutions, you will have demand for student housing. It can be a great way to maximize revenue from a property. 

Student housing is a broad topic, for the intent of this article, I am going to stick to the rooming house type model.  

When you rent a house by the room you can use spaces such as the living room or dining room and block them off as separate rooms, also if the house has a dry basement, it can be rented as a room. 

A regular 4 – bedroom house that might rent for $2500 per month could end up being a 7-room student housing rental, renting for $700 per room for a total of $4900/mo. 

In addition, revenue can come from coin-operated laundry (approx. $200 /mo.), Parking spaces $75 X 2 = $150/mo.), and storage in the form of a garage, attic, or basement (approx. $200/mo). 

That all adds up to $5450 per month VS $2500 (more than double). 

So, why wouldn’t you do this with all your rentals?   

Before you start chopping your rentals up into individual rooms, you are going to need to consider some of following: Additional Expenses  

Increased cost of Property management  

Increased and likely all-inclusive Utilities  

Cleaner – Best practice to have a cleaner to clean bathrooms, kitchens, & common areas. 

Snow and lawn Care 

Increased Insurance Cost 

Higher Interest rates – Often lenders charge higher rates for these types of properties.  

Writing Complex Leases – you may need to hire an expert 

You will also need to make sure your student rental is local code & by-law compliant 

Student rooming houses are not popular in many jurisdictions.  Most student-rooming houses are required to follow a special set of rules & requirements that are different from single-family dwellings.  

You will need to know about any restrictions on renting by the room in your area before you purchase or set up a student rooming house rental. 

I recently saw an ad for a student rooming house that said they rented 8 rooms.  In this particular area the maximum room rentals allowed would be 5, so if purchased based on an 8-room revenue model and a by-law enforcement officer got involved, it would turn into a 5-room house, which may make it cash flow negative.   

Bylaw change in my city  

I give credit to an acquaintance who at the very least influenced the implementation of a restrictive by-law in my home city regarding the amount of students that can occupy an apartment or house.  

He was buying two-unit properties.  He then jacked them up and put a new basement with rooms and a bathroom, then added another floor to the property.  He called them super duplexes and each floor had 4 rooms, so after construction, he turned two 3-bedroom apartments into a two-unit property with 16 rooms.  

The neighbors of these super duplex’s started to complain about noise, garbage, rodents, etc.  As is often the case in a university and hospital district you have professionals and their families living side by side with students.   

Long story short a by-law that does not allow more than 5 unrelated people to live in a single unit was put in place.  This by-law reduced the capacity of these super duplex’s down to 10 rooms per building.  Which dramatically negatively impacted the cash flow of these properties.  

Communication is King when it comes to renting to students 

I reviewed the previous room agreements from the seller of a property we were buying.  I said to my wife, wow, the list of rules almost sounds rude.   I was so young and naïve back then.  Most tenant issues are caused by the tenant pushing boundaries due to grey areas, this is amplified when you get into student housing.   You need to be 110% clear on your building rules and if you are dealing with co-signers as parents you need to be clear with them as well. 

A best practice can be to require a credit card number from the parental co-signer to be kept on file in the event their child does any damage. 

Some student damage you should expect in a student property would be burnt countertops, window screens, water damage in bathrooms or from windows being left open, broken door handles, and prepare for clogged toilets. 

You will also need to be clear on rules around guests, sometimes a “guest” could be perceived by the other tenants as a freeloader. 

Quiet time guidelines are important as well, we like to use 11 pm – 6 am.   

Smoking can also be a problem, especially weed.  For some reason, many people who smoke weed do not realize how bad it smells or how far the smell travels.  If your property is smoke-free, make sure you are clear on what that means.  

It is important to have all the rules laid out super clear and signed off on at the lease signing.  Go over them with each tenant. 

To sum it up 

Providing housing to students can be a great way to increase the revenue of a property.  You just need to have awareness of all listed above and a great property management plan.  

Until next time,

Design your landlord experience,

Michael P Currie

Landlord by Design – Get a copy of my latest book HERE!

Here is a little more about the American Apartment Owners Association

From the About Us section of their website:

In 2004, a team of professional property managers joined together to form the American Apartment Owners Association. Our goal was simple – to provide an online network of resources and benefits for landlords and property managers. Since then, AAOA has steadily grown and is now the largest landlord association in the country with more than 140,000 members nationwide.

As our association has grown, so have our member benefits and resources. We’ve consistently introduced new benefits to membership every year to address the growing needs of the property management community.

Whether you own a single rental unit or manage numerous rental units, we offer a variety of services including extensive tenant screening, credit checks, landlord forms, rental applications, and relevant real estate updates.

Our Mission

To provide superior property management services that will equip landlords to better manage their investment properties.

We understand on a personal level the challenges you face as a property manager or landlord, so we’ve made it our mission to make your job easier. We strive to equip you with the necessary tools to more effectively serve your tenants. We believe that educated landlords make happier tenants and in turn better-quality rental communities. By maintaining professionalism, utilizing our expertise, and investing into our commitment to you, we are able to work towards our mission successfully.

Our ResourcesLandlord Forms:

The American Apartment Association offers over 150 essential state-specific landlord forms that are easy to download and print straight from your account. Additionally, many forms like our residential lease agreement offers an easy online guide to create and customize your document. Our members find that our forms have made their rental process much more efficient and thorough. We’ve taken out the guesswork for you by providing accurate and reliable forms that are legally compliant and easy to use, helping you to confidently rent and manage your property. We encourage you to review our full list of landlord legal forms to ensure you are using the right forms for your business.

Tenant Screening:

Perhaps the most beneficial resource we offer is comprehensive and instant tenant background screening services. If you’ve ever managed a rental property you know the importance of running a thorough tenant background check before you make a tenancy decision. Our tenant credit checks for landlords is solution-oriented and efficient, including reports such as credit checks, criminal history, and SSN verifications. Our FCRA compliant reports help you to drastically minimize your risk and find tenants that are reliable.

We understand that time is valuable for busy landlords and property managers. By simply entering in an applicant’s details, you’ll instantly learn whether your applicant has had evictions, criminal convictions, or financial hardships. Ultimately, the decision of who to rent to is yours, but our reports bring clarity and reveal red flags.

Our online service is simple to use for beginners, yet comprehensive enough to serve members with a high volume of units. If you’re new to our association or to property management, there is no need to worry. Our customer service is always available during business hours to answer your questions, so you’ll never have to wonder how to order or read a report.

We know your goal as a property manager is to find a tenant who will pay rent punctually and have a solid background, so we’ve incorporated tenant screening as a benefit for all our members. Select from four affordable tenant screening packages or order a standalone credit report.

Vendor Directory:

Landlords and property owners owning rental properties have to remain in touch with various kinds of vendors that deal with home improvement, apartment repairs, remodeling, and other essential services. The American Apartment Owners Association makes it easy for you to source the best of vendors for maintenance of your property by providing you with a state-based vendor directory that gives you access to countless approved vendors.

Updates and News:

We make every effort to keep landlords informed with the latest real estate news so that you can continue to improve your property management services and decision making. Subscribe to our free e-newsletter for weekly updates or browse our site for the latest news. We aim to educate and equip our members with relevant information from trustworthy sources. Our online archive is accessible to the public and includes thousands of approved articles on topics relevant to landlords.

Our Values

Integrity: We strive to act with honesty and integrity to build trust with our members. We do so by keeping our promises, acting in a fair and considerate way, and always placing our members first.

Solution-Oriented Approach: This value is reflected in our efficient customer service and our useful member benefits. Every service we provide is designed to provide valuable solutions to the challenges you face as a landlord or property manager.

Pursue Growth and Learning: It is our belief that as an association we must constantly evolve to better serve our members. Our goal is to improve our association every day and in turn help you improve as a landlord.

We’d like to thank you for taking the time to get to know us. We offer free as well as upgraded memberships, so select your preferred membership today to start taking advantage of the assistance, education, and resources the American Apartment Owners Association has to offer.

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Hey landlords, Midwest Book Reviews is highly revered in the library and academic spaces. I am excited to get a recommendation from them. Enjoy the read.

Landlord by Design 2
Michael P. Currie
Beachrock Publishing
www.landlordbydesign.com
9780995303706, $16.99, PB, 232pp

https://www.amazon.com/Landlord-Desig...

Synopsis: Buying property might not be your first choice when considering how to pay off the mortgage, finance an expensive vacation, or save for a college fund, but it should be. Regardless of your financial literacy or the money in your bank account, property investment can be your ticket to financial freedom.

With countless possible paths to create cash flow, there are more ways than ever to become a property investor — so how do you navigate your options and find what’s right for you?

In “Landlord by Design 2: Moves to Make and Paths to Take for Real Estate Investing Success”, author and landlord Michael P. Currie shows how easy building wealth can be. With two decades of experience in property investment, he combines personal stories with practical, actionable steps to help you step into smart real estate investing that provides immediate profits.

“Landlord by Design 2” shows: Over 20 ways you can invest in real estate, from commercial, Airbnb, and multifamily properties to house hacking your single-family home or flipping houses; Uncomplicated, minimal-effort methods to capitalize on undervalued rental property – even with a zero-dollar down payment; Joint venture possibilities that can minimize your risk while boosting your passive income potential; Techniques to hire a high-quality property manager, including a list of interview questions; How to build a good professional reputation in your local real estate market.

Critique: Offering an ideal and effective introduction to real estate investing success, “Landlord by Design 2: Moves to Make and Paths to Take for Real Estate Investing Success “, Michael P. Currie has provided a simple but effective start-up guide for beginners. By applying the information comprising “Landlord by Design 2”, and with hard work, you can make your dreams come true as a real estate investor. While highly recommended as an essential and core addition to personal, professional, and community library Real Estate Investing and Money/Finance collections, it should be noted that “Landlord by Design 2” is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).

Editorial Note: Michael P. Currie (https://www.landlordbydesign.com/abou...) is a Canadian-based landlord and property manager and the owner of Landlord by Design. Michael got his start as an investor in the early 2000s by flipping houses before starting the Landlord by Design blog to share his strategies for smarter property management. In 2016, Michael published his first book, Landlord by Design: Complete Guide to Residential Property Management. Michael is also a member of IPOANS (Investment Property Owners of Nova Scotia). – Clint Travis

Until next time,

Design your landlord experience,

Michael P Currie

Make sure to pick up your own copy of this book right HERE

The post Midwest Book Review by Clint Travis appeared first on Landlord by Design.

Hey Landlords, I wanted to write a follow up piece to my post – Landlord Registry – More Red Tape Solves Housing Crisis Since that article I had the privilege over the past few weeks to discuss the pros and cons of the proposed registry (R400) and changes to the M200 bylaw.

Many of those conversations were spirited with both local landlords and members of the Halifax council. I also clearly struck a nerve with some council members. I gained a new level of respect for some and a reduced level for others. I do believe that productive government requires people willing to provide opposition.

It also made me think that maybe I wrote my last article a little too pro landlord, and maybe it was a little too political. Ok, just a second, I still stand by my position that I do not think the addition of the Landlord registry or changes to the M200 bylaw will accomplish what council thinks it will, but that is just my opinion. I wanted to simplify the mountains of documents I have been pouring over the last couple of weeks and let my readers come to their own conclusion.

So here goes nothing: What if the landlord registry and changes to the M200 bylaw are a good idea?

Why would the HRM want to walk into what could be thousands of complaints that are currently handled by other divisions rather than 311.

I also want to to mention that the idea of a registry and the creation of the original M100 bylaw (currently being changed to M200) has been an ongoing council discussion. It is not a new idea.

Some evidence of this can be referenced from the discussion that Peter Kelly and his team had back in December of 2002 – document # 9.2.7 about the introduction of the M100 bylaw (which was passed in January 2003 Ref document 14.1.11 June 2016)

Here are some excerpts about the M100 which was changed to M200 from the June 2016 document.

The M-100 By-law was passed by Halifax Regional Council on January 7, 2003 and became effective on January 11, 2003. As stated in the original report, the purpose of the by-law was to:

Establish uniform regulations and standards for residential buildings throughout HRM (at the time there were five by-laws with various standards and some jurisdictions with no by-laws);Ensure existing residential buildings are “safe, warm, and dry”; andSpecify reasonable “comfort and convenience” standards which go beyond simply providing basic
“safe, warm, and dry” housing.

Then back in 2019 document 15.1.5 goes into the history of the M200 bylaw and the reasons for the need for a landlord registry as well as updates to the M200 bylaw.

Here are a couple of excerpts from this document.

By definition, registration is the disclosure or entering of information into public record. It is not approving the building condition, it is simply recording it. This allows for the collection of information beyond compliance and violation details. This information will be invaluable and will provide a much clearer picture of the rental landscape in HRM. For example, of 3,700 buildings analyzed in HRM’s current GIS database, only 57,000 rental units were identified versus the 61,380 (2011) identified in Stantec’s report. In addition, over 35% of HRM’s building records do not include unit counts. Currently, the accuracy and detail of building information available is limited. A complete record of rentals combined with simple, yet effective policy and regulation is expected to provide significant benefit for staff administering the program and for citizens occupying the buildings.

It is important to note that, as described in the Background section of this report, ongoing inspections are taking place in HRM as required under the Building Code Act, Fire Safety Act, and By-law M-200. It is apparent from the consultation process that a new framework for inspections will need to be developed.

Further to a staff report1 dated April 15, 2016, Regional Council adopted By-law M-200 in July 2016 which improved its general administration and enforceability. That report also identified many ongoing concerns
and regulatory matters with residential rental accommodations (i.e., rooming houses, single room occupancies) in HRM and recommended that staff engage with a variety of stakeholders to develop a residential building licensing model for Council’s consideration. This report 1) responds to the second part
of the June 2016 motion, 2) provides additional background information on the topic, 3) includes the results of the facilitated stakeholder workshop (Attachment A) and 4) provides a recommendation for a new approach to regulating residential rental accommodations.
To help understand the various components of building inspection responsibilities, the following overview is provided.

Building Inspection Requirements
The Municipality is responsible for inspecting buildings based on the following requirements:

Building Construction (Nova Scotia Building Code Act)
All buildings in HRM under construction and/or renovation that require a building permit are
inspected at various stages of construction and involve an application, review, and permitting
process.
Provincial and Federal government buildings are exempt.Fire Safety Act Inspections (Nova Scotia Fire Safety Act)
All occupied buildings (except residential buildings with less than 4 units) are inspected on a defined frequency by both Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency (HRFE) and Planning and Development (P&D). These inspections target fire safety and are generally limited to common areas of buildings.
Only Federal government buildings are exempt.Standards for Residential Occupancies (By-law M-200)
Typically received as complaints through 311 Service Requests, occupied residential buildings are inspected by both P&D and HRFE inspectors, depending on building classification. These inspections are complaint-driven and may be limited to only portions of buildings when entry to
rooms is restricted by locks.
Rooming houses are the only building type that currently receive proactive inspections under the M-200 By-law. These buildings are registered annually through P&D and HRFE.
Provincial and Federal government buildings are exempt.
Two matters fall outside the scope of the inspection processes noted above. One is smaller residential (1, 2 and 3 unit) buildings and single room occupancies, and the other is the lack of proactive inspections of
living spaces. These are key risk areas that Council has identified for further examination. An additional concern commonly raised by citizens is the lack of By-law M-200 application to provincially owned and
operated buildings, however HRM does not have the authority to regulate provincial operations.
Residential Tenancies Act – An area of confusion identified by attendees of the stakeholder’s workshops is the difference between the Nova Scotia Residential Tenancies Act and HRM’s By-law M-200. It has been suggested that the Province

See report online at http://legacycontent.halifax.ca/counc...
By-law M-200, Respecting Standards for Residential Occupancies
Council should be applying the Residential Tenancies Act to buildings with poor living conditions. By-law M-200 is the main regulation in HRM used to enforce standards for residential rentals. This is evidenced by the fact that matters relating to rental conditions are routinely forwarded to HRM by the provincial staff who administer the Residential Tenancies Act and Regulations. In comparison to By-law M-200, the language in the Residential Tenancies Act is somewhat subjective. Below are the first two clauses under Statutory Conditions, subsection 9(1) in the Residential Tenancies Act. These are the only clauses that deal with building conditions:
Statutory Conditions
“1. Condition of Premises – The landlord shall keep the premises in a good state of repair and fit for habitation during the tenancy and shall comply with any statutory enactment or law respecting standards of health, safety or housing.

Services – Where the landlord provides a service or facility to the tenant that is reasonably related to the tenant’s continued use and enjoyment of the premises such as, but not so as to restrict the
generality of the foregoing, heat, water, electric power, gas, appliances, garbage collection, sewers
or elevators, the landlord shall not discontinue providing that service to the tenant without proper
notice of a rental increase or without permission from the Director.”
By-law M-200 has detailed requirements that specifically identify the condition and habitability of the
premises, such as minimum temperature requirements, pest control, ventilation, etc. This objectivity provides a clear understanding to the tenant and owner respecting the acceptable state of the unit.
Currently, HRM takes responsibility for matters between the building and the owner (e.g., heat, pests, ventilation, flooring, etc.), while the Province takes responsibility for matters between the tenant and the owner (e.g., leases, payment, eviction, etc.).Ok, enough about the past 20 years, lets determine if it is a good idea in 2022:

Pros to having a landlord registry (source based on information found in the Stantec report from February 12, 2017)

Report title: Halifax regional municipality residential building licensing model for Halifax stakeholder consultation report February 12, 2017.

Produced by Stantec Consulting Ltd. 102-40 Highfield Park Drive Dartmouth NS B3A 0A3
February 12, 2017

5.2 SUPPORT FOR LICENSING
The main reasons cited to support residential licensing of rental properties were as follows:
• Will create a database recording critical features of rental properties for HRM
administrators, emergency responders, and, within confidentiality restrictions, the public
• Offers a proactive, user pay-based approach to provision of inspection services
• Supports regular inspection to ensure the quality of rental accommodations and adherence to minimum standards
• Creates a convenient mechanism for enforcement through escalating fines leading to revocation of a license for repeated violations
• Creates a regulatory mechanism that does not rely on tenant initiative (recognizing that the imbalance between tenant capacities and resources often constrains their relationships with their landlords)
• Enhances tenant health and safety through preventative inspection to address building code deficiencies and maintenance issues, as well as improving the ability of fire and emergency agencies to respond appropriately and effectively
• Provides a tool to mitigate land use conflicts arising from occupancy and operation of rental accommodations as opposed to the inherent features of the land use. Regulators with HRM are very interested in developing a reliable record of residential occupancy. Fire and Emergency staff, in particular, would highly value reliable information on the number and key features of dwelling units so as to improve their response to calls. The same records would help Planning and Development staff to better regulate occupancy.

Regular inspection would further enhance record-keeping. It would ensure records are up-to date and would add information on condition and hazards lacking from existing occupancy records. It would also provide a device to support regulation by providing reference information needed to assess compliance and a readily invoked penalty (revocation of a license) in the event of violations.
The ability to assess accommodation without reference to the tenant would be valued by many tenants. Tenants and their representatives argue that they are at a disadvantage in the current complaint-driven system. Proactive inspection by qualified municipal authorities would circumvent the inherent inhibitions of tenants who fear that they will lose their accommodation if they “create trouble” for their landlords. A publicly posted record of landlords including complaints filed against them would also help tenants to avoid bad landlords.

I hope this combined with my other article will help you draw your own conclusion about the changes to the M200 bylaw and the introduction of R400 landlord registry.

I want to thank all the HRM councilors who took the time to respond with emails and phone calls. Also to all the landlords and groups who work hard everyday to keep our tenants safe & in well run properties as well as being passionate about positive change for our growing city.

I want to mention my appreciation for the following groups and others who have offered a ton of valuable knowledge based opinions, feedback and hours of time to the various reports I have been reading.

ACORN – Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now
IPOANS – Investment Property Owners Association of Nova Scotia
Dalhousie Student Union
Dalhousie University
Saint Mary’s University
University of King’s College
Students Nova Scotia
Navigator Street Outreach (Halifax)
London, Oshawa, Waterloo and Hamilton, Ontario for the licensing bylaw comparison

Until next time,

Design your landlord experience,

Michael P Currie

Landlord by Design

P.S. you know I can’t end a post without providing an opportunity to buy a copy of one of my books.

If you do not already have them, hop over to Amazon and pick up a copy today.

Landlord by Design 1

Landlord by Design 2

One last thing – photo credit goes to MESSALA CIULLA

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