Rant: Landlord wants to start charging extra $ for running an A/C unit.

[millak]

So! I have a great apartment and the rent is pretty reasonable. We have heat in the winter but no A/C in the summer. There is a basement unit, main floor unit ( where i live!) and an upstairs unit. In a detached house.

The lease says nothing about A/C at all, so when the summer heat hit last year I decided to hook up my energy star rated A/C unit in the front window.

The girl upstairs also put an older A/C unit in her window as well. LL had no problems with this at all and did not say anything.

My LL is kind of...unpredictable and his accent is so thick i can only understand about 1/2 of our conversation most of the time. So ! He has already b*tched about how when we moved in the Hydro went up ( Ironically we moved in last year when EVERYBODY'S hydro bill started going up because of the stupid changes they made. ) since WE moved in. And I thought how can you blame ME when there are over 6 people living in this apartment? And people constantly moving in and out upstairs! But this summer he said something about how

"This summer he's going to have to start charging extra for the Air conditioner because its going to cost him so much"

NOW! The people who moved in upstairs are using the girls old crummy A/C unit upstairs, and I fear that since its so much older it IS going to cost alot in hydro. Then he's going to blame ME because my AC is more noticeable? and he likes blaming me! And i don't want to pay more in rent obviously!

So it is legal for him to make us
A) pay extra for AC or
B) make our rent more for having an AC
especially if it says nothing in the lease about it?
Y/N/MAYBE SO?

[c_mcarthur]

Ive lived in my small apartment for just over 2 years now.
When we got the lease it did indicate that in the summer time we can choose to hook up our AC but it will cost an extra $40 a month for hydro.

So not sure if they can charge u unless it's stated in the lease you signed.

[Ciel]

So each unit does not have separate hydro meters?
What does the lease say about utilities? Running an a/c would fall under hydro so do you pay hydro or does the landlord?
http://www.ontariotenants.ca/law/law.phtml
Look at the questions about How often landlord can raise rent and How much. Be informed so when you get another rant from landlord, you can indicate the process if the landlord just wants to collect the dough without due diligence/process.

[lecale]

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[anisa]

if it is a unit purchased by the tenant, can they still increase the rent?

i would be interested in seeing what the landlord tenant act says about this.

i think the landlord would not be allowed to increase the rent.

if he does increase the rent, he must give you a notice before, in writing. there is a minimum period.

you can contest it with the landlord adn tenant board.

my hunch says the board will deny the increase based on the AC, but then i haven't faced this specific issue with them.

if it isn't in the lease, i have a feeling the landlord has no basis for an increase.

check out the Act, google it. it is an easy read. as a tenant you should be familiiar with it anyhow

[lecale]

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[gourmetsue]

the last two years we lived in our apartment they added a $35 and $40 a month surcharge for June - August for those who wanted an air conditioner in the window.

[CheriBomb]

Don't they still have to give notice in writing of the increase though?

4. Changes in Rent on Agreement to Change Prescribed Services etc [Act s.123, 125]

(b) Listed Services, Facilities, Privileges, Accomodations or Things

As noted above, where both landlord and tenant agree to the service change, the rent "may" be increased (ie. at the landlord's option) where a service is added - and "shall" be decreased (ie. mandatory) where a service is removed. These provision apply with respect any of the following "services, facilities or privileges" [Act s.123(1), s.125; Reg 16(1)]:

a parking space;
cable television;
satellite television;
an air conditioner;
extra electricity for an air conditioner;
extra electricity for a washer or dryer in the rental unit;
blockheater plug-ins;
lockers or other storage space;
heat;
electricity;
water or sewage services, excluding capital work;
floor space;
property taxes with respect to a site for a mobile home or a land lease home.

http://www.isthatlegal.ca/index.php?...nt_law_ontario

[probiolady]

I think having an additional pay due to AC is really standard procedure to all house for rent. Good thing the price you pay for the rent is reasonable. Our is a bit pricey I think.

[lecale]

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[anisa]

oh bummer!

[lecale]

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[millak]

thanks so much for all the responses! to be honest its not too big of a deal so if he asks i'll probably just pay him instead of starting a riot. Just wanted to get some advice!

[matrix82]

Just make sure the rental increase is just for the months that the air conditioner is in use, get that in writing what the increase will be and for what time period, ie June-September etc.

[Slaney]

I assume Ontario as a Rentalsman??? You should give them a call. I know in Saskatchewan they have to give notice to increase rent & they can't just make you pay extra for random things like this. Also all apartments here have to have thier own power, only heat & water get included in rent