Unpaid or late rent is a growing problem, according to a Quebec landlord.
“It seems to me that in the last two years it has gotten worse and worse. Since this year, it’s really abusive. »
“I must be, almost, 20, 25% of people who are starting to have difficulty making their payments,” assesses Alexandre Briand.
He believes that the increase in the cost of living has something to do with it.
“It’s starting to get boring. As for me, my payments go through the same: my mortgage goes through, taxes go through, insurance goes through,” he points out, coming out of a hearing at the TAL concerning two files he opened for frequent delays.
Financial stress
“Just a tenant, it’s not that bad in a building, but currently, [dans un bloc], I have three people who always pay late. I’m still lucky since I have several buildings, but you know, if I just had this building, I would have a lot of payments that would go back because I wouldn’t be able to make my payments,” maintains the one which manages 48 apartments.
“It still creates a lot of financial stress.”
For a building that generates $1,000 per month, after making all the payments, the monetary impact can quickly be felt.
“Currently, it’s $1,500 in rent that doesn’t come in. It’s pretty easy to do the math. It costs me $500 out of my pocket every month when someone doesn’t pay,” he gives as an example.
This year alone, he estimates he has visited the TAL eight times, mainly for cases of non-payment or breakage in the units.
“It’s a waste of time and money because right now I’ve just wasted half a day of work coming here,” he said.
Inflation
Another owner met by The newspaper traveled to open a file for a tenant who has not paid his rent for two months.
However, inflation affects owners’ expenses, just as it affects tenants’ wallets, she points out, preferring to remain anonymous given the legalization of her case.
“We do not have a choice… [d’augmenter les loyers]. »
“We’re like everyone else, we have to pay our dues and at some point it’s because we don’t have enough money to pay the fixed costs. It’s still a business, want it, don’t want it. It’s my job. If I don’t increase, well I couldn’t work,” she pleads.
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