In Montreal, journalist Louis-Philippe Messier travels mostly by running, his office in his backpack, on the lookout for fascinating subjects and people. He talks to everyone and is interested in all walks of life in this urban chronicle.
Not all owners made it through the long weekend of the 1stis July at the chalet, leaving the task of moving to their tenants.
Some help organize the day, visit apartments during the upheaval and are available in case of emergencies.
“The owner is the only one who can act as a link between those who arrive and those who leave and it is to his advantage to ensure that the transition goes well,” summarizes Éric Sansoucy, who is going to show me a large 4 1/2 apartment (at $1450 per month all inclusive) in the middle of changing tenants.
Mr. Sansoucy does not really have a choice but to be an exemplary owner. He is the new president of the Corporation de propriétaires immobiliers du Québec (CORPIQ).
As this organization is advocating this year an increased social role for the “owner”, it seemed relevant to me to see on Monday how its president himself is going about it!
Avoiding drama
A small possible drama upon our arrival at the building on Wurtele Street. A mattress delivery man is twiddling his thumbs and getting impatient while waiting for his customers (the new tenants), who are late.
Mr. Sansoucy calms the man down and convinces him to wait. It would have been crazy if this delivery man had left angry with his cargo and the newcomers had found themselves without a bed for their first night!
“That’s why you have to be on the ground: there are a lot of unforeseen events and possible conflicts or misunderstandings that a conciliatory owner can avoid,” reasons Mr. Sansoucy.
Avoid wasting arm grease
In the apartment, the four main household appliances are still there. Because Sugam, the new arrival, bought everything from the previous occupant for $400.
“A landlord should always survey his tenants to see what one wants to sell and what the other might want to buy, because the less inventory you have to carry, the less hassle it is!”
The previous occupants of the apartment may have had herculean strength because some of the doors were torn off…
«The 1is July, a landlord must assure the new tenant that anything that needs to be repaired will be repaired promptly. Otherwise, things are off to a bad start. For me, after urgent repairs, I ask them to note down what bothers them during the first three weeks and to let me know.”
At another address in the middle of Mr. Sansoucy’s move on Boulevard Saint-Michel, a departing tenant grouped his remaining belongings in the same room in order to free up the others for the new tenant…
Will this crossroads of moves cause complications on the narrow staircase? Let’s hope not.
A tenant who has not finished leaving before the other arrives concentrates his belongings in the same room.
Photo Louis-Philippe Messier
“I want to humanize the job of the owner, which is to provide a roof over people’s heads and to be understanding and collaborative,” Mr. Sansoucy tells me again.
We hope that these fine words from the president will not be just hot air because the “housing crisis” does not seem to be about to be resolved.
If CORPIQ could encourage more owners to be more active in organizing moves in their buildings, it couldn’t hurt!
Eric Sansoucy is a landlord several times over and, since he is involved in facilitating the moves of his tenants, July 1st is one of his big days of the year.
Photo Louis-Philippe Messier
