Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive. Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period.
Expert Opinion on landlord-tenant disputes is provided by William.
F. (Rick) Watson, a practicing Arbitrator, Industry Consultant and
CyberSpaceCourt Judge. Rick’s website is www.williamfwatson.com
Rick is the author of 'Landlording 101' which is an easy to read
guide to the application of the Residential Tenancy Act of BC. This
$35 guide is recommended for landlords and tenants alike because
it is written by someone who has actually judged these cases and
shows how the rules are really applied. 'Landlording 101' can be
purchased on-line as an 'E-book' by contacting the webmaster or
by contacting Rick directly. To pose a question, file a case in
CyberSpaceCourt, buy the publication, arrange for Rick to speak
at your next event, or to join the mailing list for Rick's newsletter,
e-mail williamfwatson@dccnet.com
or cyberspacecourt@dccnet.com
Rick is the first in his field to provide and broadcast
real time on-line binding arbitration hearings, pay-per-view, on-line
consulting, netmeetings, and educational Teleseminars. In addition
to landlord-tenant disputes Rick arbitrates small claims actions
and civil disputes, labor grievances, wrongful dismissal and workplace
issues.
Q:
My landlord wants me to give her a urine sample, can she deny me tenancy if I do not?
I rent a room in a townhouse suite and for the first month my landlord kept on coming into my room trying to change knobs on furnitures and attempt to change decor around to make the room prettier although I have explicitly stated that I do not mind what already exists and I would prefer if she didn't just knock on my door a few times a day and come in as I want my privacy whether it be studying or sleeping. She constantly disturbed the peace and I eventually talked to her and it went away. I am a busy student so I go in and out of the house as I work too so I am not home a lot. After two months my landlord talked to me and told me she wanted a urine sample because she suspected I was on cocaine although I can assure you I am not, her reasoning was that I was either always in my room or out late and I have a runny nose (I have allergies and it is winter). My landlord is an RCMP officer and I chose to do tenancy with her because I felt it would be a safe environment given her background. But now I feel she is power tripping and overly suspicious of everything because I don't chat with her as I go abouts my day. Before tenancy she requested a criminal background check and I gave her consent to run one on me to not cause any problems as I wanted to live there. But with the recent request of a urine sample, I feel very hurt she would ask this and also my rights have been impeded on. Can she deny me tenancy because I dont give a urine sample? I have nothing to hide as I dont even smoke or drink but I feel a little violated with her request.
All I wanted was a safe and quiet place to live to do my studies but I feel my landlord is making all these issues because she wants me to be her "friend" and not just a tenant as she continually asks me to eat dinner with her and tries to make deep conversation with me.
I moved here from Montreal and a friend of mine went through the entire tenancy agreement with me and her so everything could be set when I moved over. My landlord has cats and she mentioned to my friend that it would be nice if I could help take care of them when she is away as she usually gets a cat sitter. My friend explicitly told her that I have had bad experiences with cats so I may only stay a month if it doesn't work out but it was not too bad and I have been there for two months although I dont interact with them. She mentioned to me that she only gave me tenancy on the condition that I take care of her cats when she is gone although that is never written on the tenancy agreement nor did my friend agree to it as she knows of my experience of cats and she still gave me tenancy. I fear she will use that reason to make me loose my tenancy as I wont give her a urine sample. Please help, I really dont know what to do.
A:
I do get letters from cranks now and again but the question about a urine sample is so preposterous I have to believe it is true. Lord knows I've heard and seen some weird things in this business, so I can't really discount anything out of hand.
The only landlord I can think of that might have the authority to demand a urine sample from one of its tenants is the Canadian Penitentiary Service, and I think they'd have trouble. You suggest that your rights might be being trampled on, and I agree with that assessment. My advice? You can play it three ways: 1) insist that your landlord come up with the written authority that gives her the right to request a urine sample; 2) phone up the Human Rights people and ask them how to proceed with a complaint against your landlord, then do so; 3) inform your landlord that you won't be providing a urine sample just now, but you'll be saving up a week and a half of stool samples that you'll be delighted to watch her sort through without the benefit of gloves or a mask. Tell your landlord to have a look at the RTB information on unconscionable terms and then tell her to take a hike.
As for the cats? Ask your landlord which authority she is relying on to make the looking after of the landlords' cats a material term of any tenancy agreement.
