Greed, as ancient as the Olympics itself is showing promise in Vancouver as the first gold event .
Activists and the public accuse some lower mainland landlords of profiting on the 2010 Olympics by turfing tenants for easy money.
Tenants have little recourse when leases end and renewals are not forthcoming, at least during the Olympics. In the meantime, what is deemed the best place to live on earth, beautiful, wonderful all natural British Columbia doesn't seem so beautiful or natural to the displaced.
A landlord who decides to evict a tenant for the short term during the 2010 Olympics and does not declare this easy money to the taxman may be in for a surprise when Karma makes an appearance.
Karma has a way of finding those who do others wrong, in this case perhaps Karma may be the taxman at Revenue Canada, scanning Craigslist and other media, making copious notes of those advertising their homes for rent.
Landlord's who feel making a retirement nest egg on the backs of tenants is good business sense, nothing personal. Certainly landlord's will be flipping a coin when blinded by easy money and not bother to background check those renting their home.
It has been foretold in the national media that criminal organizations from all over the world will be attracted to easy money as well during the Olympics, with all criminal elements looking for accommodation in which to set up shop. The public need drugs, loan sharks, prostitutes, gaming houses etc. Rented accommodations pose little financial risk to criminals who operate on fear and flight, with a suitcase full of cash. If the house is seized by law enforcement, the landlord's ignorance of the law will not get their house back, at least without paying a hefty fine.
Revenue Canada, Banks and Insurance companies on the other hand may take it personal when it does not get it's pound of flesh from undeclared income or change of use (if damages, result in insurance claims) is not declared beforehand. After all, its nothing personal, just good business sense.
Though there is no law telling a landlord what he can and cannot do, the human equation should be considered when turfing out a tenant for a quick jackpot.
After the Olympics have passed, it will be interesting to watch for hardluck stories of ignorance by landlords to the media. Landlord's who once professed savy business acumen, plead ignorance of business law before an unsympathetic court, bank, insurance company or taxman as they themselves may end up in a lawsuit, homeless, bankrupt or in dire financial straits when greed takes Olympic gold.
Comments
Hey Barry, up your impact by punctuating more effectively. When you're talking about two landlords, don't use an apostrophe. When you're talking about a landlord's possessions, do. When talking about something a landlord IS, again: do.
Here's a trick: Every time you're tempted to use an apostrophe, change the word to "xxx is" and see if it makes sense. "Landlord is who once professed..." Nope.
Then ask yourself what it is the landlord owns. "The landlord's object who once professed..." Nope.
Then ask if there are two of them. "Any and all landlords who once professed..." Yup. So don't use the apostrophe. It'll make you look bad.
Keep upp the gud werk,
Much appreciated Yukon, Thanks
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