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Alberta Landlord PROTECTION MEMBERSHIP Is Now Available!

Tuesday, March 5th, 2019

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With The Challenges Alberta Landlords Are Facing These Days We Have Created A New Level Of Membership

Become A Success Member And Get Tools and Services To Help You Succeed All For A One-Time Fee

Several recent posts in the Alberta Landlords Private Member Forum have shocked landlords and made it clear that we face major challenges these days.

Landlords are facing big problems from midnight move-outs to tenants smoking marijuana in our units to bias against landlords at the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service.

It wasn’t long ago that we had a low vacancy rate, huge net migration into our province and lots of great tenants to choose from. It also wasn’t that long ago the the Mayor of Calgary accused us of “gouging tenants” (and  ALA members had to explain we were only protecting our rental businesses at that time.)

Lease Breaking, Midnight Move-Outs And Big Damages Left Behind

In the Alberta Private Member Forum a Calgary landlord asked for help dealing with renter who gave the impression of being decent and reasonable when she moved in. 

A few months later rent wasn’t paid and the landlord eventually found she had moved out and broke the lease. Not only that, but the property was damaged and a mess that would cost at least $10,000 to repair and get back to tip-top shape for re-renting.

Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service Isn’t Fair and Protects Bad Renters.

Another landlord based in Edmonton wrote about his experience at the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS). He thought it was fair and filed after his tenants didn’t pay rent and broke a fixed term lease.

He was very careful and it was clear the tenant broke the rules and the landlord expected justice. Instead he found the whole system was in favour of the tenant and they treated him like dirt.

In fact, we have had many landlords say the same thing: the RTDRS has changed and is not fair. One landlord called the RTDRS the “Bad Renter Protection Machine” and “Not a Fair System!”

Lots of Great Renters Out There, But We Need To Be Super Careful!

Landlords across the province know there are a lot of great renters out there. These are people who pay the rent on time and respect you and the rental property. They follow the rules and treat the rental like it’s their own home. When you rent to these types of tenants being a landlord is a nice and often profitable experience.

We also know that good economic times will come again so it’s vital we get through these more challenging times.

Alberta Landlord PROTECTION MEMBERSHIP

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In these troubling times our ALA team put our heads together to find the best way we could help our Alberta landlord community. We’re all landlords too and we know what is needed and know we are all on a tight budget.

With all these new challenges our Alberta landlord team has come up with PROTECTION Membership to help landlords succeed. 

For only an affordable one-time registration fee (no yearly fee) Alberta landlords get access to a ton of amazing tools and services that can’t be beat!

Rental Kit Library

Get all the documents you need to succeed via your own online library you can access 24/7.

Access to the Forums, Including the Private Members Forum (for verified landlords only)

Network with experienced and successful Alberta landlords and property manager to you and your rental business succeed. Only verified landlords get access to our private members forum. This means you are networking and getting help from others who ‘have skin in the game’ like you do!

Discounted Credit Checks

Get huge discounts on credit checks. We have partnered with the industry leader RENT CHECK. Unlike some other credit check companies, RENT CHECK Equfaix credit checks will protect you from potential privacy rights and human rights complaints. With over 40 years in the industry RENT CHECK is the best credit check company for landlords. 

Tenant Friendly Credit Checks (With RISK SCORES from Transunion)

These are credit checks where the tenants don’t have to give you any of their personal information. Instead it all goes to TRITON who then provides it to you. It makes tenant applicants feel safe and it’s every easy to get them to pay for the credit check (and save you money!)

Criminal Checks

Times are changing and many experienced and successful Alberta landlords are making that ‘last criminal check’ on an applicant they want to rent to. And now as member you get a HUGE discount to make sure you ad your property are protected.

Insurance

Get Access to one of the est rental insurance packages in Canada. Also covers student rentals. You also get a big discount as a member

Property Management Software

Get a discount on premium property management software to help you get control of your rental business.

Become a Landlord PROTECTION MEMBER and get the tools and services you need need to succeed! All for a low one-time fee that helps us cover our costs…that’s right ONE TIME FEE!

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Posted in Alberta Evictions, Alberta landlords forum, Calgary landlords, Credit Checks, criminal checks, edmonton landlords | Comments Off on Alberta Landlord PROTECTION MEMBERSHIP Is Now Available!

The Alberta Landlord Diaries

Sunday, September 2nd, 2018

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Alberta Landlord With A Kind Heart Got Burned And Wants To Warn Others To Be Kind, But Watch Out!

Several recent posts in the Alberta Landlords Association site have shocked landlords and made it clear that we face major challenges these days. We asked landlords across the province to write in and share some of their stories.

The goal is not only to create a way for landlords to get things off their chest and release their stress, but also to help others learn (and the same fate).

An Edmonton landlord wrote in:

“Really Convincing People With a Good Story Became Renters From Hell”

Really want to let everyone know the dangers of being nice and trying to help people. Don’t get me wrong, for sure there are really decent people down on their luck who will be great tenants.

The problem is if these people are liars or even if they are good people who “turn” you can be stuck with thousands of dollars in lost rent and even more in damages.

My property was one I invested in and was decently priced because it needed a lot of work.  The area was good close to transportation, schools, shopping and I put in $40,000 dollars to make it really attractive. 

Where did this money come from? Well, we maxed our our RBC and Scotia and MBNA credit cards with bank transfers to come up with the money as we are sure as heck not rich.

When we finally got the place done we advertised it and had some replies but not nearly as many as we hoped. Our place was nice and the rent was reasonable, but the economy isn’t that great so we waited weeks until we had even a few applicants.

One of the people who came was a young couple who had moved here from the East Coast. When they came they really praised the property and said “it was the best one they saw.”

She explained she had her first child at 20 and divorced at 22. She was a single mum for until she met her boyfriend and they came to Alberta to start their new life and eventually get married and buy their own home here.

“Applicant Reminded Me Of Myself During My Hard Times and It Really Hit Home”

Her background really hit home as a former single mum myself. Yes, that hot guy in high school who bathed me in romance turned into a dummy who didn’t give a crap our our daughter.

After years of hard work, education, new job, savings, part time jobs I eventually managed to pull myself up and find a great guy who shared my goals and ambitions.

When I asked them I would need references and a credit check she said one of the reasons they moved is because they faced ‘black mold’ in their last place and the landlord did nothing so they had no reference. She explained the move from Nova Scotia cost them a lot and they had a bad credit score.

As someone who faced similar challenges in my life I believed her and my heart really wanted to help her like others helped me when I was struggling. And they were such a nice couple and loved the property so I rented to them.

Since they were so sincere they paid first month rent and told me they would pay a 3 month deposit once they moved and were on a more solid financial footing.

I rented to them with a one year lease. Not only was I happy to finally rent out the property to cover my mortgage, I was also happy to help a young couple who reminded me of my difficult situation years before.

I Felt Great With This Win-Win Situation

I really felt…great! Like a win-win situation. I was covering my mortgage, and also helping this couple and their child. It felt good The renters moved in and all was well. I was now a new landlord with paying tenants.

Then, and the end of the month she left a message for me saying there were mice. She said the mice were coming at night and accused me of “not disclosing this” from Day 1.

I came and didn’t see anything and she said because they come at night she needed a professional to come to protect her child. I agreed and booked a guy to come after the 1st (rent not paid). 

The exterminator came on the 5th and said he didn’t see anything. I told her about this and she said the exterminator was not professional and she would need a “true professional” otherwise she would report my property to the city. I was stressed about this and wanted to fix it and got another exterminator to come on the 7th. He reported no problems. 

She said the mice only come and night and even texted me a picture of a mouse. She said “let’s give this some time and if it continues we will move out to protect our family!” I agreed and told her to let me know.

Mice And Now Mold (So Who Caused The Mold?)

A couple weeks went by and rent was due again (after they didn’t pay last month).  She said not only was the mice issue “a frigging nightmare” but there was mold in the shower and she was scared this would cause her “child to die!” I took this very seriously and hired a mold guy to measure the air quality.

We booked an appointment but she said she was going work and she demanded to be there in person to ensure they were professional as her child’s safety was at risk.

The next first of the month came and she told me she would move unless the air quality/mold person came and assured her and her boyfriend the property was truly safe. The next month rent was due I texted her and she said she still felt unsafe. I tried to be reasonable but said they had not paid rent for 3 months.

So Now I’m a Slumlord (Me? Shocked!)

Her reply was to accuse me of renting a horrible house and being a slumlord and to “not contact her until the safety issues were resolved.

Another month went by and no payment. I texted her and said if she didn’t pay I would have to evict her. She said she was still waiting for me to fix the mice and mold issues and it was illegal for me to harass her.

I was told if you come here the cops will be called on you for harassment when we only want a safe place to live with our child.

I was scared and waited until the next month and it didn’t come in. I went to check out the property and saw no one was there.  After looking in the windows there was almost nothing there but trash, wood, papers, and the walls looked weird. I went in and saw the place was abandoned.

There was no way anyone was living here. And the condition of the property was shocking.

Property Trashed!

The carpets were destroyed. The walls had scratched and huge dents like people were partying and throwing things. The whole place stank like marijuana and the new appliances I bought were not only filthy but damaged. The fridge door didn’t close, the stove was soaked in grease with the burners not working.

I Got Burned Because I was Too Trusting

Where did I go wrong?I guess it was because the renter reminded me of myself. It wasn’t too long ago when it was hard for me to pay the bills and those who gave me a break and trusted me were so appreciated.

What Lessons Did I Learn?

Being a landlord is a business. Like like if you own a restaurant, or a contracting company or whatever. You can’t let personal feelings get i the way of good business sense.

Screen Your Potential Renters Carefully…and Coldly…Like Mr. Spock!

You really have to take your heart out of it. Now I’m an Alberta Landlords Association member and one older landlord told me:

“Did you ever watch the old Star Trek. Not the crappy new movies but the classic shows with Kirk, Spock, Bones, Scotty, etc. You have to be like Mr. Spock. This might sound corny, but it’s a good reminder to keep emotion out of your decision making and be cold as ice.”

No emotion and base your decisions on things like credit checks, criminal checks and the cold hard facts.

If Issues Come Up Deal With It Fast And Get Help From Experienced Landlords

When this was going on I felt I had no where to ask for help. Now I know I’m not alone and have a big support network.

This Won’t Make Me Give Up

There are really a lot of great landlords all across Canada who are so supportive and warm at the Alberta Landlords Forum. They told me there was no need to take this “personally” (which I did!) and this often happens to new landlords.

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Share your stories by emailing us as landlordtenantsolutions@groupmail.com or posting on the Alberta landlords forum.

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Posted in Alberta Evictions, Alberta landlord forum, Alberta Landlords, midnight move-outs, Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service | Comments Off on The Alberta Landlord Diaries

The Alberta Landlord Knowledge Vault

Thursday, October 12th, 2017

Alberta landlord knowledge vault

Get Real World “In the Trenches” Advice From Experienced and Successful Alberta Landlords & Property Managers

Experienced and successful Alberta landlords know there are a lot of great renters out there. For years Alberta has been a place hard-working people from across Canada want to come to.

Even with the recent economic downturn people see Alberta as the ideal place to find a job, start a business, put down roots, start a family, and invest in the future.

What Makes A Great Renter?

Long time landlords know the key to being a successful Alberta landlord is finding good renters. These are people who pay their rent on time, take care of the rental property, and respect their landlord and other renters (if it’s a multi-unit rental).

An Edmonton landlord wrote about her great tenants saying:

“They are a couple who moved here from Nova Scotia and found work. They keep the property clean, pay the rent with post-dated cheques and are just wonderful people.” 

A Calgary landlord who rents his basement wrote:

“There are still good renters out there if you have an attractive place at the right price. I rent to a younger guy who is working two jobs now and also studying at night! He says his goal is to land a good job and be a landlord himself one day!”

Be Careful Because Bad Renters Are Out There Too!

A recent story on the CBC news site is about a landlord named Jennifer Leeming who owns a rental property in Calgary. 

Jennifer did all the right things. She had a bright and spacious rental property on the market and had the best intentions to be a super landlord and rent out her beautiful rental property. It sounds so simple, right? A caring landlord with a wonderful rental property just waiting for good renters. It should be so simple…but it isn’t!

Dedicated, caring single mom landlord tried to help her renters out, and in return they destroyed her rental property

Tenants From Hell

Jennifer ended up with “Tenants from Hell” who played the system and ended up costing her huge financial losses.When the renters asked for a break this landlord tried to accommodate them and work something out. This was a big mistake as it only led to more damages to the rental unit, more non-paid rent, and bigger problems.

The new flooring was treated like an ashtray.  The renters didn’t even have the common courtesy to buy an ashtray at the dollar or go outside to smoke.

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There were many holes in the drywall all over the property. And the stair railings were ripped out making it dangerous to go up and down the stairs.

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The nicely renovated bathrooms were destroyed.

These “Tenant From Hell” caused tens of thousands of dollars in damages!

Just Follow the System, Right?

Wrong.  Look what happened.

When Jennifer started the eviction process the renters challenged her and said: “I’M NOT MOVING UNTIL YOU PROVIDE A COURT DOCUMENT! “ Unfortunately this type of rude and aggressive behaviour is common with bad tenants who are going to rip you off.

Tenants Finally Left…Then Vanished Without Paying a Cent

And when Jennifer used the RTDRS and got them out what happened? She got paid by the tenants for the amount the RTDRS ordered right? Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way.

After she served the tenants, they did a midnight run and took off to Saskatchewan. They did all the damages and it will be basically impossible to ever to recover her losses from these “Tenants From Hell”.

Dealing With Alberta Tenant Challenges

When you rent to tenants you need to be aware of the system and the rules. The old saying “Knowledge is Power” really applies to being a landlord in Alberta these days.

And as Jennifer found out, just going through the system often isn’t enough and leads to huge headaches, drawn out evictions, and even bigger financial losses. 

According to landlord Jennifer:

“I feel it’s so unfair. I’ve worked my entire life to provide for my family and my child’s future and people have come along and taken that all away and that’s just so wrong”

Alberta Landlord Knowledge Vault

In order to help Alberta landlords succeed we asked experienced and successful landlords and property managers to come up with tips and strategies to help small residential landlords succeed.

Don’t Be a Victim of Bad Tenants

It’s more important than every before to learn tips and strategies to make sure your rental business is successful. The harsh reality is there are lots of bad renters out there and they can cost you thousands of dollars and months of headaches and heartaches.

Successful Alberta Landlords

There are a lot of great tenants out there. And there are also a lot of potential “Tenants From Hell”. With the Alberta Landlord Vault you can get the tips and strategies you need to succeed.

The Alberta Landlord Knowledge Vault

Alberta landlord knowledge vault

We asked some of the most experienced landlords and property managers to put together a vault of answers to help other landlords succeed.

And they came through big time – and we put their knowledge together in a professionally recorded audio CD that helps you through all the steps to running a successful and profitable rental business, in good economic times or bad.

Here are some of the issues answered in the Alberta Landlord Knowledge Vault to help you succeed as a landlord in Alberta.

What you get is a “start” to “finish” guide to becoming a successful Alberta landlord and how to deal with situations fast and effectively before they become like cancer and grow. No marketing hype, only real work “in the trenches” advice to help small landlords succeed.

Questions and discussion includes the following:

What really are the best ways to prepare my rental to attract the best renters out there looking for a place?

How can I convince the best tenants to rent from me over other landlords? How do successful landlords do this?

Do I need to get any type of special insurance for my rental to protect myself and my financial future?

What are good potential renters really looking for these days and how can I make my rental property special?

Is it a good idea to pay for a property manager or manage things myself?

I hear stories about some bad property managers out there! How do you choose the best property manager?

Is it a good idea to hire a real estate agent to rent out my property?

How do you set the best rental prices for your rental to advertise at attract premium tenants?

How do you do expert market research on your local rental market?

How do you ultimately decide how much the rent will be?

How do you pre-screen tenants to not waste time with bringing people you won’t don’t want to see the apartment?

How do experienced landlords really successfully screen tenants who want to rent from you?

How do you set times to show your rental property?

Tenants keep cancelling appointments on me and it’s driving me nuts. How do you fix this?

Do you screen everyone who is going to move in or is that not the way to do it?

Why is asking what renters are currently paying for rent important for me?

How do you avoid applicants who are just playing games and not serious?

How can I make sure the applicants say who they say they are and not playing games?

My applicants want me to explain to them! Do you tell your potential renters how you are screening them?

What’s the best way to verify if they are working or not? I want to avoid renting to scammers!

How do you go into really “in-depth” checking of their employment information and avoiding lying tenants?

How do you screen self-employed applicants to make sure they are financially sound?

How do experienced landlords screen applicants moving to Alberta from other provinces?

How important are personal references for Alberta landlords? How do you know if a reference is fishy or valid?

What do you do if the applicants refuses to give their current landlords information?

What do you do if an applicants refuses to provide their SIN number?

How do you run a credit check on a potential renter to find out the most important information?

How do you read a credit check to determine if you should rent to them or not?

What do you do if their credit history shows late payments?

What do you do if the credit check shows a lot of debt?

What do you do if there is a collection on the renter’s credit report?

What types of credit scores do experienced Alberta landlords demand?

How do you really choose the best tenants to put into your rental?

If you have two really good applicants, what is the real criteria to choose one over the other?

What do you do if the applicants have no credit history but seem like good people?

How do you avoid renting from professional tenants who will cause me to lose thousands of dollars?

How the heck do you notify the person you want to rent to?

Are there any tips or strategies when telling your applicant you will rent to them?

How do you make sure the renters are clear on the rules from day 1 to avoid future problems?

What types of leases do you use?

What’s a period tenancy?

What’s a fixed term lease?

What’s better, a periodic tenancy or a fixed term lease…and why?

What information should I include in my lease to protect myself. I’m looking for the most protection!

Does the lease have to be in writing?

Can I require proof of insurance as a condition of the lease?

Is it okay to say no pets are allowed in the lease?

Can Alberta landlords change a pet fee or not?

What happens at the end of fixed term lease?

Can I charge a security deposit? How does that work in Alberta?

Can I charge a non-refundable pet fee and also charge a security deposit?

Can I deduct money from the security deposit for carpet cleaning, painting, and other damages?

If two tenants are renting my place and one moves out do I have to return half the security deposit?

Do you do an inspection when renters move out?

What happens if the tenant doesn’t show up for the move out inspection?

What do you do if your tenants don’t pay rent?

Can I best do an eviction if the renters don’t pay rent?  I need to get this done fast!

What do you do if the tenant breaks a rule in the lease?

What types of notices are available if your renters are breaking the rules of your lease?

What are the reasons I can use to evict a renter?

If the renters are damaging my rental what can I do?

If tenants are threatening me or other tenants in the building what can I do?

My renters are playing their music super loud so what can I do?

My renters are dealing drugs what can I do? This is a very troubling situation!

The Tenants are leaving garbage all over the place so what do expert landlords do when this happens?

If the tenants refuse to leave at the end of the lease what do you do?

Can my tenants have lots of guests over at all times?

My renters want my contact information. Should I give it to them?

I don’t want to give my personal information for safety reasons but do I have to provide it to tenants?

One group of tenants is complaining other tenants are noisy so what should I do? It becoming a nightmare!

I’m selling my property so do I have to tell my renters?

The new buyer of my rental wants to keep the tenants so how do I handle this?

I live with my tenant and she is nuts and argues with me about everything so what can I do?

How do you fix problems with tenants who live in your house with you?

Can I go to the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service for problems with renters living in my house?

How to you handle renters who want to sublet?

Can I refuse a tenant who wants to sublet my rental property?

How do you reply to a renter who wants to sublet?

My tenant says he wants to assign his apartment so what can I do?

What are legal grounds to refuse a sublet or assignment as I don’t feel comfortable with it?

My tenants did some repairs and now are charging me! Do I have to pay?

The new people I rented to brought in bedbugs so what can I do?

How do you give notice if you are going into the rental to do repairs?

How do you give notice to your tenants to enter the rental property?

Can a contractor enter the rental property without the landlord being present?

My tenant said she doesn’t have to pay rent while I’m doing repairs. Is this true?

How do landlords deal with tenants who are smoking or growing marijuana?

My tenants are fighting over their shared laundry do I have to get involved?

My renters go laid off and want to break the lease so what should I do? 

How do you deal with tenant vs. tenant issues?

Do I have to give my tenants who are moving a recommendation?

My renters got laid off and want to break the lease so what can I do?

My tenants want to change the lease agreement and say I have to, is this true?

The current rent check is NSF what should I do and they didn’t move out! What can I do?

My tenants are rude and aggressive to me. I’m scared and wonder how I should deal with them?

I think I have “Tenants From Hell” and need help!  Renter trashing the unit, cops won’t help, drunk. What should I do?

Alberta Landlord Knowledge Vault – Get Help From Experienced and Successful Alberta Landlords and Property Managers

The Alberta landlord vault is designed to help landlords succeed.  Make sure you run your rental business the right way by knowing your rights and responsibilities and being ready to handle any challenges that might arise in a fast and effective manner.

Knowledge is power and by knowing how the industry works you can take control of your rental business! Get access the The Alberta Landlord Knowledge Vault in the Intermediate Services for a one time fee.

 

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Posted in Alberta Evictions, Alberta Landlords, Alberta Landlords Association Membership, Landlord and Tenant News, Landlord and Tenant Questions and Answers, Landlord credit check, Landlord Help, Landlord legal problems, Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service | Comments Off on The Alberta Landlord Knowledge Vault

Alberta Landlords – You Can Find Good Tenants! Get Premium Credit Checks For Only $10/Check

Sunday, June 22nd, 2014

 Alberta landlords rent to good tenants credit check

Alberta Landlords – You Can Become a Member of the Alberta Landlords Association To Find Great Tenants! Join Up and Get Premium Credit Checks for Only $10 / Check!

JUST A ONE-TIME SET UP FEE TO ACCESS $10 CREDIT CHECKS AND THE  RENTAL KIT!

NO ANNUAL FEES OR HIDDEN COSTS! WE HELP SMALL LANDLORDS!

Experienced Alberta landlords know the secret to being a successful landlord in Alberta is to find great tenants (all the while, not renting to the bad ones out there!)

There is a huge group of good tenants coming to our province and they are looking for good landlords. It’s up to you to make sure you find them and they find you!

So What Do You Mean When You Write Good Tenant?

We believe a good tenant is someone who:

1. Good Tenants Pay Their Rent in a Timely Manner

You are their landlord, not their banker. Tenants need to make sure they pay on time. After all, you have to pay your mortgage on time.

2. Good Tenants Make Paying Rent a Priority

Everyone can have some financial blips. Tenants will make sure they contact you if they have to be a day or two late (and provide you with a good reason they are being late this one time).

3. Good Tenants Show Consideration and Respect Towards Their Landlord

You treat your tenants with consideration and respect and good tenants will do the same thing back to you.

4. Good Tenants Take Care of the Rental Property

You won’t have to worry about finding a huge mess when they move out.

5. Good Tenants Communicate With Their Landlord

Is there some leaking happening? Tenants will make sure you know about it so it can be repaired before it becomes major damage requiring an expensive repair.

Okay, Makes Sense. So What Do You Mean By ‘Bad’ Tenant?”

These are tenants who don’t pay rent and don’t respect the landlord or the rental property.

Unfortunately there are a lot of examples out there. Just take a look at what happened to this honest and hard-working Calgary landlord who got burned by sneaky bad tenants (and ended up costing him over $100,000 in losses and he had to sell his rental!)

Remember, good tenants are out there and you just need to find them.

Can You Help Me To Search for Good Tenants?

Yes! One of the keys to run a credit check on all potential tenants. In fact, you really need to run a credit check to make sure you who you are renting to.

I’m Wondering What Does a Tenant Credit Check Show?

A tenant credit check will provide Alberta landlords with the information you need to know to make sure you are renting to the right person.

What Information Is Included With a Tenant Credit Check?

You will be able to verify a bunch of things your tenants wrote in their application.

For instance, you can check their addresses, employment and financial history.

So What’s The Way To Do A Tenant Credit Check?

It’s now easy and simple for landlords to run credit checks.

For only only a one-time registration fee you can join the Alberta Landlords Association.

Not only do you get great documents and a Private Members forum where you can chat with other landlords, you get access to premium credit checks for only $10 Per Check!

While other associations charge you an annual fee, the Alberta Landlords Association exists only to help landlords and only charges a one-time fee!

Alberta Landlords – Become a Member of the Alberta Landlords Association and Start Running Premium Tenant Credit Checks for Only $10 / Check! It’s the Deal of a Life-time!

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Posted in Alberta Landlords, Credit Checks | Comments Off on Alberta Landlords – You Can Find Good Tenants! Get Premium Credit Checks For Only $10/Check

Alberta Landlords: How to Rent to Good Tenants (and avoid the pros)

Tuesday, February 18th, 2014

 

Join the Alberta Landlords Association and Get Tenant Credit Checks With GARDA for only $12 / check!

Rent to Good Tenants and Avoid the Professional Tenants!

Get amazing and complete information on your potential tenants for an incredible low cost fee!

Alberta landlords know we are in the best province and are happy we have invested in rental properties here.

After all, we have the lowest vacancy rate and the future looks good.

Of course, with so many renters coming to our province there are scamming tenants and schemer tenants out there as well.

They will play games leaving the landlord with thousands of dollars in clean up costs, repairs and owned rent.

How Can Alberta Landlords Make Sure We Rent To Good Tenants?

We often here ‘there is no magic wand.’

However, the Alberta Landlords Association offers something very close to help landlords succeed.

Whether you are a landlord in Edmonton, or in Calgary or in Lethbridge or anywhere in the province GARDA tenant credit checks are essential for landlord success!

Landlords need to be aware that using a friend or relative to do a tenant credit check for you can lead to their Equifax account being closed and the landlord and friend or relative can be subject to a privacy complaint.

GARDA specializes in screening tenants.

GARDA credit checks provide landlords with the most comprehensive and professional tools to make sure you find great tenants and avoid professional tenants.

And this Tenant Credit only costs $12 per check.

What Is GARDA?

GARDA is recognized as the most trusted and leading Canadian owned and operated provider of background screening solutions.

Our services help deliver integrated solutions through highly specialized teams with experience in addressing complex business needs.

The exceptional level of service we provide is unmatched in our industry and our clients can be assured they are receiving the highest quality of service as well as the most innovative and comprehensive solutions in the industry.

Since 1922, Garda has been providing and continues to provide national and international background screening services to major corporations, financial institutions, governments and governmental agencies.

Knowledge is power

Our internal investigation specialists are masters at finding and interpreting the information needed. They will gather all the pertinent information, verify the data and then develop an expert report.

Garda’s background screening solutions provide you with the vital information required to make informed business decisions on the suitability or risk level of a tenant.

Landlord Question:  What Does A GARDA Tenant Credit Check Show Me?

The results provide detailed reports including credit ratings, loans and collections outstanding.

The tenant credit check also includes a verification of the individual identity and employment history

1.         Does a GARDA tenant credit check confirm the tenant’s identity?

Yes, you get complete information confirming it.

For example, the report would show you:

Identification

Name:

DOE, JOHN

Current Address:

123 ANYWHERE ST,

Calgary, Alberta

Date of Birth, SIN:

1966/09/02, 451-333-572

JDOE

2.         Does a GARDA tenant credit check verify their employment?

Yes, you get it confirmed. No more lies, you get it on paper.

Employment (Subject 1) Employment Information:

Current Employer:

T M PET CENTRE

3.         Does a GARDA tenant credit check show past employment?

Yes, you get to see where your potential tenant worked before.

This is important because you can see if they are stable in their work environments.

Since, Left, Position,

Salary:  $XXXXX

05/2001, , Animal Care Technician,

4.         Does a GARDA check show me if they have any judgments against them?

Yes, their checks show judgments and loans.

Filed

Type

Court Name

Court No

Amt

Status

Date

Vrfd

09/2004

Jdgm

BRAMPTON SML CLM CRT

453VC00093

18731

Defendant:

S

Case No:

CV9977007649SR

Plaintiff:

ROYAL BANK OF CDA

 

5.         Does a GARDA tenant credit check who me the tenant’s credit score?

Yes.  You get to see their credit score determining their credit worthiness and showing whether they pay their bills on time.

 CREDIT SCORE:

We have accessed this applicant’s credit report and based on the contents of the report, the credit bureau has assigned a credit Score of 730.

 

Alberta Landlords You Now Have Access To the Nearest Thing to a Magic Wand To Find Good Tenants

Alberta landlords now have a tool to make sure you rent to good tenants.

Take advantage of this opportunity to conduct professional tenant credit checks with an world wide leader for an incredibly low cost!

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Tenant Screening Alberta: Tenant Credit Checks & Tenant Criminal Checks

Friday, November 1st, 2013

November 1st, 2013

Garda LOGO Medium

There are a lot of terrific tenants out there.

These tenants respect your property.

They respect you, the landlord, and appreciate the excellent property you are providing.

Rent is paid on time and any maintenance or other potential challenges are dealt with in a mature and a professional manner.

Being a residential landlord in Alberta can be a smart and profitable business decision.

Landlord Challenges

There can also be challenges. One look at the local newspaper can tell you that. Or watch the evening news.

Unfortunately we have seen more challenges for Alberta landlords in 2013.

What Type of Challenges?

1. This Rental Home is My Embassy

Last month we wrote about a landlady who rented to a tenant who declared the rental property ‘an embassy’ and refused to pay rent.

It took two years for the landlady to finally get her rental property back.

She rented to him on the recommendation of a friend.

She didn’t conduct a tenant credit check or a tenant criminal check.

2. Tenants Leave Racial Slurs and Property Damages

A Calgary landlord was going through the process to evict a couple of tenants for not paying rent.

When they finally were gone they left behind walls painted with racial insults against the landlord and thousands of dollars in damages.

The landlord didn’t didn’t conduct a tenant credit check or a tenant criminal check.

3. The Government Recommends a Tenant Who Trashes the Property

Government social housing recommend a tenant to a Calgary landlord who was holding an open house for his rental property. He accepted the tenant based on the government’s recommendation.

Months later his property was trashed.

The landlord trusted the government and didn’t conduct his own tenant credit check and tenant criminal check.

The Important of Tenant Screening

What is tenant screening?

It’s looking into a potential tenant’s background and discovering who they ‘really’ are.

The three landlords above trusted either what the tenant told them directly or a ‘recommendation’ from a friend or agency.

Tenant Credit Checks and Tenant Criminal Checks

The days of agreeing to hand over the keys on a handshake or a recommendation are over.

Smart landlords know a tenant credit check and a tenant criminal check don’ t lie.

Tenant credit checks will show you the real details on a prospective renter’s financial past.

Do they pay their bills on time? Do they have creditors after them? Do they have a history of bankruptcies?

Tenant Criminal checks will help you see the background of a potential renter to protect not only your property but other tenants who might share the building.

GARDA Back Screening Solutions

The Alberta Landlords Association is proud to cooperate with GARDA Background Screening Solutions.

GARDA is recognized as the most trusted and leading Canadian owned and operated  provider of background screening solutions.

 GARDA Background Screening Solutions can provide you with the vital information that is required to make informed business decisions.

They will provide you with timely and accurate information to make an informed decision on the risk level of any applicant,

Tenant Screening is more important than ever.

Make tenant credit checks and tenant criminal checks part of your tenant screening process.

Become a professional landlord and make sure you find the great tenants out there!

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Calgary Landlord – Freeman Arrested

Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013

October 1, 2013

calgary landlord freeman evicted and charged

Calgary Landlord Finally Gets Back To See Her Rental Property

We wrote about the nightmare Calgary landlord Rebekah Caverhill was going through last week.

The good news is she is finally able to enter her rental property and see what’s been done to it.

After all, she hasn’t been able to get in for two years! It’s a story that has reached every outlet in the media including CBC news.

Background Story

A Calgary rental property which was occupied by a man claiming to be a Freeman-on-the-Land was finally vacated Friday last week.

The landlady, Rebekah Caverhill has finally got a look inside the property on Monday. She said her half-duplex unit along Parkdale was overflowing with trash, Freemen manifestos and old computer pieces.

In November 2011, the property was rented by a 48-year-old Sylvan Lake pensioner who calls himself Andreas Pirelli or Mario Antonacci.

He told Caverhill that he was a handyman and was able to convince her to make some unit improvements worth the three month’s rent in return.

Caverhill soon realized the tenant had swapped the house locks and even gutted the kitchen as well as the bathroom.

The man asserted he was a Freeman-on-the-Land taking the property as his embassy.

From a freemen’s point of view they are “sovereign citizens” who are off the hook of the government’s conspiracies and/or restrictions.

Afterwards Caverhill got an invoice of $26,000 for the work accomplished from the tenant’s private company and a notice of $17,000 lien on the property from the Land Titles Office.

A lien is a form of security arranged over to secure any debt or performance payments.

Caverhill shared her horrible story to the media and she was able to secure a court order to throw out the tenant from her property at the end of the week.

Landlady Finally Gets Her Home Back

On Friday last week, the police apprehended the tenant with the warrants issued in Quebec, where in 2007 he allegedly assaulted a former landlady in Montreal.

The tenant still owes over $10,000 for his rent, but he put additional lien on the property instead of paying the landlady.

The Importance of Tenant Screening

What happened to this landlord could happen to any of us. Unless we do proper tenant screening.

Calgary landlords are talking about this, but we all need to be aware of Freeman and their tactics.

The days of a friend’s recommendation or keys and free rent in exchange for repairs to the unit are over.

Alberta landlords protect your family and your investment.

Make sure you screen your tenants well, including credit checks and criminal checks.

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Calgary Landlord Regains Control Over Her Rental Property At Last

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013

September 25th, 2013

Bad tenants tenant screening freemen

Landlord said “I can’t handle it, I just can’t. I just want him to leave, get out. That’s all I want.

It appears landlord Rebekah Caverhill’s nightmare is finally over. We’ve seen written about bad tenants before but nothing like this case.

According to a report on CTV News, Freemen-on-the-landlord tenant Andrea Pirelli has been order to get out of his duplex apartment by this coming Saturday.

Pirelli was not in court to hear the judgment but he did have a representative there who refused to provide his name or approach the bench.

CTV News tried yet again to get input from Pirelli and a reporter went to the rental home for the second time in two days to talk to him.

Pirelli came to the window and took our photos but refused to speak.

He calls himself a member of the “Freemen on the Land” movement and believes Canada’s laws don’t apply to him. It’s news that reached landlords all over the country.

Background Story

Rebekah Caverhill rented out half of her Calgary duplex to a man who was recommended as a tenant by a friend. He moved in during November of 2011, but only paid her half of the rent they agreed on. And that’s not the worst part.

The tenant claims to be a ‘Freeman-on-the-Land,’ saying the home is an ‘embassy’ and no longer belongs to Caverhill. He went as far as to change the locks, and do renovations which he then charged Caverhill for…resulting in a lien against her home.

More Details

The tenant told her his name is Andreas Pirelli—which is believed to be an alias. There is a video of him on YouTube under the name Mario Antonacci, where he gives a lesson on what a ‘Sovran Unity Nations Embassy’ is.

Freeman-on-the-Land is a growing movement, that could number as many as 30,000 in Canada. It is also in the United States, where the FBI considers the group a domestic terror threat. ‘Freeman,’ or ‘Sovereign Citizens’ believe that law only governs them if they consent to be governed, and believe they live under ‘natural laws.’ This leads them to avoid taxes, mortgages and utility bills among things.

Caverhill says she’s tried to convict Pirelli to no avail, and police referred her to civil courts, saying it was a landlord-tenant dispute. Police are now talking to Crown to determine if any charges can be laid.

“It may have started out as civil, but this is criminal now,” Caverhill complains. “I have a fraudster, someone trying to take my home.”

Service Alberta is now involved in the case, but Caverhill has been told she needs to get a court order to try and force Pirelli out.

Alberta Landlords and Tenant Screening

This is just another example of why landlords in Calgary and all over Alberta need to make sure you screen your renters carefully.

The days of a simple handshake are over.

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Fort McMurray Landlord Faced Nightmare Tenants And No One Helped

Saturday, December 1st, 2012

December 1st, 2012

.

Fort McMurray Landlord Rented Her Basement and Faced a Living Nightmare Tenant.  Seeking Help, The Government Came Up Empty

I Thought Fort McMurray Was a Landlords’ Paradise

I wouldn’t go that far but Fort Mcmurray is known to have the highest rental prices in the entire province of Alberta. With such high prices, a lot of people rent rooms or a basement to save up money to afford their own home in the future.

And lots of people who own homes decide to rent out a part of their home to earn an income.

It All Sounds Good

Except Fort McMurray is not immune from bad tenants. In fact, no one in Alberta is immune these days.

What Happened?

One Fort McMurray landlord faced such a bad situation she now asks to remain anonymous so the ex-tenant doesn’t try to retaliate.

What are the Details?

A homeowner wanted to make a secondary income so rented out her basement unit to what she thought was a nice family.

And…

After they moved in the landlord smelled an odour coming from her basement. When she opened the door leading to the basement unit she was blasted with odours that smelled like urine.

Urine? Yuck!

She looks at the stairs leading to the basement unit and saw strange stains on all the steps. She asked the tenants what it was and they lied, saying it was already there before they moved in. This was a big mistake on her part, as this was the time to evict these horrible tenants.

So the Landlord Went Down the Stairs…

She went downstairs and was shocked.

First, there was a huge amount of garbage on the stairs that she had to maneuver around. Once she finally managed to get to the basement rental unit she saw even more garbage.

“The amount of garbage in the basement was crazy! Food, old clothes, tampons, Q-tips…and what was left in the bathroom is unmentionable.” 

What Did She Do Next?

The landlord gave the tenants a notice for there eviction.

She also contacted Alberta Health Services to assist in cleaning up the dangerous mess downstairs.

Did Alberta Health Services Help?

No, not at all. They said they couldn’t help. So she called the police.

Did the Police Help?

She says the police told her landlord and tenant issues are civil matter and tenants have rights too.

Who In the Government Helped Her Deal With These Tenants From Hell?

The landlord says is was incredibly frustrating because no one in the government would do anything to help her.  She didn’t receive any assistance from:

– The Police

– Animal Control

– Victim Services

– Environmental health

No help at all. Nothing. This happens across the country.

What’s the Status of the Landlord and Her Rental Property Now?

The tenants moved out. Now the landlord will have to try to go to small claims court to attempt recover her losses. It’s a long and complicated process.

She is now having her basement rental inspected and will try to get it cleaned and back to where it was before her Tenants from Hell.

She asks: “What about my family? What about my son?” She suspects if her tenant had called the government for help, they would have done something to help.

The government often acts when tenants complain.

How Expensive Are the Damages?

At least $20,000. Plus the time and energy needed to clean up her trashed rental unit.

 

All This Could Have Been Prevented With Proper Tenant Screening, Including a Credit Check. Don’t Make This Landlord’s Mistake. Be Careful Who You Rent To.

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Alberta Landlords – Find Great Tenants With Credit Checks From Equifax

Saturday, October 27th, 2012

October 26th, 2012

For Only $10 Per Credit Check, Alberta Landlords Can Feel Secure In Finding Great Tenants!

What’s the key to success as a landlord in Alberta?  Finding great tenants!

How Can I Find Great Tenants?

The key is to pre-screen potential renters.  This way you not only can find great tenants, you can avoid the Pro’s.

The “Pro’s”?

Yes. You can avoid predatory tenants who will not pay rent, will damage your property, and won’t follow the law.

Do These Types of Tenants Really Exist?

Yes. Take a look at what happened to this Edmonton landlord when her tenants turned her rental property into a huge dump and then vanished.

 Horrible. And What Happens If you Rent to a Pro Tenant?

Once a pro tenant gets the key and possession of your property, they have a lot of legal rights and it can be a real long haul to get them out.  Take a look at what Calgary landlords who are fed up with the system have to say.

These types of pro tenants can happen anywhere, no matter where you are.

I Want to Avoid Pro Tenants!

With proper tenant screening you can do this.

How Do Credit Reports Help Landlords?

A credit report can help a landlord find out a lot of information about a potential tenant.

For example

– IS THIS POTENTIAL TENANT REALLY WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE?

– DOES THIS POTENTIAL TENANT HAVE A HISTORY OF BEING FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE?

– CAN THIS POTENTIAL TENANT AFFORD TO RENT MY PROPERTY?

– HAS THIS POTENTIAL TENANT RIPPED ANYONE OFF?

-DO THEY HAVE ANY COLLECTION AGENCIES OR JUDGMENTS AGAINST THEM?

-HAVE THEY BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY?

A credit check can answer these questions and more and take the mystery out of tenant screening.

Each report can help you answer these questions and give you the information you need to make an informed decision.

How Can I Do a Credit Check?

The Alberta Landlords Association (ALA) is proud to be a partner with one of the world’s premier financial companies, Equifax!  Make sure you conduct proper screening so you can find great tenants avoid needing help to deal with the pros.

Alberta Landlords Association members can have Equifax be your partner for tenant screening.  Members can get Equifax credit checks for only $10 per check from your home or office computer!

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Landlords Protect Yourself From Pro Tenants and Find Great Tenants. Join the ALA and Have Equifax Become Your Partner for Success in Doing Premium Tenant Screening With Credit Checks for only $10 per Check!

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