Editor, The News:
Re: Quiet on council, The News, March 14: Nothing makes my blood boil more than an irresponsible landlord/manager, yet it continues to be a huge problem no matter where you live.
I moved to Maple Ridge from Kamloops last June and here it is in black and white in the community paper.
Coun. Al Hogarth who professes a “poor me, it’s not my job” attitude has, in his charge, the expectation that he take action to fix a clearly difficult situation. As an advocate assisting tenants over the past several years, I find his attitude totally unacceptable.
If in fact, Coun. Hogarth only has a duty to serve the “legal tenant,” his job of conducting business is lacking.
If I were the legal tenant, I’d be getting my claim together for residential tenancy arbitration and teach Hogarth and the owner they have a financial investment that they can and, quite frankly, should lose.
He and the owner make money from the property …it’s simple … no property, no money. Done.
If it means using the civil forfeiture law – use it.
This is not personal. Coun. Hogarth may be a nice guy with poor judgment.
He collects a fee without doing the job. How is he spending your tax dollars?
Come on Hogarth, what about Section 28 of the Residential Tenancy Act, privacy, the right to quiet enjoyment (for those legal tenants), use of common areas for reasonable and lawful purposes, free from interference?
As for not going to the property to inspect monthly as provided under Section 29 of the act, give 24-hour notice and inspect monthly – shame on you.
Have you tried to truly clean up our neighbourhoods? If this property reflects your standards, lord help us.
Teal Quin
Legislative Poverty Awareness and Advocacy