Housing

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

Actually, many students are required by the landlord to hold a full 12 month lease. If they are not there in the summer, some do choose to sublet. They may go home for the summer, do a work or internship placement elsewhere etc - but are still having to pay rent on the place while they are away. I don't think it's a "scummy thing" as you suggest.

I'm saying its scummy when they charge a lot more than it's worth - sometimes double or more, plus half month deposit. Their costs of renting it are being covered so they are not losing out, AND at least they are giving some person a place to live for a short time. But I think if someone has their costs where they are going to covered, or even if they have to pay their own way...their sub-leasees should not be paying for their expenses elsewhere. That's opportunistic.


We don't like our governments - our Mike Duffys and Trudeaus doing it with our hard earned tax dollars - why do we think it's ok to do it to each other?

 

[BetteTheRed]

I rent out a large bed sitting room, with an ensuite bathroom and a kitchenette. It's in the basement, was built/designed for me, actually, when I moved into my mother's home to look after her. It's not 'legal', but not 'illegal', either. It's not a legal duplex, but since there are no locks on any doors, my tenant is considered a boarder, although they'd never come upstairs and I would never walk into their unit uninvited. I rent it at what I choose to charge (my goal is mainly to cover my property tax bill and maybe their actual utility use), but it's usually quite a bit under market rent for what is largely a self-contained apartment with free laundry facilities. I've usually tried to rent according to perceived need, which has burned me a couple of times (ruined flooring, holes in drywall). Tenant right now is a late middle-aged woman, with whom I work, who lost her housing in a relationship break-up. The stairs are crappy for her bad knee; other than that, she seems happy.

 

[ChemGal]

Communes?

Haha I guess, although that's the minority.

 

[ChemGal]

I'm saying its scummy when they charge a lot more than it's worth - sometimes double or more, plus half month deposit. Their costs of renting it are being covered so they are not losing out, AND at least they are giving some person a place to live for a short time. But I think if someone has their costs where they are going to covered, or even if they have to pay their own way...their sub-leasees should not be paying for their expenses elsewhere. That's opportunistic.


We don't like our governments - our Mike Duffys and Trudeaus doing it with our hard earned tax dollars - why do we think it's ok to do it to each other?

When we were renting there was a good period of time when we were uncertain when we would be leaving. So we didn't want to be on the hook for paying rent for an entire year/subletting. Instead of having the standard year lease we paid more each month to have that flexibility. In general most places the longer you stay the lower the daily rate ends up being. The students are also taking on risk, as it is possible to charge someone for more than just the damage deposit depending on the extent of damage. So I get why they would charge higher, but double does seem excessive.
Even in places with low vacancy rates I'm surprised they are able to do that though, everything I have seen in various cities in student-housing areas (although never looked anywhere in BC) tends to have lower rents for the summer months just because of supply and demand - more people leaving for those months than people coming in.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

It is sometimes over $800 for a ramshackle room in the basement of a house with 3 other people. Some rooms in some multi-roommate homes are nicer than others. Most are just messy. They’ll charge how much they can get away with charging, and what some desperate person or naive tourist will give them.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS SEP/dec 4MINwlk u/vic

International students Sept till end of December$1,000.00.Nicely furnished comfortable rooms available in three bedroom unit,5 min walk to U/vic .It is also just a 5 minute walk to the grocery store...

victoria.craigslist.org

$1000 per month...are they looking for international students who don’t know better than to pay this much? Look at how the living room is unfinished and the furniture is old and thrown together, and it’s messy...they couldn’t even be bothered to fix it up a bit. For $1000...sharing the kitchen and bathroom with how many?

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

This place isn’t the worst I’ve seen, but its nothing spectacular...and it’s $1140 for a room in a shared 2 two bedroom.

One bright large bedroom downtown Vic with private washroom

One large bedroom in a recently renovated 2 bedroom apartment right on the edge of downtown Victoria. Private Washroom with full bath. Shared kitchen and living room. The suite has two balconies with

victoria.craigslist.org

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

Maybe I could live in the Bates Motel!

1 bedroom 1 bath suites in converted motel

1 Bedroom, with private bathroom, in this converted Motel in View Royal. $750.00 includes heat, hot water and hydro, no pets, no smoking, To set up a viewing please contact the building manager at ....

victoria.craigslist.org

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

Why did they include an ugly picture of the washing machine and laundry sink, but not the inside of a suite? I don’t understand some people. I get it that there’s coin laundry there. All they have to do is mention it, and maybe include better photos of the suites themselves...unless the suites look worse than the laundry room.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

I have come across a couple of rare decent shared situations tonight, however...

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS SEP/dec 4MINwlk u/vic

International students Sept till end of December$1,000.00.Nicely furnished comfortable rooms available in three bedroom unit,5 min walk to U/vic .It is also just a 5 minute walk to the grocery store...

victoria.craigslist.org

$1000 per month...are they looking for international students who don’t know better than to pay this much? Look at how the living room is unfinished and the furniture is old and thrown together, and it’s messy...they couldn’t even be bothered to fix it up a bit. For $1000...sharing the kitchen and bathroom with how many?

$1000 per month for a two or three? Bedroom downtown doesn’t seem over the top to me, it doesn’t say its per bedroom. You would pay this much here in a rural area.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

$1000 per month for a two or three? Bedroom downtown doesn’t seem over the top to me, it doesn’t say its per bedroom. You would pay this much here in a rural area.

Yes. It is per bedroom.

 

[Luce NDs]

Beyond what the market will bear ... it kills itself!

Some people worship the market!

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

“$1000. Nicely furnished rooms available in 3 bedroom unit.” “ we fill up location with international students every fall. You will all be in it together.” (Haul ‘em in and fill ‘er up!)

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

$1000 per month for a two or three? Bedroom downtown doesn’t seem over the top to me, it doesn’t say its per bedroom. You would pay this much here in a rural area.

And it’s not downtown. It’s in a suburb that was built in the 60s and 70s, near the university.

 

[Mendalla]

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS SEP/dec 4MINwlk u/vic

International students Sept till end of December$1,000.00.Nicely furnished comfortable rooms available in three bedroom unit,5 min walk to U/vic .It is also just a 5 minute walk to the grocery store...

victoria.craigslist.org

$1000 per month...are they looking for international students who don’t know better than to pay this much? Look at how the living room is unfinished and the furniture is old and thrown together, and it’s messy...they couldn’t even be bothered to fix it up a bit. For $1000...sharing the kitchen and bathroom with how many?

International students in Vancouver have a bit of a rep. Well-heeled scions of Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese families whose parents write blank cheques. Not sure how deserved that is or if it applies to Victoria, but at that price, I can't see them getting many from poor developing world countries.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

International students in Vancouver have a bit of a rep. Well-heeled scions of Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese families whose parents write blank cheques. Not sure how deserved that is or if it applies to Victoria, but at that price, I can't see them getting many from poor developing world countries.

Well I hope their parents wouldn’t pay that much for a room in that place.

 

[Waterfall]

I personally think there should be stricter rent controls....I'm surprised there hasn't been an uproar about this.
Right now in Ontario if someone moves out of an apartment and they were paying $950/month, a landlord can then rent out that same apartment for $1400-1500 plus...it's basically whatever the market will bear. The only guideline and restrictions that are in place are for someone who is currently renting and how much their rent can be increased per year.(1.8%/yr)
I've also heard of bidding wars...if a landlord is asking $1000/month, and 300 people apply, someone may offer 1200-1400/month in order to secure an advantage in getting the apartment.
Scarcity has created a dire situation for those seeking a home and an opportunist situation for a landlord.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

It’s more than the market can bear, and that is contributing to, not helping, homelessness.

 

[Waterfall]

It’s more than the market can bear, and that is contributing to, not helping, homelessness.

Judging by the lack of housing and apartments, the market IS bearing it quite well unfortunately, but it has created a market that caters only to those who are well off. Landlords should have to continue to follow the 1.8% rule even when a tenant moves out IMO.