This question may seem surprising, "Should we count the number of light bulbs?" For a rental housing owner however, it's a phrase that recurs during moving season, like counting the number of light fixtures or smoke detectors.
Every year, rental housing owners must run to a hardware store, not only to buy materials to make necessary repairs, but also to replace items that, let's face it, have been stolen. Taking equipment or property included in the lease is stealing equipment.
Regardless of the value or wear and tear, the landlord has suffered damages, and their only recourse is to write a formal notice claiming the damages and file a claim with the Administrative Housing Tribunal.
In our opinion, willful damage to a housing should be treated like a criminal case.
Certainly, when we see a vandalism with thousands of damages, tons of dirt, and broken pieces, everyone wants to demand that the recalcitrant be punished and given a criminal record for their bad behaviour.
But the law should also be changed for these small things. If tenants could face real consequences, it would encourage landlords to open a file for every misdemeanour. Tenants would also be more respectful of the rules.
Should we count the number of light bulbs?
