Tenants at Skyline Towers in New Westminster, British Columbia were happy to see their broken elevators finally being replaced, only to find out that their landlord Bayside Properties intended to have tenants pay for the entire $1,000,000 bill with a rent increase. Under BC Provincial Housing legislation, landlords can now apply to the BC Residential Tenancies Branch (RTB) for an Additional Rent Increase (ARI) to pay for major repairs needed in the building.

Like any great tenant leader does, ACORN Canada’s National Board representative Monica Bhandari sprang into action. With her neighbours, she organized an ACORN Tenant Union in the building and started to fight the ARI.

The Tenant Union worked tirelessly to prove to the RTB that DECADES of neglected maintenance meant that the landlord Bayside Properties should be on the hook for the costs to repair the elevator. And they won a historical victory! The RTB ruled that the landlord had to pay all the costs for the elevator repairs.

This makes the Skyline Tower ACORN Tenant Union the first tenants to defeat an Additional Rent Increase dispute at arbitration in BC!!!!