By Martin A. Messier, President
Many conversations with owners of buildings have made me realize that fear often interferes with our assessment of the situation.
These fears originate from situations that are nevertheless exorbitant. We have seen in the media situations that strike the imagination and are scary: tenants who thought they could wash their apartment by throwing boilers on the ground, or who thought they could use the lounge to turn it into a market garden or also someone who thought that the heat from the hot water pipe allowed to cook fruit as well as meat.
Let us first note that as a host society, if such cases happen, it means that we have failed in our role of cultural integrator. The vast majority of cases publicized fall within the exception and the lack of information of which newcomers are victims.
Newcomers are an important source of new tenants in the dwellings of Quebec. It is our responsibility to promote healthy integration into their environment. Remember that newcomers who become our tenants remain our tenants for a long time. Indeed, the newly arrived tenants remain on average 13 years in a dwelling.
By taking the time to ensure yourself that the tenant you meet has chosen to undergo training on housing and is able to fully understand his rights and obligations as a tenant, you start off the right way.
Many owners have talked to me about the success they have been able to experience by renting their property to a tenant who had received training sponsored by the APQ with one of our partners, ROMEL(Regroupement des Organismes du Montréal Ethnique pour le Logement), which plays this role impeccably.
In the same vein, we must also ensure ourselves that the chosen accommodations are appropriate to the needs of the tenants. We created therefore a special section for training and welcoming to inform them on the obligations and also to introduce to them dwellings that have been submitted to an APQ Building Verification.
The APQ, proud partner of your succes!