Toronto’s RentSafeTO bylaw enforcement program has introduced several changes since its inception in 2017 to improve how rental buildings are pro-actively maintained. The most recent round of changes, approved by City Council and announced May 8th , include a more comprehensive evaluation process and greater consequences for non-compliant landlords.
“The redesign will create a more comprehensive tool that will prioritize issues that have a greater impact on the health and safety of tenants, as well as ensure ongoing violations and issues of non-compliance factor into a building’s evaluation score,” the City said.
As part if the program, bylaw enforcement officers conduct building evaluations using a tool to measure how well a building complies with rules. Apartment buildings that are three or more storeys and 10 or more units are required to register. During evaluations, city staff will inspect common areas, mechanical and security systems, parking and exterior grounds. Evaluation scores are then posted on the RentSafeTO interactive web page and the results will determine if action is needed.
In the past, all buildings registered with RentSafeTO were evaluated at least once every three years at no set frequency. Under the revamped regulations, they are evaluated once every two years to simplify scheduling, better allocate staff resources, and improve service delivery. Non-compliant properties will be targeted for inspections, with increased fees for landlords found in breach of city rules. This includes properties found to be substandard, owners that don’t address complaints sufficiently or complete the required remedial work within two consecutive months.
Cases such as these could lead to on-site visits by municipal personnel to further collect tenant complaints and conduct resident outreach initiatives at a cost of $2,900 to the owner. In extreme cases, the City may hire contractors to complete the necessary repairs and charge those costs to the owner’s property tax.
