It's the debate that will not go away. And with rents continuing to spiral into the stratosphere, it's a debate that really shouldn't go away.
The NDP renewed its call Monday for the Saskatchewan government to consider instituting a rent control policy. With average rents in places like Estevan and Saskatoon edging towards the $1,000 mark, the NDP feels it is high time that the government stepped in and did something to protect renters in the province.
The debate is a tricky one. On one hand, with government infiltrating so much of our lives already, do we really want them stepping into another area?
But at the same time, we are quickly learning that the market will not simply take care of itself as the Sask. Party seems to believe. Landlords, especially some here in Estevan and area, have shown that with no roadblocks in place, they will raise rent at the drop of a hat. Although limits have been put in place, others have proven they have no qualms about gouging their renters.
So where does the solution lie? As always, it's somewhere in the middle.
The current provincial policy allows landlords to raise rent once a year. However, there do not appear to be any limits on how much a landlord can jack up the rent if they decide to exercise their option.
It's better than the previous system of having to give three months notice but in many ways it's like trying to stick your fingers in the holes of a dam that's about to burst. You're slowing things down but the big boom is still just around the corner.
At the other end of the spectrum is the idea of rent control where, in essence, the government will decide how much renters can charge. It makes sense in theory, but the overwhelming problem is, every situation is different and a one-size-fits-all policy could cause further headaches for renters and tenants. It might also stall any potential new rental properties for the future.
So, why not make landlords justify their increases? If said landlord decides they want to raise rent by more than five per cent, they should go in front of a volunteer board and explain why the increase is necessary. If it's a reasonable increase, say under five per cent, then it should be allowed to move forward.
The government could also consider the idea of capping the size of the yearly increase. However, that could end up being unfair to landlords, especially if they have done renovations or improvements. Although one could still argue our idea, it allows the government far too much say over yet another facet of our lives, it's better than the two options currently at play. If a landlord has good reason for a substantial rent increase, it's worth their time to take an afternoon out of their schedule and explain themselves. It's by no means a perfect solution but it's better than the other options that are apparently on the table.
