Editor:
Re: I funded Burnaby landlord’s comfy lifestyle but got grief for parking out front, NOW Letters
I read the letter to the editor from the renter who took credit for funding his landlord’s “comfy” lifestyle and it was needlessly divisive.
It’s not easy to be a landlord. There are a lot of costs involved and not all of them are covered by what is charged in rent. There is constant maintenance and upkeep on a house.
We also have to deal with tenants who miss their rent payments. That happened a lot during the pandemic and there was little we could do about it. We could file a complaint, but that still leaves a long gap where no money is coming in and we still have to make our mortgage payments.
Then there are tenants who damage the place and it often costs more than the damage deposit to repair. So we’re out that money too.
Being a landlord helps pay the bills – it does not fund some kind of lavish lifestyle. In return, we offer a good, clean home for people.
Renters pay rent but they don’t pay taxes so they should stop demanding so much, especially when it comes to parking. I get that being a renter isn't easy and there are bad landlords, but this kind of divisiveness is unproductive.
S. Carson, Burnaby
