All Forum Posts by: Greg Sheldon

@Carolyn Q. I'd suggest you try Bubby's Plumbing. I've used them a couple of times and been quite impressed. Removed the galvanized from a triplex for me for 1/2 what the bigger companies wanted. Did what they said, for how much they said and cleaned up before they left! Congrats on the house.

Ok @James Allen Facebook wins over Meetup.com - See Cassidy's note;

Hi Everyone!

Please note that the meet up is being held at the Royal LePage office, 1350 Provincial Rd (NOT the Riverside Library)!

Please join the Facebook group: WinCity Investors Club for up to date information on events, market news, and communicating with other members.

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Cheers,

Cassidy

Hum... Meetup.com says the library.

Lets ask Cassidy @Cassidy Logsdon Location for tomorrow's meeting? FB says your office, Meetup says library. Thx!

Greg

Welcome @James Allen. This month's Win City meeting is in the basement of the Riverside Library Branch, 6305 Wyandotte E., Tuesday Aug. 1st @ 6:30pm.

Hope you can make it.

Greg

Congrats Aditya!

Hope to see you at the meet up Tuesday!

Greg

Greetings Folks!

I am trying to find options in dealing with the utilities in a triplex I own. When I purchased it, all utilities were included in the leases. It's an upper/lower duplex (2/1's) with an added attic (1/1) suite. The 2 - 2 bedroom units share a gas forced air & a.c., the attic is separate with baseboard heaters & window ac's. As tenants turn over, I would like to rewrite the leases to somehow exclude utilities.

Am I correct in understanding the following?

1) Sub-metering is not allowed for electric heated apartments (at least not allowed for the heaters), therefore the attic cannot be separated.

2) RUBS - Utility splitting option. My understanding is that the utility cost is not considered 'rent' and therefore, in Ontario, if not paid by the tenant - cannot be grounds for eviction. A landlord can sue (small claims) for the unpaid bill, but cannot remove the negligent tenant.

The furnace & a/c are new high efficiency units, all fridges are newer & eco rated and I've swapped every bulb to LEDs, but the electric bills are startlingly high. There are 2 100w panels, though there seems to be some blur between which powers what. The attic at least has it's own sub panel.

As everyone in Ontario knows, Hydro prices have skyrocketed recently & are forecasted to continue for the foreseeable years. If I can only increase rents 1.5-2% and yet utilities increase by 10% well... It's not looking good for the future.

Thoughts? Suggestions?? (and yes, before the other Greg S. chimes in, I know I know - I won't ever buy another unit with included utilities ;-)  This one though, I had to buy...)

Thanks!

Greg 

I'm not installing it myself, though I expect once it's done and I get the bill I'll be kicking myself. 

I believe the Planning Dept. needing an engineer's plans is a city thing, not necessarily needed everywhere. This building was never retrofit as a multi unit, so I'm just doing everything as laid out by the fire dept. 

I'm installing a sprinkler system in the common laundry room currently. While substantially cheaper than an external staircase, it's more involved than the heads and some pex... At least in the city of Windsor, Permits Dept. require an engineer's plan & stamp, backflow preventer (couple hundred), and pipes not pex. Unfinished, easy access basement room, 8 heads will run me 1500-2000.

I'd second a request to keep this pubic if nobody minds. I own an Ontario property that was built as a duplex in 1912, and currently has an attic suite as well, which I'm hoping to make fully legal. There once was a basement suite too that ideally could be restored as well (650 sq feet).

Ryan's question is probably relevant to many of us.

Thanks!

Greg

Hi Nate. My Windsor property is with Square One. They require an ESA inspection and general certificate, but as long they're happy with it's condition and the plugs are gfi protected, it's fine. 

Happy to get together and chat anytime. There seem to be at least 1/2 dozen of us actively chatting here.

Greg