March 21st, 2013

Today’s topic is about rent receipts. According to a report on CBC News, a Charlottetown tenant was amazed his landlord refused to give him a receipt after he paid his rent.

What Did the Landlord Say?

The tenant, Leonard Handrahan, asked his landlord for a receipt and she told him they simply do not provide rent receipts.

What Did He Do Next?

Handrahan contacted the government for help. After all, there have been many new rules put into place for landlords in the region recently.

Did He Receive Help?

He said he was astonished there are no laws in P.E.I. making a landlord provide a rent receipt to their tenants. He has now made it his mission to get the law changed so he can make sure to get rent receipts in the future.

Why Does He Need a Receipt So Badly?

He recently moved out of his old place and into a new rental unit. He needed receipts from his previous landlord because he needs proof of rent because he’s on income support. He requires a lot of medication which is paid for by income support. Handrahan says that at any time the government could demand to see all his receipts or he could lose the benefit.

What Did  Handrahan’s Former Landlord Say About This?

His former landlord said he didn’t even ask her for receipts until he had already vacated the unit.

Handrahan denies this.

Has the Government Commented on This Case?

According to the P.E.I. director for residential rental property, the whole issue about receipts isn’t common.

However, she said changing the law would be a good idea and would avoid these types of conflicts which are common in other provinces such as Ontario.

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