Dear Editor
It has came to my attention lately that some landlords/owners in New Westminster are using the pretext of reno-victions to evict tenants in order to renovate or supposedly renovate (small bandaid jobs, lick of paint, etc. certainly not a full gutting of the suite as told to some) the vacated suites and then the new tenant will pay a much higher rent.
This method of obtaining higher rents, especially in older buildings that have not been kept up to date properly over the years (dare I say by slum landlords/owners), is so blatantly greedy and amoral it is beyond my acceptance level of fairness and justice. I am not sure what can be done to discontinue and disallow this practice by some of these landlords but something needs to be done sooner than later.
The intimidation level I consider to be a form of emotional blackmail used to make people move. Not everyone has the backbone or resources to fight this through arbitration, etc. and consequently they move out. This, sadly, only reinforces the landlord/owners to continue this greed. If your God is Gold nothing else matters, not even your fellow human beings. I rest my case.
Jean Mitchell, New Westminster
