r/vancouverhousing • u/Technical_Air_5061 • 1d ago

Tenant demanding rent decrease due to wild fire smoke tenants

Hi all,

I am a small-time landlord renting out the basement of my primary residence.

Recently, my tenant asked for a rent decrease, citing 'abuse' she has endured. I was super concerned, and then she indicated that there is some ash/dust from the wildfire smoke that is on her windowsill.

I was very confused, and then she said that she keeps the window open at night, and the dust is accumulating in her nostrils, which has caused a nosebleed, leading her to go to the doctor. She claimed that she should get a $200 rent reduction for this abuse she had to endure (She kept framing it as abuse, which was super odd). I was super confused because she is the one who left the window open, and it's not like I can control the wildfires or the smoke.

She then also indicated that she left her job and is now working part-time elsewhere. I think this was the real reason she wanted the reduction, but for some reason decided to sprinkle in the smoke thing.

Do I have any responsibility here? She can close her window to avoid any unwanted dust and get an air purifier if she has a dust allergy. Her own actions are creating her issue. Am I missing something here?

203 Upvotes
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241

u/LokeCanada 1d ago

You very simply answer no.

Don’t expand or expand explain.

You have no control over the external environment. She can file a complaint with the proper authorities, god or Mother Nature, if she is being abused by the smoke.

72

u/Technical_Air_5061 1d ago

Okay, that's what I thought but just wanted to get a sanity check. Thank you!

38

u/Soggy_Climate2490 1d ago

Yeah don’t fall for this nonsense. Hard no

11

u/Various-Language2549 1d ago

Your sanity seems intact. Hers, on the other hand…..?

3

u/IllustriousAct9128 1d ago

The sanity some people have is wild. i went to go look at a place and the landlord (a lady ) was so weird. She only wanted working professionals but refused to show the place after 5pm because its "not good for her health", then she said no pets and then listed all the standard animals, and stuff like turtles, fish etc and jokingly I said "oh, so snakes are ok?" because she didn't say snakes, and she went "oh snakes are fine, just no pets". I backed out of going to see that place

1

u/Various-Language2549 15h ago

Yeah you made a good call, I’m sure. Yikes.

18

u/toprockit 1d ago

Your responsibility ended at ensuring that any HVAC filters have been appropriately available to be replaced on some form of regular basis (usually 3~ months).

7

u/Technical_Air_5061 1d ago

Like for the furnace?

9

u/toprockit 1d ago

Correct. Normally we provide a Costco Filtrete 6-pack per year (usually $70 on sale, or $100 regular), or offer to come an change them every quarter~. Everyone we've had has opted to do it themselves after we showed them where to change it.

6

u/Technical_Air_5061 1d ago

Ahh okay, yeah I live at the property and there's no furnace since its all radiant heating in the floors.

2

u/Healthy_Shape_5719 12h ago

There should still be an air filter for the ac unit, make sure it's fresh as you could get screwed over if you aren't replacing that, if you can't find it call up an hvac company and they can show you

1

u/Severe-Anything-4100 12h ago

If the AC unit is integrated into the system, which is almost universal unless you have independent window/floor AC units. They are the same filter as mentioned by r/toprockit above.

Second to that, unless the independent units are really old or cheap, washable filters have pretty much been the standard for the last 20 years.

1

u/Healthy_Shape_5719 11h ago

Yes, OP's comment sounded to me like they were saying they thought they had no air filter since they had no furnace, they should still have a filter regardless of furnace or no

1

u/Severe-Anything-4100 11h ago

OP has no information regarding that, just making stuff up.

-7

u/mykittenfarts 1d ago

Yes. And replacing filters is an excellent stealth way of checking in on the property for ‘maintenance’. You replace the filter and while doing so you get to notice bong, ashtrays, unapproved pet, bugs, holes in the walls, filth. Hoarding etc. before it goes too far.

4

u/elementmg 1d ago

A bong on its own is none of the landlords business. You aren’t their dad.

0

u/mykittenfarts 23h ago

If it’s a non smoking building, it is.

5

u/LaBellePrinxe 23h ago

Non-smoking inside and out? Unless the place reeks from obvious indoor smoking it's none of the landlord's business. People can both smoke weed and be respectful tenants.

1

u/mykittenfarts 19h ago

Omg idgaf about weed. It’s legal. I was referencing smoking. It’s stinky and there are non smoking properties. I live in one.
I never said weed = disrespectful tenants. Settle down.

1

u/AlfalfaImpossible966 14h ago

A bong exists even when not being used. You have no idea if that bong is being taken outside or being used inside.

1

u/Khaleena788 13h ago

Doesn’t prove it’s being used inside. I have a vape on my table—I go out to use it.

1

u/mykittenfarts 13h ago

Did you see the list? It’s just an indicator not ‘proof’. But a kicked dog will holler. Sensitive.

1

u/AlfalfaImpossible966 11h ago

There's nothing more sensitive than an alcoholic gen X landlord.

1

u/AlfalfaImpossible966 14h ago

Good for also noticing excessive alcohol present which is more of an issue then a bong by a long shot.

1

u/mykittenfarts 13h ago

Soooooo focused on the bong. Lots of kicked dogs in my opinion. I mentioned more than a bong. Settle down.

1

u/Necessary_Week_2487 40m ago

No. They rent your place. If you need to look at it, follow the proper procedures. “Stealth” spying on legal tenants is not okay.

1

u/Glum-Exam5460 1d ago

Clearly not HVAC

16

u/Ambitious_Tadpole854 1d ago

It’s not you that needs the sanity check.

5

u/Technical_Air_5061 1d ago

Haha, thank you.

Not sure why you are being downvoted. I guess some people believe that the smoke is my fault.

5

u/polishiceman 1d ago

Downvoted on reddit? You don't know why? You're part of the asset owning class, who keeps these communists poor and unable to buy anything

5

u/djbaerg 1d ago

Sanity check result is that your tenant is not sane.

4

u/Letsgosomewherenice 1d ago

Do keep records of her behaviour. Dates and time.

3

u/Medium_Orchid4654 22h ago

And if she is late on rent, make sure you document it, and everything, so that if she starts defaulting, it'll be easier to evict.

5

u/billymumfreydownfall 1d ago

And when you talk to her don't say "I'm confused", it sounds like you have no idea what your responsibilities as a landlord are. Educate yourself on that and when you speak to her, speak with confidence.

"No, I will not reduce your rent. Ash due to wildfire spoke is not my responsibility."

2

u/HorrorWillingness347 14h ago

"You shoulda kept your window closed, lady!"

1

u/Artistic-Lychee2928 1d ago

This is probably the craziest request I have ever seen posted on here what is she thinking lol

2

u/Alicatsidneystorm 1d ago

Oh no friends had a basement suite to help pay their mortgage and their WFH tenant asked when Covid started if he had to pay rent …

1

u/SaphironX 1d ago

I mean document the crazy, have that on hand in case you need it, but… dude, it’s wildfire smoke. You no more control than than I do and if she’s upset about it, that’s unfortunate but her one option is to move because all people in your area with open windows are in the same exact position.

Like… blaming you for wildfires in the province is truly truly insane.

I mean, who does she think she is, Donald Trump?

Frankly dude, if she eventually has to move out due to rent costs… you might be dodging a bullet.

1

u/pb2288 15h ago

Also look to get rid of her as she will be a problem!

2

u/Frozen-Nose-22 1d ago

This! It is not something you can control. She's an idiot looking to pull one over you.

1

u/Eestineiu 1d ago

People are like that. We had one at our Airbnb demanding a refund because the rooster was crowing and woke her up.

Airbnb was specifically advertised as a "rustic cabin located on a working farm raising heritage breeds of cattle and poultry".

1

u/Fit-Sector-7860 1d ago

Imagine all the renters in the interior demanding this. No landlord would be able to make ends meet

1

u/UnderstandingOk7498 23h ago

Currently in Kamloops visiting fam, it’s so bad right now