In Conversation with LandlordBC

The industry association supports landlords and property managers of all types—be it a basement suite, investment condo, or a large apartment building portfolio.

LandlordBC is *the* resource for rental housing owners and managers in B.C. The organization’s CEO David Hutniak and his team offer members a help line, topical webinars, plus a network of vetted trades–and most importantly, keep the sector up to date on the ever-changing rental industry regulations.

We caught up with David to learn more about what he’s up to, how the pandemic is impacting his work, and his predictions on the future of rental housing.
 
A brief introduction to LandlordBC:

“LandlordBC represents owners and managers of long-term rental housing across B.C. Our mission is twofold: first, to educate and support our members so that they understand their responsibilities for successful tenancies; and second, to advocate for a regulatory environment that supports a thriving rental housing ecosystem.”
 
On its collaborative approach:

“We work collaboratively with all levels of government, especially the current provincial government. The province values our input and looks to us to provide the industry’s perspective. They know we’re a high-integrity organization that genuinely cares about the broader rental housing ecosystem, which, as we all know, consists of both landlords and renters.”
 
On the evolution of the organization since its start in 2013:

“I’m very proud of how we’ve been able to take an entity that was largely known only to our members, and build it into a true provincial association that is highly respected by the rental housing sector, as well as the government, media, and a wide range of stakeholders. And I’m proud to say that we’re to sit at every table to represent the interests of our sector.”
 
A surprising stat:

“What many people don’t necessarily appreciate is that we are a $10.4 billion dollar industry, which positions us as a major economic driver—in addition to providing homes for over 1.5 million British Columbians.”
 
How COVID-19 is impacting the rental housing industry:

“The pandemic certainly dominates our activities, legislative and otherwise. Email as a method of service—which was intended as a temporary measure during the pandemic (to reduce in-person contact)—is something that we advocated for. We were pleased to see it formalized and embraced by the province.”
 
Predictions on the industry’s future:

“Clearly there’s uncertainty and challenges for our sector driven by not knowing when we will get past the pandemic. And then there’s the huge challenge in terms of the cost to operate a rental business. Expenses are accelerating exponentially—with taxes, utilities, and insurance costs going through the roof (while rent increases remain frozen).

“But, overall, I feel optimistic about the sector. The reality is renting will continue to be the better and more affordable housing option for a growing proportion of our population.”
 
 

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Birds Nest Properties is a boutique rental property management company that specializes in serving owners of condos and houses in and around Vancouver.

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