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DID YOU KNOW THURSDAY! (From yesterday)

This week's Did You Know is focused on Security Deposits Interest Rates as promised after our last Did You Know focused on Deposits vs Fees!

Happy Thursday Everyone!

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Sneak peek of tomorrow’s DID YOU KNOW THURSDAY!!

For this week's Did You Know we wanted to really put a spotlight on the importance of acquiring Tenant Insurance, with a big focus on FIRES!

Everyone thinks that a Fire will never happen to them and many remain unprepared for the unexpected.

You could face a small fire, such as a cooking fire, or a more extensive one, such as an electrical fire or falling asleep while smoking. No matter the scenario your life could be left in an upheaval and many of your possessions could be damaged/destroyed, either by the fire itself, by smoke damage from the fire or by water damage from the efforts made by FireFighters. The structure of your home may be left unsafe forcing you to find a new place to live or extensive repairs may be required before you can move back in.

Why should you get Tenant Insurance?

A rental owner's insurance only covers the building structure. Their insurance does NOT cover your possessions OR your stay elsewhere if extensive repairs/renovations are required OR your move if the home is no longer deemed structurally sound.

So what if something happens in the rental? 

If you don't have Tenant Insurance you are stuck paying out of pocket to replace any damaged/lost possessions AND your hotel stay, if necessary, PLUS your moving expenses if you must vacate due to extensive damage.  The Landlord is NOT responsible for these expenses and their insurance will NOT help you!

If you do have Tenant Insurance then your insurance provider will cover all of these costs!

Isn't Tenant Insurance Expensive?

NO! Depending on your package you could be paying as little as $10 per month...THAT'S IT!

Where can I get Tenant Insurance?

If you have vehicle insurance speak to your current insurance provider about bundling the 2 services.  If you don't have vehicle insurance, or your current provider isn't offering a very good deal, get in touch with one of the local Insurance Brokers in your area. They will find you the best deal!  An Insurance Broker can also tell you EVERYTHING that your new Tenant Insurance package will cover!

Tenant Insurance is recommended no matter where you rent however it is especially recommended for anyone living in a multi-family dwelling including duplexes, townhouses, 4-plexes, apartments, suites, etc. You just never know what your neighbour is up to...

AND ONE MORE THING...

Make sure to test all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in your home EVERY MONTH!  Ensure that batteries are replaced EVERY YEAR!  If any detector is expired be sure to let your landlord know immediately so that it can be replaced!

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DID YOU KNOW THURSDAY: (from November 2, 2017)

With an influx in feedback from multi-family dwellings such as suites, apartments, townhouses, etc, this month we wanted to focus this week's DID YOU KNOW on local noise bylaws with some suggestions to help tenants reside peacefully with their neighbours!

PART 1:

In Lethbridge: Noise Bylaw 5270 states:

(f) “NIGHTTIME” means the period beginning at 10:00 P.M. and ending the following day at: (i) 7:00 A.M. if the following day is a weekday; or (ii) 9:00 A.M. if the following day is a weekend.

For the full bylaw including fines and penalties please visit www.lethbridge.ca Should you be experiencing a violation of the bylaw call [phone] for assistance.

In Taber: Nuisance Bylaw 4-2008 states:

2. "Quiet Hours" of 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM.

For the full bylaw visit: http://ab-taber.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/Home/View/206 Should you be experiencing a violation of the bylaw call [phone] for assistance.

Other: Other community bylaws will vary slightly from the above however are similar timings. To ensure you are aware of your community's bylaw be sure to visit their town website!

PART 2:

Sometimes it is the common everyday sounds of living that can be the most annoying, at other times it truly is that the noise level is encroaching on being excessive. Either way we wanted to share with everyone a few tips to help keep your neighbours sane, and therefore keep a good relationship with them as well!

(a) Wear socks, bare feet or rubber soled shoes only, skip the cowboy boots inside! (b) If it is starting to get late plug your headphones in to play your video games or watch TV (c) Hold off on that load of laundry until the morning, maybe skip the dishwasher too (d) Sometimes this can be especially tough but start your toddler's morning with storytime to avoid the pounding feet running back and forth (e) Shift your work out time at home to a bit earlier in the evening or later in the morning.

ABOVE ALL ELSE: Talk to your neighbour! Local bylaws may not necessarily "work" for your schedules and you may be able to come up with timings that better suit your lifestyles. Talking to each other is the best place to start though!

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Basic items you will need to survive for 72 hours.

DID YOU KNOW THURSDAY:

After the winter storm that welcomed October which saw many families without power for extensive lengths of time we wanted to remind everyone to be prepared with these helpful tips!

An emergency can happen at any time, are you and your family prepared? For this week's Did You Know we wanted to focus on an Emergency Kit that every household should have sharing with each of you what items you should have in an easy to grab, ready to go bag plus a few recommended extras.

The Essentials: 1) Water — two litres of water per person per day 2) Food that won't spoil (canned food, energy bars and dried foods; these should be replaced once a year) 3) Manual can opener 4) Wind-up or battery-powered flashlight (and extra batteries) 5) Wind-up or battery-powered radio (and extra batteries) 6) First aid kit 7) Extra car and house keys 8) Cash and Travelers Cheques 9) Copies of family IDs/Passports, Insurance Documents, banking and credit card information, etc. 10) Emergency plan with contact information Other Necessities your family may need: 11) Extra water for cooking and cleaning 12) Candles and matches or lighter 13) Change of clothing and footwear for each person 14) Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person 15) Toiletries with towels 16) Hand sanitizer, toilet paper and garbage bags 17) Prepaid phone card 18) cell phone charger (and battery operated charging device?) 19) Pet food and supplies 20) Infant formula, baby food and supplies 21) Books, puzzles, toys, etc (not just for kids!) 22) Prescription medications, medical equipment and copies of prescriptions 23) Utensils, plates and cups 24) Household chlorine bleach or water purifying tablets 25) Basic tools (hammer, pliers, wrench, screwdrivers, work gloves, pocket knife) 26) Small fuel-operated stove and fuel 27) Whistle (to attract attention) 28) Duct tape

What should be noted in your Emergency Plan? a) a basic map of your home outlining all exits and the locations of all fire extinguishers, gas and water shut offs, electrical panel and floor drains b) meeting place to reunite with family/friends c) designated person to pick up your children/pets if you are unable to d) contact persons (both in town and out of town) e) health and insurance information including any allergies, medications, etc f) a place for your pet to stay, if necessary

The bag(s) will be heavy but they will be worth it to have easy access to in an emergency, such as the Kenow Fire which almost overtook the townsite of Waterton where residents were evacuated with little to no time to grab any supplies.

To find an easy-to-print checklist of all of the above and more details visit https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/kts/bsc-kt-en.aspx There is a link through the above that will also take you to the same information noted above under What should be in your Emergency Plan or you can go directly there by clicking here: https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/plns/mk-pln-en.aspx

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Did You Know- TENANT INSURANCE

DID YOU KNOW THURSDAY!

For this week's Did You Know Thursday we wanted to take the time to remind all TENANTS the importance of acquiring tenant insurance. Please read this post to the end and contact an insurance broker today if you do not already have insurance to protect your valuables and livelihood!

DID YOU KNOW THURSDAY TIME!! For this week's Did You Know we wanted to really put a spotlight on the importance of acquiring Tenant Insurance, with a big focus on FIRES!

Everyone thinks that a Fire will never happen to them and many remain unprepared for the unexpected.

You could face a small fire, such as a cooking fire, or a more extensive one, such as an electrical fire or falling asleep while smoking. No matter the scenario your life could be left in an upheaval and many of your possessions could be damaged/destroyed, either by the fire itself, by smoke damage from the fire or by water damage from the efforts made by Firefighters. The structure of your home may be left unsafe forcing you to find a new place to live or extensive repairs may be required before you can move back in.

Why should you get Tenant Insurance? A rental owner's insurance only covers the building structure. Their insurance does NOT cover your possessions OR your stay elsewhere if extensive repairs/renovations are required OR your move if the home is no longer deemed structurally sound.

So what if something happens in the rental? If you don't have Tenant Insurance you are stuck paying out of pocket to replace any damaged/lost possessions AND your hotel stay, if necessary, PLUS your moving expenses if you must vacate due to extensive damage. The Landlord is NOT responsible for these expenses and their insurance will NOT help you! If you do have Tenant Insurance then your insurance provider will cover all of these costs!

Isn't Tenant Insurance Expensive? NO! Depending on your package you could be paying as little as $10 per month...THAT'S IT!

Where can I get Tenant Insurance? If you have vehicle insurance speak to your current insurance provider about bundling the 2 services. If you don't have vehicle insurance, or your current provider isn't offering a very good deal, get in touch with one of the local Insurance Brokers in your area. They will find you the best deal! An Insurance Broker can also tell you EVERYTHING that your new Tenant Insurance package will cover!

Tenant Insurance is recommended no matter where you rent however it is especially recommended for anyone living in a multi-family dwelling including duplexes, townhouses, 4-plexes, apartments, suites, etc. You just never know what your neighbour is up to...

AND ONE MORE THING... Make sure to test all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in your home EVERY MONTH! Ensure that batteries are replaced EVERY YEAR! If any detector is expired make sure to let your landlord know immediately so that it can be replaced!

Some of the pictures featured include fires, broken pipes and sewer back up disasters. Protect your possessions, and your pocketbook, and please get insurance!

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DID YOU KNOW THURSDAY - Part 1 of preparing for winter!

DID YOU KNOW THURSDAY! For this week and next we wanted to give you an extra important reminder with some helpful tips as you prepare your home for Fall!

PART 1: What are some of the to dos that you need to worry about OUTSIDE of your home now that it is September? * clean & store your summer items (ex patio furniture, planters, children's toys) * check the caulking around all of your windows and doors (re-caulk as needed) * check all of your doors (including garage doors) to ensure they are sealing properly when closed. Replace any weather stripping that is found to be needed * Clean out your gutters! * Turn off outside taps (there should be an easy to access valve inside that completely shuts all water off to the outside taps...this needs to be turned off to prevent the lines from bursting as the water freezes!). After you have turned off the shut off valve drain the lines by opening the outside taps until no more water runs out! * this is your last chance to wash your windows, siding and patio areas * been eyeing up your peeling deck/fence? This is also your last chance to scrape off the flaking paint and re-stain these surfaces * Lastly, get your shed or garage organized before the snow arrives to make it easy to access the yard tools you will need when spring arrives! * and when that dreaded 's' word is in the forecast don't forget to complete 1 final mow, weed whip and rake of your yard!

On next week's part 2 we will share some important to-dos and tips for INSIDE your home!

These helpful tips were found at http://organizedhome.com/seas…/fall-cleaning-chore-checklist

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For 2016's survey

DID YOU KNOW THURSDAY:

The Alberta Apartment Vacancy and Rental Cost Survey for June to September of 2016 has been released and includes communities such as Coaldale, Taber, Crowsnest Pass, Banff, etc.

This report is for communities with less than 9,999 people and focuses solely on multi-family rental dwellings. It notes average vacancy rates plus the average rent amounts across these communities in the province. Currently Alberta has reached an all time high for the average vacancy rate across these rural communities all over the province.

To find the complete details of the report visit:http://www.seniors-housing.alberta.ca/…/2016%20AVS%20report…

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DID YOU KNOW THURSDAY!

For this week's Did You Know we wanted to share a bit a flashback Did You Know about INSPECTIONS!