Your client owns Blue Chip Property Management, which is faced with a number of case situations. Your client needs your help to interpret the Residential Tenancies Act and understand his options.

3. Your client, George Jones, owns the property located at 555 King Road, Dunnville, Ontario L8K 9L9. The tenants that rent this property are Lynn and Corey Hammill. They moved into the rental unit on April 1, (last year). The rent is $700 per month and the landlord pays the utilities. George explains that he has never increased the rent and wants to do so at the earliest possible date.

1. If George started the rent increase process today, what month will the rent be increased?

1. George stated that he wants to take the easiest possible route, Therefore, he wants to increase the rent by the guidelines to avoid complicating things. George states he needs the rent increase because he had Capital Security Systems install a security system on the property. The initial cost was $1,800 and there is a monthly monitoring charge of $75 per month. The system was installed on January 1st and your client's accounting period for the base year is June 1 to May 31.

Does George have grounds to apply for a rent increase that is more than the rent control guideline? If so, can he recover both the initial cost and the monthly additional cost?

1. What items would you want to file with your application, or provide to the tribunal at the hearing?