Rising rental rates in the new year are raising the ire of some Yellowknifers.

One resident was stunned when on Jan. 4 she received a letter from her landlord, YKD Property Management, informing her that her monthly rent will increase by $300 (16.6 per cent) on April 1.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e (now) paying $1,800 for a three-bedroom unit. But considering the building is old, $300 seems like a lot,SA国际影视传媒� said the woman, who lives with her fianc茅 and child and is pregnant with a second child.

She asked not to be named.

SA国际影视传媒�(And) $2,100 especially seems like a lot when we donSA国际影视传媒檛 have proper working laundry machines and dryers and theySA国际影视传媒檙e coin operated,SA国际影视传媒� she added. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 shared between all tenants in the building. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 just terrible. My fianc茅 said thatSA国际影视传媒檚 been a problem since he moved in three years ago.SA国际影视传媒�

The letter from YKD, signed by property manager Sasha Stride, asks the tenant to sign the document if they disagree with the rent increase. Signing would also terminate the tenancy and require the occupants to move out by April 1.

The woman explained that the rent hike will put more financial pressure on her family, even as her partner works two full-time jobs.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 quite saddened by the situation, with my family trying to make ends meet. ISA国际影视传媒檓 sure other families have it worse. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 already hard enough to live in Yellowknife with this economy,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

For now, the couple is considering whether to find a solution with the landlord or approach the NWT Rental Office. That office operates under the GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 Department of Justice and is empowered to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e thinking about also moving down south to Alberta. But I want to do something about this and ISA国际影视传媒檓 hoping other tenants do as well because $300 is pretty drastic,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

An office worker at YKD told Yellowknifer that the owner SA国际影视传媒� the Eggenberger family SA国际影视传媒� didnSA国际影视传媒檛 want to comment on the matter.

Another longtime Yellowknife resident, Debra Saftner, is also facing a rental increase from her property owner. On Dec. 31, Northview Apartment REIT sent her a letter addressed to the number of her townhouse that states rent will rise for the unit she shares with her husband, where they pay $2,034.90 per month.

Citing the NWT Residential Tenancies Act, the letter gives three rate increase options effective on April 1: an additional $41 per month for a one-year lease, $81 more per month for a six-month lease and $122 more for a month-to-month lease.

If the form isnSA国际影视传媒檛 returned to Northview by March 1, the lease will automatically renew on a month-to-month basis at the new rate.

Saftner, who has lived in the townhouse for six years, is puzzled as to why the rate is rising while amenities in the townhouses arenSA国际影视传媒檛 being upgraded.

SA国际影视传媒淚 canSA国际影视传媒檛 justify the rental increase because weSA国际影视传媒檙e not getting anything (more). My neighbour across the way didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have a dishwasher for months and months,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Saftner said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 more concerned with how Northview is announcing the increase than the higher payment.

SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 have an issue paying extra (rent). I have a comfortable, clean home,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淢y issue is having to sign a document that my name isnSA国际影视传媒檛 on and theySA国际影视传媒檙e calling it a lease renewal, and theySA国际影视传媒檙e not giving people the option to not sign it. TheySA国际影视传媒檒l do the increase on April 1 anyways. Why do they even bother?SA国际影视传媒�

The couple plan to move to Alberta in the spring, Saftner said.

A regional manager with Northview said the company has no comment.

Adelle Guigon, the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 chief rental officer, said itSA国际影视传媒檚 not illegal for landlords to increase rents and that tenants SA国际影视传媒渨ould not have cause to make an application under the Residential Tenancies Act.SA国际影视传媒�

Landlords are also not required to give reasons for the increase.

SA国际影视传媒淭here are no rent caps or rent control in the NWT,SA国际影视传媒� Guigon said.

However, the act limits landlords to a single rent increase in a 12-month period and they must give tenants at least three monthsSA国际影视传媒� notice in writing.

Rylund Johnson, MLA for Yellowknife North, said he supports a cap on rent increases as some hikes, such as 16.6 per cent, would be illegal in some jurisdictions in Canada.

SA国际影视传媒淩ent should increase every year. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 really when you get into the 10 or 15 per cent increase realm that itSA国际影视传媒檚 really egregious,SA国际影视传媒� Johnson said. SA国际影视传媒淚 have had constituents come to me with that level of increase and sadly there is no remedy.SA国际影视传媒�

JohnsonSA国际影视传媒檚 solution on the accommodations issue is to increase the supply.

SA国际影视传媒淲e need more and better quality housing stock in Yellowknife and the only way to do that is to create meaningful competition, which we donSA国际影视传媒檛 have.SA国际影视传媒�