New Residential Rental Licensing By-Law Gaining Momentum
Interest in the new Residential Rental Licensing (RRL) Pilot Study launched on February 13, 2023, is gaining momentum.
City administrators have been fielding questions from tenants and property owners alike.
In response, administration continues to expand the information resources available for the pilot study on the City of Windsor website. Additional supporting information, including guides to the licensing process, sample documents to clarify requirements, and responses to a number of frequently asked questions (FAQ) are being regularly updated, expanded, and made available to the public at CityW.ca/RRL.
Along with the website, residents, property owners, and local businesses can send their detailed questions not answered on the website to residentialrentals@citywindsor.ca by email. Knowledgeable staff monitoring this email address will ensure timely responses and update the website when new frequently asked questions are identified.
The residential rental licensing by-law is aimed at improving safety in existing rental housing stock and enhancing proactive property standards enforcement efforts.
The two-year pilot study follows the regulatory framework approved by City Council back in April 2022 and began with the proclamation of By-law #14-2023 on February 13, 2023.
Under the new by-law, owners of properties in Ward 1 and Ward 2 that contain one to four units are now required to secure a residential rental licence for each rented unit.
To secure a licence, property owners will need to take the following steps:
Complete a licence application form
Confirm ownership and show proper insurance
Provide a local contact for the unit
Show that the unit meets legislated requirements, including Building Code, Fire Code, and Electrical Safety Standards
Licence applications will be due by Wednesday, May 31, 2023.
By-law Enforcement staff will focus on education and outreach prior to the application deadline, and officers will then shift their activities to enforcement efforts focused on unlicensed properties starting June 1, 2023.
Residents who wish to report a suspected rental housing unit should do so by contacting 311 as follows:
Additional information and links to application forms and supporting documents are available on the City's RRL web page at CityW.ca/RRL.