Why you need a Paralegal on your Team

No matter how hard you work to be a great Landlord or choose a great Tenant, things don’t always go as planned.

The Landlord and Tenant relationship can be complex, with competing priorities sometimes leading to conflict and disputes. Add to that the fact that Life happens…people lose jobs, people get divorced, repairs get overlooked, damage gets done. The job of being a Landlord can be perilous and you can easily find yourself a difficult situation with your Tenant. That comes with the territory.

When things do go wrong, the most important priority is to take correct action immediately. That’s half the battle. The thing is, it’s not always easy to know what the correct action is. In fact, it can be downright overwhelming and stressful.

In our experience, the worst thing that you can do in any situation is to guess at the correct course of action. Guessing means that you’re not making an informed decision based on experience. Guessing means that you’re at a higher risk of making the wrong decision, which could (and usually does) worsen the situation.

The same goes for us at East Vista. We have an experienced Paralegal firm on retainer, to advise us when we’re unsure or in doubt. Even though we have years of experience, we still encounter situations that we’ve never dealt with before. That’s just part of the business. In cases like these, it’s critical that we are sure of the correct course of action. A consultation with our Paralegal is a critical component of making the right decision and getting the best outcome.

We always recommend that a Landlord get help if or when they are in doubt about what to do in a given situation. As Property Managers, we can help with most situations, but often what the Landlord really needs is proper legal advice and/or legal action. Yes, there is a cost to going the legal route, but the benefits far outweigh the costs.

So, what are some other benefits of hiring a Paralegal?

As an ethical and reputable Landlord, it’s important that you do things correctly and legally.
Even when serving basic notices, like the N4 for non-payment of rent, you are essentially entering the legal system and need someone on your team with experience.
There are many nuances to navigating this process effectively. An experienced Paralegal will know the correct action to take to ensure the best outcome.
The interpretation of tenancy laws are constantly changing and it would be difficult for a Landlord to maintain adequate knowledge of these interpretations.
Even a minor mistake in the paperwork (application) or how it was served can be cause for dismissal of the case, which could set you back months in the current system.
The Landlord is burdened with additional responsibilities throughout the LTB process and a Paralegal will ensure that you are doing everything that you need to do.
The Tenant will be provided duty council (ie. court-appointed legal representation) by the court at no cost. This will put you at a considerable disadvantage if you are representing yourself.
The Tenant and/or their legal representative may use certain tactics to delay Hearings and execution of an Order or Eviction. An experienced Paralegal knows all of the tricks and can help you avoid costly delays.
You don’t have the stress associated with trying to do something that you don’t know how to do or not doing it right.
You save time by not having to attend LTB Hearings.
You can learn a lot about the legal side of the business from the Paralegal.
Swift and correct action taken can lead to timely resolution of most issues, which can save money in the long-run.

We believe that success as a Landlord depends on having a strong support network, which should include an experienced Paralegal. Getting expert advice and guidance will help you to avoid the guesswork and take swift, correct action in any situation.

East Vista Property Management offers Paralegal services for any situation. You can also learn more or find a Paralegal through the Law Society of Ontario here.