Move: It's better if the owner makes his effort!

In Montreal, journalist Louis-Philippe Messier travels a lot, his desk in his backpack, looking for fascinating things and people. He talks to everyone and is interested in all aspects of this town's history.

Not all owners have reached the long weekend of 1^er July leaves the task of moving to the chalet, to their tenants.

Some help organize the day, visit the apartments during the upkeep, and be available in case of emergencies.

“The owner is the only person who can act as the link between the arrivals and the departures and it's his interest to make sure the transition goes well,” sums up Eric Sansouci, who is in the middle of a big 4 and a tenant transition for me ($1450 a month all inclusive).

Mr. Sanssouci is unlikely to be a truly exemplary employer. He is the new president of the Real Estate Owners Corporation of Quebec (CORPIQ).

As this organization is advocating an increased social role for the “owner” this year, I found it relevant to see on Monday how its president goes about it himself!

Avoid drama

Little possible drama when we arrived at the building on rue Wurtele. The mattress delivery guy twiddles his thumbs and gets impatient as he waits for his late arriving customers (new tenants).

Mr Sanssouci calmed the man down and convinced him to wait. It would have been crazy for this deliveryman to angrily leave with his shipment and for the newcomers to be without a bed for their first night!

“That's why you have to be on the ground: there are a lot of unexpected events and a lot of disputes or misunderstandings that can be avoided by a conciliatory owner,” said Mr. Sansousy causes.

Avoid wasting arm oil

In the apartment, four main appliances are still there. Because Sugam, a newcomer, bought everything from a former resident for $400.

“A landlord always surveys his tenants to see what one wants to sell and what another wants to buy, because the less stock you have to carry, the less complicated it is!”

The previous occupants of the apartment may have had a lot of strength as some of the doors were torn…

“1^er In July, the landlord must assure the new tenant that anything that needs repairs will be repaired promptly. Otherwise, it will go badly. After emergency repairs, I ask them to notice what bothers them in the first three weeks and let me know.

Mr. on Boulevard Saint-Michel. At another address in the middle of a Sanssouci move, a departing tenant grouped the rest of his belongings in the same room to free up others for the new tenant…

Does this intersection of movements cause problems on narrow stairs? Let's hope not.

“I want to humanize the employer's job, which is to provide a roof over people's heads and understand and cooperate,” Mr. Sansoussi repeats to me.

We hope these beautiful words from the president are not just wind because the “domestic crisis” is not resolved.

If CORPIQ can encourage more owners to be more proactive in managing movement in their buildings, it wouldn't hurt!

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Eric Sansouci is a landlord many times over and, as he's busy facilitating the moves of his tenants, July 1st is one of his biggest days of the year.

Photo by Louis-Philippe Messier