Appartements Bourret - The Cogir Management Company confirms that no renoviction measures have occurred

BROSSARD, QC, Aug. 11, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - On the morning of Saturday, August 7, a group of tenants in Cogir-managed buildings on Bourret Street, accompanied by independent city councilor Marvin Rotrand, held an impromptu press conference to denounce so-called pressure tactics perceived as being intended to evict tenants from their housing for renovation purposes.

Cogir took over management of the buildings in 2019, at which time the buildings were over 50 years old and in need of major building system upgrades. Significant work, including new elevators and major mechanical and electrical system upgrades, were undertaken to improve the buildings, create environmental and energy efficiencies, and improve residents' quality of life. During this work, updates were carried out on already vacant apartments and apartments which had been voluntarily vacated. No tenant has ever been forced to vacate their apartment.

However, any person occupying an apartment under the terms of a valid and applicable lease is obligated to make monthly rent payments on an agreed-upon date, as stipulated in the lease.  A small portion of tenants, intentionally or not, failed to meet their obligation to pay on the agreed-upon date. In addition, as part of the initiative to improve tenant and building services, tenants are now being encouraged to pay by direct deposit. Tenants who previously paid by cash may have experienced a delay of a few days during this transition.

To assist tenants, Cogir always issues three friendly payment reminders in the weeks following the rental due date and provides assistance to tenants who may be experiencing technology issues. These notices are intended to serve as a reminder of the tenant's obligation to pay, rather than a form of harassment, and in no way constitute an eviction notice.

Since Cogir assumed management of the buildings, Cogir has extended a great amount of flexibility to tenants, notably during the pandemic, by actively working with tenants to make individual arrangements and avoid issuing notices to appear at the Tribunal administratif du logement (housing administrative court also known as the TAL). However, as a responsible manager, Cogir must ensure rents are paid and this occasionally required the delivery of a notice to appear at the TAL so that the case may be heard and settled in court.

During the press conference, it was falsely asserted that some forty (40) tenants have received a notice to appear in September for unpaid June rent. There are actually only ten (10) cases, of 324 apartments, which are currently registered with the TAL and Cogir has been actively trying to work with these tenants to solve the account issues prior to the hearing date.

The enjoyment and provision of a high-quality living environment are of great importance. With this in consideration, the 2021 proposed rental increase was limited to 3% despite major increases in operating expenses and significant upgrades made to the buildings.

As has been the case in the past, Cogir is always there to work with its occupants, community organizations and other municipal bodies to contribute to the well-being of its residents. We intend to implement this type of measure in these buildings.

SOURCE Cogir Real Estate

Please contact Brigitte Pouliot, Cogir Real Estate's director of communications with any question or interview request you may have at [email protected] or call 438 869-6390.