Landlords in the Private Rental Market in Hamilton, Ontario

Abstract

While several researchers have explored the private rental sector from the tenants’ perspective very little is known about landlords and their experiences. The purpose of this study was to understand more in-depth the nature, motives, and challenges of landlords. A case study of landlords in Hamilton, Ontario, is based on survey research, involving the administration of an online questionnaire and then follow-up face-to-face interviews. A local association of landlords, Hamilton and District Apartment Association, assisted in advertising and promoting this research through their registered email list and on their website. The results of the study show that Hamilton’s landlords are a diverse group with mixed motives. They find many aspects of the job rewarding, including good landlord-tenant relations, opportunities for profit/investment, and the flexibility of the work involved, among other things. In contrast, they reported many concerns regarding responsibilities, tenants, the government, and the negative perceptions of them that are held by tenants, councillors and the general public.