VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Apartment dwellers in BC are looking at a 3.8 per cent increase in rent come 2013.

While the maximum allowable increase is lower than this year’s 4.3 per cent, it still represents hundreds of extra dollars renters will need to spend to keep a roof over their heads.

The rate is based on inflation plus two per cent.

Andrew Sakamoto of the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre has crunched some numbers.

“For someone paying $1,000 a month in 2003, their rent would now be up 39 per cent, to $1,390 per month,” he explains. Based on that scenario, rent is an additional $4,000 a year compared to ten years ago.

Sakamoto wants BC to follow Ontario’s move. Starting next year, rental increases there are capped at 2.5 per cent.

He says the yearly increases are frustrating in light of landlords failing to use the extra money to make improvements to suites and buildings.

“Thirty-three per cent of calls we receive have to do with the lack of repairs. The annual rent increase that landlords get is supposed to be justified by them making certain repairs and maintaining their buildings. But we are not seeing that happen.”

And Sakamoto points out one more fact: renter deposits have not earned a dime in interest the last four years. He says at the very least, the interest earned on deposits should be pegged at two per cent annually.