Hi, I was served a notice of rent increase some months ago. I put down that I refuse the increase but will continue to lease here, and sent it to the address written on the notice via registered mail. Canada Post was able to give me the signed proof that it was recieved.
Unfortunately, the signature is so nondescript that it's hard to tell whose it is. Also, I have no written correspondence that the landlord received and acknowledged my refusal other than the registered mail.
Today, my landlord took the increased rent from me via auto deposit. I have no way of stopping the payment or disputing it with my bank. When I tried to sign up for the landlord company's new resident portal to change my payment details and/or contact them, it said they could not find my address and to contact my property manager.
I've done so and am waiting for a response, but I just wanted to ask -- if they feign ignorance, do I have any leg to stand on with taking it to the TAL? if I do, how do I do so?
Thanks in advance
Edit: finally managed to contact the building manager and have my payment stopped, get my pre-authorized debit contract cancelled, and get the e-transfer address for the company. Thanks for all the advice; definitely hammered it into me that stopping the auto payments was the priority.
Realizing in hindsight that my hands weren't as tied as I thought and I was letting my anxiety get the best of me. Hopefully they won't kick up a fuss about me sending my unchanged rent amount, but it's good to have reassurance that the registered mail proof will be enough to cover my ass legally.
(As for why I even agreed to autopay in the first place: desperation, inexperience, naivety, and a distinct lack of backbone at the time. Definitely learned my lesson now.)