I would like to thank everyone who responded to my request for ideas of compensating my renter for inconvenience.
I disagree however that "questions like these" are respnsable for any negativity toward landlords. It is because I`m bothering to ask for advice that separates me and everyone on this forum from the looser landlords that I rented from when I was younger. It was that experience that gave me the desire to build this suite to code or in this case above. Without going into detail, all the nasty problems that a renter can go through have been eliminated here as well as neighbourhood concerns, like on sight parking. I know my competition and know that this is one of the best suites for the price and so do the renters. There is much respect between my renters and I but this is a buisness so I want to be fair.
There certainly is a full range of opinion on this. At present, I have only two rentals and this is my basement suite with what is the best renter I`ve ever had. She told me that it was no problem at all and that she would shower at her boy friend`s until the job was done and she didn`t hang around while I got the work done, so although there is no legal requirement, I think she deserves a gesture of appreciation.
When we gave her a Christmas card and a Tim`s voucher, she gave us a card with a box of chocolates! (that`s never happened to us before).
Anyway, I think some flowers with a $100 gift certificate to the local Save-ON foods is appropriate, as that is where she buys her groceries. I asked her what she felt would be an appropriate compensation and didn`t think it was neccesary so when I made a couple of suggestions, the grocery certificate won out.
This is a situation I could not forsee and I acted in a timely manner so this seems reasonable to me without getting carried away.
Thanks again to everyone for the advice.
Mark