Another heartbreaking story of a SOLO landlord facing undue delays and no one willing to assist. Here is his story in his own words.
The Tenants entered my property in November 2021 and stopped paying rent since January 2022. My application for eviction of tenants were submitted in a combined L1 and L2 application on 2nd March after trying to understand their difficulties for two months.
Since then the unpaid rent and utility bill stands at about $17000+, with extensive damage to the property, damaged the fire alarm systems, housing more than leased, broke all conditions of the lease, other tenants moved out of the property for denying their rights to reasonable enjoyment, turned my beautiful house into a garbage dump.
Application for ‘Shortening the Hearing’ was made three times to the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) but was denied every time. They did not find significant prejudices in my applications without “A Foreclosure letter or a utilities disconnection Letter.” And the application has still not been granted a hearing in six months.
Recently an electrical safety inspection was ordered by the Fire Prevention Officer (FPO) of Kitchener City and the report by the master electrician indicated with all deficiencies that the property is a ‘public health concern’ and could not send their electricians into the building to complete work due to visible hoarding, cockroaches, fruit flies, pet feces and suspected bed bugs.
The damage caused by the Tenants has created an emergency electrical and fire safety danger for themselves and all other tenants in the property. This is imminent harm to tenants’ safety.
I contacted and provided the report to FPO of Kitchener City and KW HYDRO and sought immediate advice and action to make the Tenants and Property safe. Followed up with them to act but no appropriate action has been initiated yet. I think the “THE BUILDING IS UNSAFE FOR LIVING” and the hydro needs to be disconnected immediately. As a small residential landlord, I do not have this authority.
I contacted the following authorities for advice but nobody could advise, stating the issue was not their responsibility;
- Electrical Safety Authority
- Waterloo Public Health
- Kitchener City By-Law
- 911 and Waterloo Regional Police Department
- Fire Safety Commissioner – Ontario
Is there no Government Agency to attend such an emergency that the people and property can be saved before damage is done and loss of human life? What happens if anything goes wrong before the LTB processes are completed? Are human lives of so little value that in spite of my serious appeal to all the authorities, I, as a small landlord have to endure and live with anxiety of imminent danger to my tenants, property, my health and family life?
A Distressed Landlord
SOLO is assisting this landlord to get professional and legal help to get out of this situation potential negative for both the tenants and landlords. We withdrew his name for his own protection.
