Here is my story, though I’ve tried to bury the nightmare and am already feeling my anxiety growing.
The tenant and her boyfriend moved into my Oshawa duplex in April 2020. Within 2 weeks they drove out my other tenant (A+ guy) with loud music, constant visitors all day and night and threats. We allowed the other tenant to break his lease and leave since he no longer felt safe. By May the boyfriend moved out (tenant had beaten and bloodied him and cops were apparently called to the house).
As of June she stopped paying rent and stopped all communications with us. Each time we went to the house there would be different people there and we were told she wasn’t home. Neighbours would call to tell us about a constant stream of cars coming and going all day and night, obviously coming to buy drugs. A neighbour heard banging one night and a guy screaming for the tenant to come out. Screaming that his daughter had bought drugs from her earlier that day and now she’s unresponsive. The neighbour directly across the street installed video cameras and they were promptly stolen that same night. Garbage was piling up outside as there are now tens of people “living” there. Once a molotov cocktail was tossed inside the porch enclosure and the car sped off. A neighbour witnessed this and called the fire department. Luckily the fire was contained to the porch.
In November, on one of our visits to the house (since we have to give her 24 hours notice she’s obviously never home) we spoke with a couple who were being “evicted”. Apparently on top of not paying her rent, she had been subletting to others, stealing their belongings then evicting them.
We called the police numerous times and left messages for their Drug Division, but there were no arrests and no updates. I wrote to my MPP and premier regarding LTB delays, again no update.
We filed the L1 in June 2020, followed by the L2 in July (all neighbours were willing to testify). We had our L1 Hearing on December 2, 2020 (no show by tenant), the eviction Order was for February 10, 2021 and the Sheriff gave us possession on March 16, 2021. We were prompt in all our filings so all delays are due to the system.
As per the Order, the tenant owes us $13,437. This does not include 10 months of utilities, legal/application fees plus $7,000 in damages, garbage disposal, etc. Our paralegal says there’s no point in going to small claims court since we can’t garnish wages from illicit drug sales.
On top of all this the LTB somehow “cannot find” our L2 application. They have no record of this application, aside from my paralegal having the filing fee charged on her credit card. She is currently trying to have this filing fee refunded for us, but is still waiting for a response from LTB.
Bottom line is…this process should NOT have taken over 10 months! Pandemic or not. I pay all my bills, abide by all the rules. The system should NOT be rigged against people like me and protect criminals like the tenant. Being a landlord was supposed to be an investment to help support my family while providing housing for someone looking to rent. Instead this has caused me anxiety, depression, and a deep mistrust in government. And landlords are the enemy?!??
Finally, to emphasize how broken this system is, I actually consider myself fortunate as my ordeal is now over while other landlords are still trapped. I know what they’re going through but know there’s nothing to do but wait.
