Forced out: Dartmouth tenants told to leave apartments after buildings sold
People who live in a couple of older apartment buildings in north end Dartmouth, N.S., say they're being tossed out now that the owner has sold the properties.
Although the ban on so-called "renovictions" was lifted in March, property owners say current restrictions are forcing them out of business, and they are going to be happening more and more.
Tenant Corena Hiles has lived in a one bedroom unit for the last eight months, and got the news in a note from the owner.
"If you find this letter tucked under your door or taped to your door that means I have been to your apartment and you were not home," the note reads.
"I am sorry I missed seeing you as I wanted to deliver to you in person this sensitive news," the note goes on to explain the buildings have been sold and major renovations will begin on Sept. 30.
"This means, unfortunately, your leases will not be renewed and you will have to move," reads the letter.
"Well, what went through my mind was, 'I'm screwed,'” said Hiles.
"And I received the notice the day after I returned home from my father's funeral."
There's uncertainty next door as well for Adam Whynacht, who lost both legs to diabetes.
A social worker is trying to find Whynacht and his wife a new place, but there's not a lot of money in the budget.
”Right now, it's $750 for us to live here. If we move back in, it might be anywhere from $900 to well over a thousand dollars," said Whynacht.
There's also little doubt both buildings have seen better days.
A city inspection on July 11 noted eight violations in one unit alone:
- Broken boards on an exterior deck outside of the unit;
- A door serving the unit was not secure to the frame;
- A bathtub in the unit was missing the enamel;
- The smoke alarms in the unit are to be cleaned and tested, to ensure they are in good working order;
- The front concrete stairs were deteriorated, missing chunks of concrete;
- The self-closer on the secure door was not working;
- The bathtub faucet in the unit was leaking; and,
- Pest concerns in the unit
"The property owner must address the noted violations," said HRM Public Affairs Advisor Klara Needler in an email to CTV News.
"Please note this is an active file, and Building Standards is currently in communication with the property owner," Needler said.
The owner declined to speak on camera with CTV News, but said he's worked hard to fix everything brought to his attention.
He adds that all tenants have short-term leases, and with a signed offer on the table, he hopes to sell the buildings and retire.
"There's no winner in this, and it's very tragic," says Kevin Russell, executive director of the Investment Property Owners Association of Nova Scotia (IPOANS), a group that speaks for owners of more than 50,000 units in Nova Scotia.
Although the province has lifted its ban on "renovictions," new rules are in place to prevent them from happening, along with a 2 per cent rent cap, in place for another 16 months.
"We're in a high inflationary period, where operating costs are higher and the 2 per cent rent doesn't cut it anymore," says Russell.
"And now (the owners) find themselves in a negative cash flow, so it's very strenuous for them. They have no alternative but to sell their business."
Back in Dartmouth, Hiles knows she's got a little less than two months to clear out of her home. She says she'll take her clothes, but little else.
“And I want compensation for that. I think that everybody in this building should be entitled to some sort of compensation."
A high price to pay, she says, for reasonable rent in an increasingly unreasonable rental market.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Iran fires at suspected Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
Iran fired air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan after spotting drones, which were suspected to be part of an Israeli attack in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
In his new book 'As Long as You Need', hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.