December 1st, 2012
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Fort McMurray Landlord Rented Her Basement and Faced a Living Nightmare Tenant. Seeking Help, The Government Came Up Empty
I Thought Fort McMurray Was a Landlords’ Paradise
I wouldn’t go that far but Fort Mcmurray is known to have the highest rental prices in the entire province of Alberta. With such high prices, a lot of people rent rooms or a basement to save up money to afford their own home in the future.
And lots of people who own homes decide to rent out a part of their home to earn an income.
It All Sounds Good
Except Fort McMurray is not immune from bad tenants. In fact, no one in Alberta is immune these days.
What Happened?
One Fort McMurray landlord faced such a bad situation she now asks to remain anonymous so the ex-tenant doesn’t try to retaliate.
What are the Details?
A homeowner wanted to make a secondary income so rented out her basement unit to what she thought was a nice family.
And…
After they moved in the landlord smelled an odour coming from her basement. When she opened the door leading to the basement unit she was blasted with odours that smelled like urine.
Urine? Yuck!
She looks at the stairs leading to the basement unit and saw strange stains on all the steps. She asked the tenants what it was and they lied, saying it was already there before they moved in. This was a big mistake on her part, as this was the time to evict these horrible tenants.
So the Landlord Went Down the Stairs…
She went downstairs and was shocked.
First, there was a huge amount of garbage on the stairs that she had to maneuver around. Once she finally managed to get to the basement rental unit she saw even more garbage.
“The amount of garbage in the basement was crazy! Food, old clothes, tampons, Q-tips…and what was left in the bathroom is unmentionable.”
What Did She Do Next?
The landlord gave the tenants a notice for there eviction.
She also contacted Alberta Health Services to assist in cleaning up the dangerous mess downstairs.
Did Alberta Health Services Help?
No, not at all. They said they couldn’t help. So she called the police.
Did the Police Help?
She says the police told her landlord and tenant issues are civil matter and tenants have rights too.
Who In the Government Helped Her Deal With These Tenants From Hell?
The landlord says is was incredibly frustrating because no one in the government would do anything to help her. She didn’t receive any assistance from:
– The Police
– Animal Control
– Victim Services
– Environmental health
No help at all. Nothing. This happens across the country.
What’s the Status of the Landlord and Her Rental Property Now?
The tenants moved out. Now the landlord will have to try to go to small claims court to attempt recover her losses. It’s a long and complicated process.
She is now having her basement rental inspected and will try to get it cleaned and back to where it was before her Tenants from Hell.
She asks: “What about my family? What about my son?” She suspects if her tenant had called the government for help, they would have done something to help.
The government often acts when tenants complain.
How Expensive Are the Damages?
At least $20,000. Plus the time and energy needed to clean up her trashed rental unit.
All This Could Have Been Prevented With Proper Tenant Screening, Including a Credit Check. Don’t Make This Landlord’s Mistake. Be Careful Who You Rent To.
