Downtown apartment receives complaints from tenant

A Windsor municipal tenant said he believes his landlord is not taking enough responsibility in the maintenance of his apartment.

Jacob Caron, a 22-year-old Windsorite, said he is concerned about the building conditions he’s living in. Fungi, rodents and black mold in his apartment have affected his mental and physical health.

Many of Windsor’s apartments can be reaching elderly status. This has contributed to many being in need of upgrading to current health and safety standards, a task that can sometimes escalate beyond the landlord’s capabilities.

In Caron’s case, he says the state of his apartment left much to be desired upon moving in in 2011. Faulty wiring in the bathroom caused a lightbulb to explode and send glass everywhere on one occasion. In the insulation above his bedroom ceiling mold was a persistent problem, with water seepage making its way through the drywall.

“There is a ton of water damage in here,” said Caron on what once woke him up while sleeping. “I could be lying in my bed and then be having an unwarranted shower.”

Communication between Caron and his landlord has been difficult, according to a report filed by an advocate for Caron between March 2012 and January 2015. Over a dozen occasions he called and there was no response. Caron said it wasn’t until very recently that major repairs were made.

Caron’s landlord was unavailable for comment.

By law, landlords are required to provide and maintain a safe and livable space for tenants. If appropriate actions have not been taken, a tenant can refer to the Landlord and Tenant Board. Caron scheduled an appointment for March of 2015 but he said nothing so far has been done.

Another route a tenant can take is to bring complaints to the Building Services Department. Upon investigation of the state of the living space, an inspector can then file a repair order. This can also escalate to a court appearance if action is not taken. However, the situation can then be taken advantage of.

“There are certain delay tactics that (building owners) can use to drag the process out,” said Dan Lunardi, the deputy chief building official for the Building Services Dept. “They could ask for an adjournment, or they want to consult with their lawyers…these things don’t work favourably for the tenant because they’re still living in these conditions that are substandard.”

However, not all problems brought before the department were the landlord’s fault. In one case, Lunardi spoke of a tenant who complained about excessive moisture around his windows. The problem was revealed to be caused by the tenant’s six aquariums.

The responsibilities of the tenant usually involve the general cleanliness of the living space. Caron said he admits he doesn’t clean regularly. He said this stemmed from his choice of friends, who regularly trashed his apartment. Many of them continue to visit the apartment against his wishes, with even a recent crowbar attempt at Caron’s door in January.

Caron said situations like these have made him prefer couch-surfing between different friends’ apartments. In a notice he left for his landlord, he said he will be officially leaving the premises on March 11.

Officially, however, his tenancy is to end in 2017.