Mouse problem at downtown apartment prompts calls for greater transparency for renters

An Edmonton man says a landlord registry would increase transparency over issues like pest infestations. CTV News Edmonton's Nicole Weisberg takes a closer look

Working out of town for weeks at a time, Dane Williams has stayed in his fair share of apartments and short-term rentals but he says an experience earlier this year at Edmonton House was memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Williams said in early March his then-partner alerted him to a strange smell in the closet of their downtown apartment.

“I opened the closet door, and I was like, immediately, I had been around this before, especially in the oil and gas industry, I’m like, that’s mouse pee,” he told CTV News Edmonton in an interview.

After that, he said droppings started showing up all over including in his stove burners, bathroom and bedroom.

Williams reported the issue to the building’s maintenance department on March 9 but said there was no response.

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Three weeks later, he emailed the building’s portfolio manager asking what was going on and she said they were waiting to confirm an exterminator’s availability for the next week.

On April 10, he sent another email requesting an early termination of his lease to find “a healthier and more suitable living environment.”

He received a response stating to end his lease one month early, he would have to pay a re-rental fee equivalent to one month’s rent and would be responsible for the unit’s rent until it was re-rented.

He then received notice an exterminator would attend his unit on April 16 where he said they installed bait traps that attracted the rodents to his living room, kitchen and bedroom.

“As soon as those mice were hitting the bait trap at night, it was unimaginable. I kept waking up, panicking, thinking they were in my bed,” he recounted.

‘I expected better treatment’: Tenant seeks compensation

Williams said he couldn’t stay there any longer so he packed his things, cleaned the apartment and sent an email stating he’d moved out and left the unit in the same condition as it was when he moved in.

“I was just blessed enough to be able to afford to leave but I think of other people that have major phobias and there’s children in this building,” he said.

“Not to mention it’s somewhat iconic in our city as being one of the tallest buildings so I expected more. I expected better treatment.”

Williams filed a claim with the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS), a provincial quasi-judicial service that settles disputes between landlords and renters.

At a hearing in May, a tribunal officer determined Williams was owed an abatement of one month’s rent since the landlord “significantly disturbed the tenant’s possession or peaceful enjoyment of the premises” and failed to meet minimum standards under the Public Health Act.

In a statement to CTV News Edmonton, Leston Holdings’ director of properties said the company respects the RTDRS process and takes tenant concerns seriously.

Lynsey Masson writes, “We recognize the importance of timely and professional responses to issues such as pest control” and used the experience to “guide further improvements to our policies and practices.”

She said Leston has strengthened internal procedures to ensure quicker response times and clearer communication with residents.

Increasing transparency over landlord issues

Williams is sharing his story with CTV News Edmonton to warn others and believes information like this should be easily accessible to all.

“People should have the right to know where they’re about to spend their quiet, peace and enjoyment and really get a full understanding of what they’re stepping into,” he said.

Ward papastew councillor Michael Janz has been advocating for a landlord registry for years saying in an interview with CTV News Edmonton landlords currently “hold all the cards” when it comes to information.

“I want to see things that give renters a sense of predictability. So were there previous complaints about the property?” he said.

“I moved into a rental a few years ago and there were cockroaches but my landlord never told me. Everybody else on the floor knew there were cockroaches, they had seen the fumigators but my landlord didn’t tell me. Had we known, we wouldn’t have rented that apartment.”

The Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) created a landlord registry last year.

A long-time HRM councillor said it helps the city keep track of landlords who repeatedly violate standards and guides proactive inspections.

“Now we have the ability to say, if we get four or five or six complaints about this one property or this landlord who owns several properties, let’s look in the registry, how many do they own?” explained Shawn Cleary in a virtual interview.

“And then we can proactively go and look at those other ones to make sure that those who are renting accommodations are protected in that way and are in safe environments.”

The Halifax registry also ensures landlords create maintenance plans. It doesn’t cost landlords to participate and so far, no one has been fined.

“They had concerns going into this but with the implementation so far, they’ve had no issues,” he told CTV News Edmonton.

Registry removed from affordable housing plan

The City of Edmonton included the creation of a landlord registry in its affordable housing plan for 2023 to 2026.

The plan was approved by city council but an updated version said the registry was cancelled since the budget package was not funded.

“As a result, this action will not be advanced in accordance with city council’s direction,” it reads.

In an email to CTV News Edmonton, a communications advisor said the city is “operating within a restrained economic climate” and while there is no funding for the initiative Tenant Support helps renters be better informed about their rights and obligations under provincial laws.