RESIDENTS of an apartment building were livid after discovering that their landlord had relisted their rooms for a high price after telling them the building was scheduled for demolition.
According to one of the residents, they received a letter early last month explaining that the building owners had plans to demolish the building and needed them to vacate by the beginning of August.
Karlie Rheaume says that they were evicted from their home only to find it back on the market a few weeks laterCredit: Global News
According to Rheaume, the move left several of the residents scrambling to find a homeCredit: Global News
“Those notices were served on my door,” Karlie Rheaume told Global News.
According to Rheaume, they were at work they were delivered.
I got a text of a picture of my door with those pages, and they clearly stated, ‘We’re demolishing the building,’” said Rheaume.
Rheaume stated that the news left many of her New Brunswick, a town located 94 miles outside Halifax, Nova Scotia, scrambling to find a place to live.
“Having a month to find housing was like, ‘Where am I going to live?’ There’s already a pretty tough market here in Sackville,” they said.
“It wasn’t until a coworker of mine spoke to his partner, who was working out of province, and (said), ‘I have a spare room if you need one.’ I didn’t have anywhere else to go, so that’s where I went.”
Rheaume was left stunned when they discovered that their old place had been listed for $1,500 — nearly double the amount they initially paid.
According to the online posting, the two-bedroom unit features parking and pet-friendly regulations.
Included in the listing, is a statement reading that the apartment is “getting fully painted” as well as boasting new kitchen flooring.
“Looking for short term, 8 months +|-, we may demolish and rebuild,” the bottom of the ad reads.
The revelation that they had been lied to angered Rheaume.
“It felt like kind of a slap in the face honestly, because all of this hardship and time that I’ve spent (looking for a new apartment) could have not happened,” they said to the outlet.
According to the landlord, she and her husband had intended to demolish the building and then rebuild it, however, they claimed that the property needed to be rezoned — a process that takes months.
“We can’t leave it empty and pay for all their bills and then have squatters moving in. So that’s why we decided to rent it,” Genevieve Savoie, the building’s landlord told the Global News.
It felt like kind of a slap in the face honestly, because all of this hardship and time that I’ve spent (looking for a new apartment) could have not happened”
Karlie RheaumeGlobal News
Speaking with the U.S. Sun, Savoie said that since leaving the building, the tenant had returned and saw the building undergoing reservations.
“[the tenant] came over after she moved out to pick up some things of her that she had left behind and she witnessed us doing the renovation,” Savoie said.
“So she was well aware that there’s renovation prior to anyone else moving in.”
According to Savoie, she even returned Rheaume’s security deposit.
Since the incident, Savoie says that she and her husband have faced a wave of backlash both on social media and in person.
Savoie told the outlet her car was recently egged due to people’s anger over the situation.
“It speaks to the lack of regulation, the lack of capacity on the part of New Brunswick housing authorities to be able to intervene in a timely manner to ensure people maintain their homes,” Matthew Hayes, a member of the NB Coalition for Tenants Rights, said.
Rheaume said that they have tried to contact the coalition several times only to be redirected several times.
“Going through this felt very lonely,” Rheaume said.
“I’m sure I’m not the first tenant to go through this. The sentiment is shared that we’re trying to manage all the sudden upsets of life that come with a sudden eviction, while figuring out navigating the system.”
According to the online posting, the two-bedroom unit features parking and pet-friendly regulationsCredit: Global News
