640 38 St SW

Unsafe Living Conditions, Neglected Repairs, and a Dismissive, Unresponsive Landlord

I would not recommend this building or rent from this landlord again. During my tenancy, I experienced unsafe conditions, neglected maintenance, and repeated difficulty getting basic problems taken seriously. My experience with the landlord was consistently unpleasant. I found him dismissive, disrespectful, and far more focused on collecting rent than addressing the conditions tenants were living in. The problems began at the outset. Although I was employed when I rented the apartment, he insisted on six months’ rent upfront. I offered a credit check, a background check, and bank statements to demonstrate my reliability and ability to pay. He refused those alternatives and continued to demand the upfront payment. On my first day, after I had driven from Montreal, he made comments about whether I had problems crossing the border and suggested that I might be a criminal. I found this insulting and inappropriate, especially when I had already offered to undergo a background check. Getting repairs completed was an ongoing struggle. Maintenance requests could remain unresolved for more than a week, with repeated calls and follow ups required. There was no formal maintenance reporting system, and I could not reliably reach him, particularly after 7 p.m. Other tenants told me they also had longstanding unresolved requests. Some neighbours said they were withholding rent until repairs were completed, which reflected how frustrated they had become. The landlord referred to tenants having lived in the building for around 20 years. However, my understanding is that he only took over approximately two years ago, so those longstanding tenancies began under previous ownership. One tenant I eventually met, who said he had lived there for approximately 18 years, told me the current landlord repeatedly threatened him with a rent increase on one month’s notice or having to move out. This was that tenant’s account, but it added to my concerns about how residents were treated. The apartment was advertised as approximately 1,000 square feet. In my estimation, it was closer to 800 square feet. I did not have it professionally measured, but the space felt substantially smaller than advertised. My greatest concern was safety. Snow and ice were left untreated in the parking and access areas, and I personally fell twice. Previous water leaks and plumbing work left damaged plaster and unfinished ceiling surfaces, with material falling from the ceiling. Inside my unit, doors came off their hinges, and the screws and installation appeared inadequate. The workmanship and repairs felt cheap and poorly executed. The common areas had a persistent, unpleasant smell resembling dead fish. Corridor lighting was inadequate, leaving hallways extremely dark during the day. The entry system also complicated deliveries because drivers needed a personal four digit access code, and packages were frequently marked as undeliverable. At one point, heat and hot water stopped working across multiple units. When I reported it, the landlord dismissed my concerns because he said no one else had complained. I had to go around knocking on other tenants’ doors, asking them to check their water and contact him directly because he would not take my report seriously. Only after other tenants also reported the problem was action taken. I should not have had to canvass the building to get an essential service failure acknowledged. I rarely saw him attending to the building’s upkeep. What stood out throughout my tenancy was the contrast between his insistence on payment and the effort required to obtain even basic maintenance. Reporting problems too often became an argument or a prolonged exercise in chasing him. Based on my experience, this was a poorly maintained building with a landlord who was difficult to reach, dismissive when approached, and unwilling to respond promptly to serious concerns. I did not feel safe or respected as a tenant, and I would strongly caution prospective renters before committing.