Sept 9th, 2012

What Happened?

According to the Truro Daily News a Salmon River tenant who accused his landlord of failing to deal with mold issues in his rented trailer has been ordered to vacate the premises by the Nova Scotia tenancy board.

What About The Mold Issue?

As well, an inspection of the residence carried out by a Municipality of Colchester building inspector has determined that while some mold growth was visible around the bathroom window and in a rear bedroom, the recommended remedy was to remove the mold with a solution of warm water and detergent.

What’s the Background to this Story?

In early August, the Truro Daily News published a story in which former Ontario resident Joey Nahwegahbow said he discovered mould in the mobile home he had rented in mid July from Dockrey Apartments owners Robert and Kathryn Dockrey.

What Did the Tenant Do?

Nahwegahbow accused his landlord of refusing to properly deal with the problem and subsequently filed complaints with the municipality and the residential tenancy board. The Landlord needed help.

Was There a Hearing?

The tenancy board hearing was scheduled for Thursday but in a ruling issued following that session, Nahwegahbow and his wife Stacey Ann were ordered to vacate the premises on or before midnight of Sept. 17.

“The tenants’ claims are dismissed because the tenants did not appear to defend their claims,” residential tenancy officer Clare Kennedy wrote in the finding, which also indicates the Dockreys are owed $1,300 in unpaid rent.

Did He Eventually Show Up?

Nahwegahbow acknowledged that he appeared late for the hearing but his request for it to continue following his arrival was denied.

He said he plans to appeal the decision and also to have a more expert analysis conducted regarding the mold situation.

The Dockreys also expressed frustration over the situation and plan to continue their efforts to have the Nahwegahbows vacate the premises.

With more and more tenants claiming mold, bedbug and other issues (whether valid or not) Nova Scotia Landlords must be diligent and conduct proper tenant screening.

*Please note the picture in this article is not the property written about, but a general picture of a property with mold.