Damage to student rental house like movie ‘Animal House,’ Nova Scotia court says
Global News
A Nova Scotia small claims adjudicator has likened a dispute over damage to a student rental house as something that could have been included in the 1978 movie Animal House.
A Nova Scotia small claims adjudicator has likened a dispute over damage to a student rental house as something that could have been included in the 1978 movie Animal House.
As a result, eight former tenants of the house in Antigonish, N.S., are now on the hook for nearly $6,000 in damages following a written decision released Friday by adjudicator Raffi Balmanoukian.
In his ruling, Balmanoukian draws similarities to the National Lampoon comedy featuring the late John Belushi. It features a troublemaking fraternity in what has been described as the original frat house party movie.
“Missing from that classic, perhaps is a storyline in which the homeowner and inhabitants confront each other about the state of the dwelling in which much of the action takes place,” wrote Balmanoukian. “If such a scene there had been, I expect it would have looked something like this dispute.”
The adjudicator characterized the photographic evidence of the state of the house as showing a “pigsty.” He noted that the lawyer for the tenants “did not disagree.”
The home was described as a rental property “targeted to, and … rented by college students — several at a time.” Antigonish is home to St. Francis Xavier University.
According to landlords Emily and Rick Wilson, the house was “virtually destroyed” aesthetically, with siding, window and door damage as well as “copious amounts of garbage and debris.”
They also told the court the sump pump cistern was used as a “trash can” for a makeshift bar in the basement, resulting in it burning out.