Man wants to move into his London, Ont. home but tenant won't leave or pay $15k in back rent

A London, Ont., man says he's $20,000 in debt and suffering extreme stress due to seven months of unpaid rent and legal fees spent trying to evict a tenant. 

Parvinder Singh, 26, says he can't move into his own home because his tenant won't adhere to the mutually agreed-upon date to vacate the property. With no response from Landlord Tenant Board (LTB) on a hearing date, Singh says he's at his wit's end.

"I can't be in debt just to pay my mortgage," he said. "I'm a simple 9 to 5 working guy and all I want is just to get into my house."

Singh bought the home in the city's north end in 2020, and rented it out while awaiting a job transfer from his employer in Brampton. The initial lease was for six months, but Singh says he and the tenant then agreed to a month-to-month lease, when the transfer didn't materialize. 

The tenant initially kept up with his monthly payments of $2,236, Singh said. He even signed an N11 notice, which CBC News has seen, confirming he would move out by April 30.

But in February, Singh said the tenant stopped responding to his calls and messages. That's when he says he presented the tenant with an N12 notice, giving him 60 days to move. 

"After that there was no communication. So April 30 comes and I was there with my family and all my stuff to move into my house and he didn't open up any doors," Singh said. That's also when the rent payments stopped. 

A few days later, Singh said he returned to the house and was told by the tenant's friend that he must pay $20,000 and the tenant will leave. 

"I was shocked," Singh said. "I cried in front of him. I even offered $7,000 for two months rent or help him move, anyway I can assist him to move out of my house, but he didn't agree on anything." 

CBC News spoke to the tenant who claims the landlord and the person he's been dealing with are two different people. He says it's because the email he was using to e-transfer the rent has a different name attached to it.

Singh says he's using an email address he's had for more than a decade, and used his legal name on all documents, which the tenant co-signed. 

The tenant also alleges that he signed the N11 under duress because he was intoxicated when Singh came over with the document. The tenant said he's submitted two T2 notices against Singh for harassment and illegal entry.

Singh filed for a hearing with the LTB six months ago but said he hasn't heard back due to a backlog that's impacting many other landlord and tenants in dispute. He's also hired a paralegal, increasing his debtload, to try to get the tenant to leave.

Singh's situation isn't uncommon, according to Kathleen Lovett of KLP Paralegal Services and Landlord Solutions, who says these kinds of scenarios are recurring at a fast pace.