Renter on disability pension given 61% rent increase and told to shovel own snow

A Saint John renter on a disability pension and his wife are hunting for a new place to live after receiving notice of a 61 per cent rent increase from their new landlord and instructions to begin shoveling snow from the entranceway to their apartment themselves.

Sixty-four-year-old Douglas London and his wife Anne have lived at 123 City Line for four years. The building was sold in early December to a numbered Ontario company. 

Within days, notices of a $380 rent increase and the termination of snow removal around the building were placed in their mailbox.

"I could have handled a $100 rent increase that wouldn't have bothered me," said London, "But $380? No. We couldn't come up with that."

London has been paying $620 per month for his apartment not including utilities, an amount he was told would jump to $1,000 on April 1st.

"This increase is necessary to keep up with the rising cost of operating and to maintain consistency with the building," read the notice dated December 17.  "Thank you for your cooperation in this matter."

London's building and an attached lot were sold on Dec. 9 for $660,000.  It's triple the assessed market value of the properties done by Service New Brunswick.   

Brampton Ontario real estate investor Evan Murray is listed as president of  the company that bought the property.  He did not respond to an email asking about the purchase.   

Local Saint John property management company Canada Homes for Rent (CHR) was hired by Murray to look after the eight-unit building.  It delivered the notices to tenants about rent.  

In an email, Canada Homes for Rent president Jeff Murray said he would speak about the City Line property "as soon as possible" but was busy in the short term dealing with the aftermath of a weekend snowstorm.

London, who is on a disability pension with a number of health problems including heart trouble, was also notified that he would have to take over shoveling himself out following winter storms.

"Where snow removal is not provided by landlord, tenant must maintain clear and safe access to primary and secondary entry (and) exit and parking spot," read that notice, which was separate from the rent increase.

The Londons are among a growing number of long term New Brunswick tenants being hit with substantial rent increases this winter after the province announced in November it would not join most other provinces in setting a limit on what landlords can charge in 2022.

Service New Brunswick Minister Mary Wilson said the government was worried landlords would be hesitant to maintain older buildings or build new housing if rent hikes were limited.