Tenants in apartment without heat for nearly one year to have 5 months of hydro costs covered
The company which manages a downtown Windsor, Ont. apartment building — where tenants have gone nearly a full year without heat — has promised to cover five months of increased hydro costs for tenants who had to plug in electric heaters to stay warm.
CTV News Windsor spoke with two tenants on Feb. 4 at 524 Pitt St. W. who said heat had stopped coming into their units in March of 2022. Marda Management, which attributes the outage to a faulty boiler, covered tenants’ hydro costs for the first two months of the outage.
According to the tenants, the lack of heat became a non-issue from May to September since the weather became warmer. By October, as the weather started to cool down, the heat still had not been restored and Marda had not offered to provide any further compensation, tenants added.
Instead, Marda provided supplemental heaters but tenants told CTV News Windsor they were inadequate and they were forced to buy electric heaters out-of-pocket to stay warm. One tenant, Jorden Arsenualt, added he would be turning to the Landlord and Tenant Board to recoup 100 per cent of his hydro costs from the full duration of the outage.
Following the story’s publication over the weekend, Marda Management issued a new notice to tenants Monday.
“We realize through this time you may have been using alternative measures to heat your home during this time,” the notice from Marda Management’s Tenant Services Division reads.
“To that end, we ask you to submit hydro bills you have received between October 2022 and February 2023. We will be evaluating each bill and issuing credits accordingly to compensate you for the increased usage expenses you may have incurred due to using alternative heating solutions,” it reads.
In a phone call with CTV News Windsor, Arsenualt said he is happy to see things “moving in the right direction” but he wants further compensation from Marda.
“My tenant board pursuits still likely stand. I still have my [application filing] fee that I paid for … as well as my personal heater that I had to purchase to create any sort of livable environment,” he said.
In a separate notice issued to tenants Wednesday, Marda Management said the boiler needs to cycle for 48 hours to evacuate any trapped air.
That means tenants will need to wait until Friday to find out if heat has been successfully restored to the entire building.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.