Residents at an apartment building in Vancouver’s West End have been handed multiple eviction notices in the past month.
The building, located at 1168 Pendrell Street, recently changed hands and now some residents say they are receiving eviction notices on an almost daily basis.
Not all of the residents have been handed eviction notices, but they have all been asked to sign a new lease with a vacate clause.
In addition, the cost of doing a load of laundry in the building has already increased from $3.25 to $9 — but dryer time has been reduced to 30 minutes, meaning residents are having to pay another $4.50 to have the previous one hour of dryer time. The total? $13.50 for one load, wash and dry.
Global News went to the offices of the new owners, Plan A Real Estate, but they were unavailable for comment.
The building was recently for sale for $6.4 million. According to financial statements included in the listing, the building brings in annual revenue of $228,475 after expenses, as of July 2013. There are 23 apartments, with rents ranging from $925 to $1,215.
Residents say they have had a difficult time contacting the owners.
“I spoke with the landlord on a couple of occasions when he was in the building, and he told me, ‘this was just business,'” says tenant Absalon Figueroa. “He is behaving in an unethical way, this is not right and we should be allowed to live in our homes in peace.”
Two renters have signed the new lease. That’s when residents united, contacting their local MLA and the city, who have expressed support.
The residents say they feel they are being bullied out of the homes and just want to stay.
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