‘Easily 40 to 50 grand’: Coquitlam landlord on the hook after evicting problem tenants

A Coquitlam landlord is speaking out after evicting a group of problem tenants he says has hit him hard in the pocketbook.

Henry Chung says he couldn’t get rent for more than six months, and that in that time, the tenants also significant damaged his house.

Some of it was on display on Thursday, as the tenants moved out under the supervision of RCMP and bylaw officers who were on site to keep the peace.

“My kitchen is ruined, my sink is ruined, there’s still a whole bunch of garbage out here,” Chung said.

WATCH: Nightmare tenants destroy rental property

1:57 Nightmare tenants destroy rental property

The eviction — and run up to it — won’t come cheap, according to Chung.

“The rent is seven months rent, the bailiff fee, the trash removal fee, renovations, all together easily 40 to 50 grand,” he said.

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According to Chung, he had trouble removing the tenants because the Residential Tenancy Act, which he described as a “joke,” protected the renters, and required he jump through multiple hoops.

However, under the Residential Tenancy Act, a landlord may issue a 10-day eviction notice for non-payment of rent. Renters are able to apply for dispute resolution with an arbitrator under that mechanism.

Outside the home, personal belongings and trash were strewn across the yard and sidewalk on Thursday.

“It was like a rooming house. There’s five bedrooms rented out to five different people. We don’t all even know each other, just from the house,” said one of the evicted tenants.

“It’s hard to find housing as it is.”

However, neighbours told Global News the eviction was a relief.

“It’s a good thing that it’s coming to an end and everybody’s at peace now,” said one neighbour.

But for Chung, it’s been a hard lesson. He’s now warning other landlords to be careful when screening for new tenants.