Pointe-Saint-Charles tenants ordered to vacate apartments seek compensation for their troubles

The tenants of two decrepit apartment buildings in Pointe-Saint-Charlesare fighting back, after beingordered to evacuate their apartments by Thursday.

Anotice from the City of Montreal says the owner hasn't done the necessary work to make the buildings safe enough to live in.

"It's been seven years the city has been aware of problems" with the buildings on Centre Street and on ChteauguayStreet, said Manuel Johnson, one of the lawyers representing eight tenants.

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"There is an appearance of mismanagement of this file."

The tenants filed a request for an injunction inQuebecSuperior Court Monday. They are seeking compensation to cover their expenses, should they be forced to move or vacate while the work ordered by the city is done.

They are expected to make their arguments in court Wednesday.

Johnsonsays the ideal situation is that the tenants won't be forced to move, but in any case, they are also seeking compensation for years' of trouble.

Many have nowhere to go

"Beyond the psychological stress, a lot of them have serious health problems," Johnson said. "They're very low-income people that don't have any place to go."

According to Bruce Taub, the landlord's lawyer,the City of Montreal sent a list of 122 issues that had to be dealt with by the end of February.

Taub says his client, Robert Zaphiratos the president of the numbered company that owns the buildings only became aware of thatdeadline less than two weeks ago.

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In that time, Taubsays Zaphiratoshas tried to have the issues rectified and attempted to get an extension from the city, to no avail.

Tenants say Zaphiratoshas let the two building deteriorate over the years and rarely undertakes repairs.

Ceiling caving in

GiuliaGiorgi and her roommate started looking for a new apartment as soon as they received the eviction notice.

"It's been very stressful,"Giorgisaid of the order sent by the city and the poor living conditions. "It's a lot to digest all at once, you know to have to move, find a new place, get everything going again."

They did manage to find an apartment nearby, and as they were preparing to move,theceiling in the apartment they were vacating started caving in.

Giorgi says she'd warned Zaphiratos's son about water leaking throughtheir ceiling some weeks ago, but nothing had been done about it.

Hoping for compensation either way

She says she hopes to receive compensation for what she's endured, in addition to moving costs and other unforeseen expenses.

Johnson said he and his colleague bypassed the Rgie du Logement, Quebec's rental board, and went straight toSuperior Court because of serious delays at the rental board and just how dire the situation has become.

They are still filing a complaint with the board, he said, but it is mostly symbolic.