Tenants say they're living with cockroaches and ants in Dartmouth building

Cockroaches and ants have become unwanted roommates for tenants at a Dartmouth apartment building, who protested Friday about conditions they say includewater leaks and faulty elevators.

Armed with placards more than a dozen tenantstook to the streetoutside 15 Kennedy Dr. to call on the building's owners to fix the problems.

Residents said management's lack of respect, poor communication and little to no help with repairs gave them no choice but to demonstrate.

"It's very difficult, especially when you're on low income and you're supposed to be in affordable housing, just that alone is stressful enough," said building resident Sarah Byrne.

Byrne suffers from osteoarthritis and uses a walker for assisted mobility. She said when elevators break down sometimes for days she is trapped in her eighth-floor apartment.

"It makes it harder for someone with a disability to cope and live a peaceful life," said Byrne.

The Toronto-based management company MetCap is in charge of the apartment building. MetCap disputesthe claims of poor living conditions in the building.

"We have a strong team and a very strong maintenance program in place to service the needs of our residents," MetCap spokesperson Michael Guyette said in an email.

Guyette said pest issues are aggressively contained and there is a 24-hour helpline for residents to officially file any complaints to management office.

Still, tenants say they're being ignored by the company.

"MetCap treats their tenants like we're nobody," said building resident Leanne Langille. "If we have a problem they don't really listen. They say they'll do something and they don't."