Townhouse tenants steaming after hot water cut off

Melissa Poirier-Shields cradles her nine-month-old son Lucas on her hip as she putsa stock pot full of water on the stove to boil.

She's been following this routine to wash her dirty dishes for almost twoweeks after Enbridge Gas cut off her hot water the result, the utility company told her, of theowner of her Elmira Gardens townhouse not paying thebills.

"It's quite a shock that we have no hot water," said Poirier-Shields, noting that the kitchen sink also doubles as Lucas's bathtub.

"It'scrazy, because we constantly have to keep boiling water for dishes. And me, my boyfriendand my daughter have to go to my parents to shower and do laundry because we can't do that here."

No response from landlord

Poirier-Shields shares the three-bedroom townhouse on Elmira Drive with her partner,their two children, and two other roommates. Their monthly rent is $1,600, whichincludes the natural gas that both powersthe hot water tank and heats the home.

On May 9, however, Enbridge Gas hand-delivered a letter advising them that the service would be discontinued on May 23.

Poirier said she contacted the superintendent of the townhouse complexto find out what was going on, but never got a response.

She said she then repeatedly called the landlord, Chi Van Ho of Golden Dragon Ho Properties only to be told he wasn't available.

Poirier-Shields saidthe person who answered the phone at the landlord's Bank Street office said they had no idea when the gaswould be restored. The receptionist, she said, told her they were in the process of trying to come up with apayment plan.

'Frustrating and ridiculous'

"This is just downright frustrating and ridiculous, andhe shouldn't be owning properties" said Poirier-Shields. "I'm honestly lost for words. Howcan you let somebodylive like this?"

CBC reached out multiple times to Golden Dragon Ho Properties for comment but received no response.

Poirier-Shields then phoned Ontario's Landlord Tenant Board and filed notice that she wants financial compensation for being without hot water. Atribunal hearing for her complaint isforthcoming.

Staff are continuing their efforts to encourage voluntary compliance and there are indications that the property manager is attempting to resolve the situation.- Statement from Ontario's Ministry of Housing

In an email, the province's Ministry of Housing which oversees the tenant board told CBC News they'd been contacted by "several" tenants living in buildings owned by Golden Dragon Ho Properties, and that the landlord is now "aware of the seriousness of the situation."

Failure to reconnect "vital services" like natural gas could lead to a fine of up to $25,000 for an individual and $100,000 for a corporation, the ministry said.

"Staff are continuing their efforts to encourage voluntary compliance, and there are indications that the property manager is attempting to resolve the situation.The ministry has also been in contact with the local utility and is reaching out to the City of Ottawa to determine other local efforts that have been taken to resolve the situation," a spokesperson wrote.

Poirier-Shields said she contacted the city's bylaw department herself,and was told the earliest her hot water might be reconnected is mid-June.

She said she's frustrated with the bureaucracy, and the fact no one seems to be taking ownership of theproblem

"I've called pretty much everywhere even my MP," said Poirier-Shields. "They all say we have to wait until hepays the bill and we have to wait till they foreclose."

Other tenants have complained

Leah Phillips,another Golden Dragon Ho Properties tenant, lives with her partner in a two-bedroom, $1200-a-monthtownhouse at Manor Village on Majestic Drive in Nepean and their hot water was cut off on May 23.

Like Poirier-Shields, Phillipscomplained to both the city and the Landlord Tenant Board. She said she received similar responses.

"It's been very uncomfortable, not being able to have heat on the cold nights and not being able to use our shower," said Phillips.

"We've had to bounce around to friends to have a shower and get clean. It's really frustrating"

Phillips said they would like to stay in their townhouse, as they're trying to savemoney to buy their first home.

"Honestly wejust want what we pay for we want our utilities back on," shesaid.

Christine Hartig, issues management coordinator with the city's bylaw services department, confirmed thatthey've received about a dozen complaints from tenants at both Elmira Gardens and Manor Village.

Hartig saidthe landlordhas beenissued a blanket compliance order torestore the hot water toall units in all of his buildings not just for renters who'vefiled complaints.

If the landlord doesn't comply, the city can issue fines or a court summons the "only other avenue to issue penalties," Hartig said.

She added she couldn't be certain exactly when tenants would have their hot water restored.

"We can't answer that ... the compliance dates are for mid-June. And we'll follow up," she said.

Hartig encouraged anytenants without hot water toreach out to the Landlord Tenant Board for help.