After buying a 625-square-foot condo on King St. W. as an investment property, Vivian Mah hired a realtor to find a “Triple AAA professional tenant” who would pay the rent on time.“I wanted to make sure it was someone decent who would take care of my property,” said Mah, who is an urban planner.Elizabeth Tremblay seemed to fit the bill.The soft-spoken 53-year-old presented herself as an executive director of a not-for-profit organization who was relocating to Toronto from California. She submitted references, an employment letter confirming a yearly salary of about $70,000 and a credit report that raised no red flags.The realtor said “you should go with her,” and Mah did, renting the one-bedroom corner unit to Tremblay for $2,100 a month beginning May 1.But within days, before the rent cheques started bouncing, Tremblay’s tenancy turned into Mah’s nightmare when building staff advised the female occupant was renting the unit to multiple individuals, probably through Airbnb, a website offering short-term rentals in private homes.“The moment she got in, she Airbnb’d my property, even though she’s not allowed to be doing that,” Mah said.During an Aug. 3 hearing at the Landlord and Tenant Board, Tremblay, who represented herself, denied renting out Mah’s condo.“I love the building. Why do you think I would Airbnb it?” Tremblay told Guy Savoie, the board’s vice-chair.Mah’s condo tower at 224 King St. W., known as Theatre Park, does not permit rentals of less than three months.“This condo I acquired through years of hard work and savings has become her free source of income,” Mah said. “It worries me so much so that it has caused an impact on my health. … I can’t sleep, I’ve lost my appetite and have heart palpitations.”Last week, Toronto police officers arrested Tremblay at the Landlord and Tenant buil ...
|
