Hamilton tenant gets his door back, but now what?

Paul Rawlins looks forward to a good night's sleep now that the door is back on his east Hamilton apartment.

Well, that will be nice," Rawlins said Friday.

Last week, the landlord took the door off his second-floor apartment at 2322 King St. E. to convince him to leave, citing health concerns related to mould and potential liability.

On Wednesday, the fire department order the owner to replace the door, giving him until June 28 to get the job done.

But Beni Colalillo replaced the door Friday afternoon.

This was an emergency," he said, explaining the door removal. But his tenant acknowledged the unit is contaminated, he added. And that's all I was looking for."

The order was to ensure fire separation between the unit and the corridor, the fire department said in an email.

The typical" time given for compliance under the Ontario Fire Code is a month, but given the circumstances," the date was moved up to June 28.

The city said it was prepared to issue an order under Hamilton's property standards bylaw if the door wasn't installed Friday. That would have given 19 days to achieve compliance.

Even the shorter period Rawlins spent without a door was too long, says Mike Wood, a tenant advocate.

I'm happy it's up, but to take a week, that's a lot on one person to have to endure," said Wood, who's the chair of Hamilton Tenants in Unity.

In that stretch, Rawlins could have been robbed, or a fire could have broken out, Wood said. The city should be more on top of these things."

Colalillo noted the problem with the unit springs from a burst pipe in mid-April that left it and one below drenched. His insurer hired a contractor that found them uninhabitable due to mould and asbestos, he said.

He's darn lucky he's not locked out today," Colalillo said, adding he tried to help Rawlins find another place.

The Hamilton Community Legal Clinic noted the proper way to deal with the situation is through a hearing before the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Colalillo has issued formal notices to the occupants of 13 units, including Rawlins, to leave the five-storey building at Parkdale Avenue South by Aug. 31 for unrelated renovations.

Everybody's going to go through the process. It's probably going to take a year," he said, noting the provincial tribunal is beset with delays.

Some tenants have told The Spectator they will resist any evictions for renovations.

Cheryl Dowdle, who has lived in the building for 28 years, doubts she'll find another apartment she can afford.

I'm never going to find one," the 71-year-old pensioner said.

Hamilton's rental market has become increasingly out of each for many. In April, an average one-bedroom went for $1,405, according to Rentals.ca.

Rawlins, who receives a disability pension and pays $696 a month, says he has not found another decent option.

It's a tough spot. I don't want to, but I feel like I have to get out."

Teviah Moro is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach him via email: tmoro@thespec.com