‘They don’t care about us’: Tenants resort to public petition against landlords after years without consistent hot water

Harry Jose has come to think of hot water as a chance luxury.

Since moving into an apartment at 45 Barlake Ave. in 2019, the 45-year-old has never been exactly sure when hot water will spurt out of his sink or shower, an otherwise basic household function he now instead likens to a roll of the dice.

At least four or five times every day, it comes on and then comes off, and it's been happening for years," Jose said. I work in a factory and when I come home, the only thing I want is a hot shower - but I can't because there's none. I'll go to the gym just to shower.

It's very frustrating and stressful. This is something everyone needs."

Jose isn't alone in his displeasure.

He and dozens of tenants in the seven-storey building off Barton Street East recently signed a petition demanding their landlord, Golden Equity Property, take permanent action on the persistent hot water issue.

ACORN Hamilton said the petition - which came with a response deadline by Tuesday afternoon - included 77 tenant signatures, as well as a host of other requests to building management like eradicating pests and repairing deteriorating units.

Golden Equity, a Montreal-based firm, said it's been working to address the water issue since late December.

My tenants are my priority," said property manager Giselle Omoyi.

Omoyi didn't clearly explain what's behind the building's inconsistency with hot water. She downplayed claims from tenants who described the issue as persistent and lasting years.

That's not true, it hasn't been a problem for years. If it was true then city bylaw would've already been here many times," Omoyi said. She added it's possible some individual units experience trouble with hot water during peak-use hours, like on a Monday morning before school and work. In that case they should let us know and we will visit their units."

The city confirmed bylaw is probing the consistent lack of hot water at 45 Barlake, saying in a statement Tuesday staff have already a completed a site visit and made contact with Golden Equity.

The health and well-being of the tenants at the building is our No. 1 priority," spokesperson Michelle Shantz said over email, adding the city expects all landlords to comply with" their property standards bylaw.

Shantz said the city understands the issue with hot water stems from a faulty" heat exchanger, which was initially replaced in mid-March but now appears to need renewed replacing. She didn't say when that will happen.

Staff will continue to monitor the situation and take immediate actions as appropriate to ensure community members have access to hot water in their residential dwellings."

While the city believes the origins of the problem are recent, tenants insist problems with hot water in the building - and excuses for them - have been common for years.

It's been going on ever since I moved in here three and a half years ago," said tenant Roxanne Reid. (The landlord) either doesn't respond to us and or makes excuses, but the problem never gets fixed."

That said, Reid noted the delivery of hot water has been more inconsistent than usual in recent weeks.

One morning at 6 a.m. I'll get in the shower and have hot water for a few minutes before it turns ice cold," she said. The next morning there won't be any at all."

Reid lives in a unit with her four young children. She said she's had to boil water on the stove just to bathe her kids in a warm bath; other times, she's driven them to a family member's home in St. Catharines.

We're a low-income family and that's gas money coming out of my pocket to do something I shouldn't have to do. It's embarrassing that I have to do that," Reid said. It's affecting my mental health and the way my kids live."

At the core of tenants' frustration at 45 Barlake is an absence of communication from building managers and superintendents, who they say seldom advise them of interruptions to hot water or give reasons for them.

On Monday, for example, a handwritten note left on the lobby door read only: EMERGENCY WATER SHUT DOWN. MONDAY MARCH 27."

And that was it, no reason why or when we can expect the water back," Reid said. No email, no call, no knock on the door. We're fed up with this."

I've complained and complained about this since I moved in and nothing has ever been done about it," added Jose. They don't care about us."

Coun. Matt Francis said he's made bylaw aware of the building's problems in the past, adding staff have visited on a number of occasions."

It shouldn't have come to this and it's shameful how some landlords treat their tenants," the Ward 5 councillor said in reference to tenants resorting to a public petition for action. Everyone has the right to their basic necessities and I will be holding the landlords accountable."

Sebastian Bron is a reporter at The Spectator. sbron@thespec.com