'I just want to have peace': B.C. grandmother battling impending eviction

Elsa Schmidt has lived in her one-bedroom home in Surrey’s Cloverdale neighbourhood since November 2020.

She loves the location on 57 Avenue, and the rent is within her budget – but she says the landlord has had it in for her from day one, and she’s received an eviction notice to leave by Oct. 31.

“She just doesn’t like me,” said the 82-year-old regarding her landlord. “Because my kids come too often, my grandkids come a whole bunch at a time.”

Schmidt said her landlord has told her she has too much furniture, and even that she’s not allowed to bake.

“I bake buns every Saturday for the kids,” she said. “She found out and told me baking buns is a fire hazard.”

Earlier this week, Schmidt received an eviction notice, claiming she broke the rules by having a person age 19 or older live with her in her apartment.

Schmidt’s daughter, Edie Brown, said her mother underwent open-heart surgery more than a year ago, and that the surgeon advised that she should be supervised during her recovery.

“My sister in Kamloops came and stayed with her for probably six weeks,” Brown said. “I’m pretty sure that’s what (the eviction is) referring to.”

According to the eviction notice, a guest of Schmidt’s also parked in a tenant-assigned parking spot, and proceeded to threaten the landlord when she told him he's not allowed, resulting in a police report. CTV News reached out to Surrey RCMP but has yet to receive a response.

Schmidt’s granddaughter took to social media to share her grandmother’s story, and the family has since heard from others who have had experiences with the same landlord. 

“The horror stories that came out about this woman are just amazing,” said Casandra Sullivan. “And they own another three buildings.”

On Friday, several tenants, past and present, met together in Cloverdale to discuss bringing possible action to the Residential Tenancy Branch.

“I’d like to see a change,” said Steven Turcotte, a current resident of the building. “I’d like to see this person, this company, stop harassing their tenants.”

Turcotte said the landlord tried evicting him once for a damaged toilet, but he won the appeal.

Another man told CTV News he also received an eviction notice for having a person age 19 or older stay in his home. He said he was accused of subletting his apartment, but that he was temporarily housing his mother, who was displaced due to a house fire. The eviction, he said, was overturned by the Residential Tenancy Branch.

Meanwhile, Schmidt says the experience has been a nightmare.

“Sometimes I just sit in my room and cry,” said Schmidt, holding back tears. “I don’t think that’s fair. I’m 82, worked my whole life and now I just want to have peace.”

But Schmidt and her family aren’t backing down.

“We’re going to fight it,” said Schmidt.

CTV News reached out to the landlord but did not receive a response. A representative from Dole Enterprises Ltd., the building operator, and was told the company would not comment as the matter is before the police and Residential Tenancy Branch.