'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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.