Couple angry over landlord's 'neglect'

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Lawrence Boucher and his wife Diane are very angry over the "sheer neglect" that they are receiving from their landlord and Rubin Management in regards to their bachelor apartment not being fit to live in.

The Bouchers paid their rent and damage deposit on October 27, but when they were ready to move in, a new rug was put on the floor of their apartment and, according to Lawrence, the fumes from it made both of them sick.

They decided to wait a week until they moved it, but still, when the radiator turns on, they say, they become sick again.

This is not all that the Bouchers are complaining about.

The Bouchers say that the heating system (self contained control) works irradicably.

"At times it is very cold and other times too hot. The heat is very congestive," said Lawrence.

"For a period of one week, it was intolerable to live here because of the toxic fumes from the glue they used to lay the carpet. To this date, when the heat is working beyond room temperature, fumes reek from under the carpet. It causes my wife to vomit, severe headaches, periods of sleeplessness and a sense of passing out," Lawrence said.

If this is the case, and it seems to be after I visited the Bouchers in their apartment at 11217 - 124 Street, here in Edmonton, and smelled it out for myself, then they have a very good right to complain.

I saw electrical wiring inside the wall right on top of the heating pipes. Boucher showed me two light bulbs that had exploded from inside, from what he believes is a short circuit somewhere in the wiring.

They showed me both the kitchen sink and bathroom sink leaking everytime they turned on the water, and the tile underneath the bathroom sink was rotten underneath.

They pay $250 a month for rent and gave $200 for their damage deposit.

According to Boucher, Mr. Rubin has said to both his wife and himself that if he is to make any repairs, it will force them to raise the rent - "repairs to damage that my wife and I are not responsible for. He said in very defensive terms that the major repairs will not be made until we vacate the premises," said Lawrence.

The Bouchers are not noisemakers. At the end of the month, they are vacating their apartment, but before they do, they wanted to make a statement, not just for themselves, but for others who live there.

"Too many tenants don't say anything and just walk away without even trying to collect their damage deposit. Maybe they're scared, but it is definitely hazardous to live under these dangerous conditions, "commented Boucher.

The real reason that the Bouchers did complain, both to the landlord and Rubin Management, is because of their present health status.

Both are on Social and Medical Health Services, and at one point invited their social worker, Joy Lafferty, to a home visit so she could see for herself. "She has seen and witnessed a copy of our complaints in regards to disrepair and neglect to this apartment," said Boucher.

Lawrence Boucher suffers from a heart condition, swelling on the lineage in his heart, and is under the care of a cardiologist, Dr. Harly, at the Charles Camsell Hospital.

Diane Boucher suffers from arthritis, bronchitis and epilepsy.

"These conditions to apartment number 19 are definitely not conducive to our health problems," Lawrence worriedly says.

The two of them have been together for nine years. Both worry about each other and Lawrence says over a cup of tea that the daily stress, temperature changes within the apartment, aggravate their medical problems.

Since November 1, the Bouchers say they have had no response from the landlord.

"He came in once while we were out to fix the smoke detector, something that we also complained about," said Diane.

The Bouchers do not want to leave their apartment without at least voicing their concerns.

Recently, they contacted the Electrical Code Enforcement Department of Edmonton Power and the Health Department to come to their apartment and have a look for themselvesas to why they are complaining.

Both departments were scheduled to arrive on November 20, after the writing of this article.

"It is my hope that the resources of the health department will be able to rectify the poor conditions and the difficulty we have encountered with the landlord and Rubin Property Management," said Lawrence.

"I can keep a place clean, but I don't think it is my obligation to fix everything. There is just no way that we can continue to live here," said Diane.

The Bouchers are right that they should move. Because of their health problems, they are right in that they should complain. Although the apartment does look nice from the outside and it does seem that the landlords do keep it basically clean, one would wonder why the upkeep of the electrical system and the water system is not looked after, especially after a request from a tenant or tenants.

Lawrence also showed me someone had tried to break into his apartment with a screwdriver or sharp object. When I arrived, I used the back door, which was open. This is one of the Bouchers other complaints.

"At least the apartment that we are moving into has tight security," said Lawrence.

When I was leaving, Lawrence invited me to a friend's apartment next door to them.

"I want to show you something," said Lawrence.

After knocking at the door and being invited in by his friend, Rick Bouliane, who by the way, was wrapped up in a blanket, I could not believe it.

Just as Lawrence promised, it was as cold as it was outside that day in Rick's apartment.

"The landlord fooled around with the radiator and it gave a little heat for awhile, but it really doesn't work," commented Bouliane.

To this reporter it was understandable why the Bouchers wanted to speak to someone, to anyone, to show their real frustration, when no one seems to want to listen.

The Bouchers can take some warmth in that they stood up for what they believed was right, even though, and more than likely, nothing will be done aboutit. At least not until they vacate the premises.