'We are tired' of garbage and rodents, Mississauga tenants say. Now management's raising rents

Tenants in a Mississauga apartment complex say new management is neglecting routine repairs and, adding insult to injury, jacking up their rents to boot.

The residents at 425 Rathburn Rd. E. say since the beginning of 2020 when a new property manager and superintendent took over, routine repairs have been left undone for weeks or months at a time, piles of garbage have built up, and pests also seem to be gaining a foothold.

"There's mice in a lot of units. there's roaches in some units, there's plumbing leaks that go on for months, weeks at a time," said April Johnston, who's been living in the building for four years. 

"People are missing drywall in their apartments. It's beyond frustrating."

According to records provided by the City of Mississauga, the complex was the subject of only two property standards complaints between 2017 and 2019. However, from the beginning in 2020 until now, there have been an additional 24.

CBC Toronto has tried to contact the property management company without success. The superintendent preferred not to comment on the accusations. Calls to a paralegal who apparently represents the owner have not yet been returned. 

The low-rise complex, located near Central Parkway East and Highway 403, contains 197 units and tenants say rents range from about $1,450 to $1,900.

Now, they've turned to ACORN, a national organization that advocates for low- and moderate-income tenants, for help. A meeting between the residents on Rathburn and ACORN organizers is set for next week, according to Sherry Woods, an ACORN member who lives in the building.

Woods said she's particularly worried about immigrant and senior tenants.

"We are tired," Woods said.

"We have a lot of newcomers in this complex. We have a lot of elderly in this complex that don't know their rights," she added.

"They are afraid."

Woods and Johnston say some people are moving because of the maintenance issues, but they also say many others don't have that luxury.

"I can't afford to go anywhere else," Johnston said. "Rent nowadays is ridiculous, [even if you can] find a place. So for families to have to leave and pay $1,000 more a month for what we're getting here, people can't afford to leave."