Damage deposits and rent are still owed to tenants who were forced out of Victoria Towers by fire in early November, despite previous assertions to the contrary quoted in The Citizen.
Red Cross provincial manager of disaster assistance Lise Anne Pierce told The Citizen on Monday she'd heard through clients that building owners had refunded rents and damage deposits, but, of the four tenants contacted Thursday, only two said their damage deposits have been refunded and none said their rent cheques were returned even though the blaze forced them out of the building on Nov. 3.
Pierce could not be reached for further comment Thursday because she was on holidays.
Carole Putman, 77, who now lives in Pioneer Apartments, said she received a cheque for $243, from the building's owner, Vancouver-based Pacific West Property Management, although she claimed her damage deposit was actually in the $300 range while her rent was $483.
As for her November rent, Putnam said she's "not sure" if the owners had cashed that cheque.
Either way, Putnam said that while she has plenty of accolades for the social agencies, such as the Red Cross, who have helped set her up in a new home, she was not so impressed with Pacific West.
"They've been no-see-'ems," Putman said.
A phone call to Pacific West Properties in Vancouver was met with a recorded message saying the mailbox is full.
Evert Vandenbrink, 69, said he received a $232 cheque as a return on the damage deposit but the property managers cashed his November rent cheque of $532.
"I think that is just pure... what do you call it... almost like stealing," Vandenbrink said. "I think that it's criminal that they get away with it."
However, Vandenbrink said he's not taken any steps to get his money back.
A straight-forward case: tenant advisor
Nicky Dunlop of the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre said tenants who have been rebuffed can make a claim to the provincial government's residential tenancy branch.
"It's effective and it sounds like a fairly straight-forward case," she said.
"The problem is the time is going to take."
The wait time for a hearing may be three or four months, and enforcing the order may mean taking the matter to small claims court.
"For any folks on income assistance, it would be likely much faster for them to get a crisis grant through their worker," Dunlop said.
"In a matter of a day or two, they can cut those cheques.
"If the ministry replaces it for those people who are on income assistance, then it's the ministry who is out the money then and, if they chose to pursue the action, that's another thing."
Provincial government officials were unable to respond Thursday to a request for comment.
Some 94 people were temporarily without homes when damage caused by the Nov. 3 fire closed the building down for renovations.
Some were able to get back on their feet on their own but 85 needed help from various social agencies for everything from finding new accommodation to food to replacement furniture.
"That's one over those situations where you'd rather get past it," Vandenbrink said.
After living on the eight floor at Victoria Towers for six years, where he enjoyed a bird's eye view of Connaught Hill Park, Vandenbrink is now living in a basement suite at Parkwood Manor.
Russell Stubbs, 71, said he's received neither a rent cheque nor a refund of his damage deposit. He estimated he paid $577 a month for a one bedroom apartment at Victoria Towers and is now paying slightly more at Pioneer Apartments where he now lives.
George Walker, who shared a two-bedroom apartment with his sister for $775 a month, said he'd heard that some of the tenants had received damage deposits and others retrieved their rent, but not he and his sister.
