Submitted by "Robert Ireland" on 04/24/2008

I moved into 52 Metcalfe, apt. 304, on August 1st/07. Evidence of bed bugs appeared in the form of spots on my sheets sometime in October but, not realizing it was blood and not knowing anything about bed bugs, I keep washing my sheets and wondering what the hell was happening. I eventually mentioned this to a friend and he told me to check the mattress, where I found a thriving colony. I informed the guy who maintains the building and in the course of our conversation I realized that the building had been infested for a long time. I spoke to a woman who lived in the apartment next to me and she told me she had her apartment fumigated over a year before but the bed bugs were back and she was moving out. I washed all my clothing, dry-cleaned clothing (I washed some clothing which should have been dry-cleaned but which I couldn't afford), threw away clothing, my duffet-cover, sheets, pillow-slips, etc. And then, after having everything sprayed and vacuumed and turned upside down, I put everything back in its place, and then, within a week, the bugs were back, and everything had be done all over again. I'm moving out now, and I'm forced leave my bed, a good armchair, and some other furniture behind, and I must say that I can't believe that a landlord can rent an apartment in a building with bed bugs and not be legally obliged to disclose that there is a potential problem. I think a tenant should be compensated, at least for the expenses. I with-held the rent for a period of time and the landlord threatened to evict me, and then, when I contacted the Landlord/Tenant board, I was informed that bed bugs were not even sufficient grounds for terminating a lease! There is a serious problem with the housing laws in Toronto. I have learned a lesson, however. Don't move into a despicable dump like 52 Metcalfe, regardless of how inexpensive it might be, because you'll end up paying for it.