Li v Dassrath

Tenant wins · Thornhill · 2025-11-28

Adjudicator

Dana Wren

Dispute

Damage to Property

Landlord

Y.L.

Tenant

H.M.D.

Landlord rep

Yun Tao Li, Jian Hong Tang

What happened

The Landlord applied for an order requiring the Former Tenant to pay for damages to the main door and bedroom door of the residential complex, as well as locksmith fees. The Landlord alleged that the Tenant locked the main door from the inside, preventing other tenants from entering, which necessitated police and locksmith intervention resulting in damage to the door frame. The Tenant argued he was sleeping and did not lock the door, suggesting it might have locked automatically.

The ruling

The Landlord's application for damages totaling $1,621.55 was dismissed. The Board found that locksmith costs for opening a door do not constitute repair or replacement costs under Section 89. Furthermore, the Landlord failed to prove that the Tenant was responsible for the damage to the main door frame that occurred during the attempted entry, as the Tenant's testimony that he was sleeping and did not lock the door was deemed credible.