Richardson-Goodnough v Burlock

Tenant wins · Barrie · 2025-05-07

Adjudicator

Carrie Bertrand

Dispute

Maintenance

Amount

<$5K

Landlord

K.B., S.B.

Tenant

C.E.R., R.A.G.

Landlord rep

Suzanne Cornish

What happened

The Tenants filed an application claiming the Landlords failed to meet their maintenance obligations regarding black mold in the bathroom and poor water quality. The Tenants alleged they reported the mold issue as early as 2020, but the Landlords failed to act, leading the Tenants to vacate in June 2024 due to health concerns. The Landlords, via a representative, claimed they were only notified in January 2024 and that they took appropriate action. The dispute centered on the timeline of notification and the adequacy of the Landlords' response.

The ruling

The Board found the Landlords breached their maintenance obligations by failing to address a persistent mold issue in the bathroom. The Tenant's claim regarding poor water quality was dismissed due to insufficient evidence. The Landlords are ordered to pay the Tenants a rent abatement of $1,417.50 (15% for 6 months) plus the $53.00 application fee, for a total of $1,470.50.