Guelph couple moving into their trailer while waiting for apartment elevator repairs

A Guelph couple moved out of their apartment on Monday, and into a trailer, while they wait for repair work to be completed in their apartment building's elevator.

That's is expected to take five to eight weeks.

Vicki Shadlock said she and her partner aren't able to walk up the 96 steps to her sixth floor apartment at the Skyline Living building.

So instead, they've chosen to move into their trailer while the modernization work is done.

"Last night and this morning, before the elevator went down, we brought what we thought we were going to need for the next five to eight weeks of our life, put them in the car, and now we're loading our trailer," said Shadlock. "You just feel like you're displaced. And you feel like you're sort of a burden on people."

According to Shadlock, the landlord has not offered any accommodations while the repairs are underway.

"It’s one thing when you're going camping and you've got a trip planned and whatever, but when you're not sure if you're gonna have to sort of live this way for a while, it's nerve-racking," she said.

Anthea Millikin, a lawyer with the Legal Clinic of Guelph and Wellington County, said landlords must provide adequate notice to tenants.

"Tenants have to be given at least 60 days' notice, or if it's an emergency, as much notice as possible," she explained.

Tenants, said Shadlock, did receive multiple notices about the work, but they never had a concrete start date. Eventually a final notice was received on May 16.

Tribunals Ontario states there is no requirement for landlords to provide specific accommodations.

"The RTA does not require a landlord to provide specific accommodations or lower the rent while repairs or maintenance is being conducted in a residential complex," spokesperson Janet Deline said in an email.

She added that tenants can always file an application at the Landlord and Tenant Board to have their claims considered.

According to Millikin, individual tenants should make it clear to the landlord if they need certain accommodations under the Human Rights Act.

"If, for instance, a tenant needs to leave the building and they have mobility issues, that's something that needs to be accommodated by the landlord to the point of undue hardship," Millikin said.

The owners of Skyline Living were not available for an on camera interview but told CTV News the first of several communications about the elevator modernization project were sent out in January.

"To assist tenants with mobility issues, the building’s on-site team will act as runners, bringing items to or from suites as needed," said BJ Santavy, with Skyline Living, said in an email. "The on-site staff can also help tenants set up additional support services with other local organizations, including grocery delivery and laundry services. We fully understand that the elevator modernization will cause inconveniences; however, it is work that must be done to ensure the ongoing safety and comfort of our tenants."

Millikin suggested anyone who feels they’re entitled to accommodations that they didn’t receive should seek legal help once the repair work is completed, so they can show what communication they had with the landlord and whether proper accommodations were offered.