P.E.I. tenants advised to act quickly if they get an eviction notice during COVID-19 pandemic

P.E.I.'s Office of Residential Rental Properties is urging tenants who get an eviction notice to act quickly if they want to challenge it.

On Monday, the rental office announced it would be suspending rental hearings because of COVID-19, except in urgent cases where there are serious threats to the health and safety of tenants and landlords.

However, the office said if a tenant gets an eviction notice, they need to contact the office within approximately 10 days.

Andrew MacDonald, a rental property officer, said if tenants don't register their challenge of the eviction, in a few months time when the pandemic is hopefully over — they would have to leave.

"Even though they're not going to get forced out tomorrow or this month, they need to still challenge it in that timely manner or they're going to be deemed to have accepted it," he said.

3 prior eviction orders

On Thursday, the P.E.I. Supreme Court ruled that sheriffs would not have to enforce rental evictions in the province. That ruling was made at the request of P.E.I.'s attorney general's office.

In its application, the province said the ban is necessary to protect the health and safety of anyone involved in an eviction, including tenants and sheriffs.

The P.E.I. Housing Corporation has suspended all evictions in government-run accommodations until the end of June.

While private landlords can still issue eviction notices to tenants, MacDonald said it's important for landlords to realize they are not allowed to use force to remove someone from their premises.

"It doesn't matter what's going on, it doesn't matter if their building is getting damaged," he said.

"They don't have a right to go in and use force to remove someone."

He said if a tenant is being harassed or bullied into leaving, they don't have to leave and should probably phone the police if the problem continues to escalate.

MacDonald said the office issued three eviction orders for the month prior to the province declaring a public health emergency on March 16.

MacDonald said when landlords serve a notice of eviction, they must state the reason for the tenant being asked to leave.

He said the most common reasons are damage to property, not paying rent or the landlord's need to renovate a property.

'The most stressful thing'

Renovation was the reason Andrew Wood received when he was given an eviction notice in January after renting the same place for more than 10 years.

Wood said his landlord adhered to all of the rules in P.E.I.'s Landlord and Tenant Act, but said it was difficult for him to find a new place to live in March amidst Charlottetown's housing crisis and a pandemic.

"The most stressful thing I've ever gone through," he said.

Wood contested the notice, but said he didn't go through with the hearing because he had recently become a single father and was more concerned about finding a place for him and his son.

Wood said he was lucky to have found new accommodations and moved in on Tuesday.

Increase in call volume

MacDonald said on average the office receives 20 to 30 calls a day, but on March 24, the office had one of its busiest days with 95 calls.

He said the office is intent on working with those who have problems accessing the online forms to contest an eviction notice.

"If you can get a picture on your phone, you can text it, you can email it," he said.

"There are people on the Island who still don't have access to internet, who don't have computers in their houses … so we are taking every step that we possibly can."

The province has, however, announced a $1 million fund to help tenants who are on a reduced income because of the pandemic.

But MacDonald said if tenants are able to pay their rent, they should.

"If they think that this has been forgiven and they don't pay because they need to put that money into somewhere else, they're really not going to be in the position in a month to pay two months [rent]," he said.

"And then going down the road that's going to be grounds for them to get evicted."

MacDonald said tenants are encouraged to call 902-892-3501 or email rentalinquiries@irac.pe.ca if they have questions or need help filling out the form to contest their eviction.

COVID-19: What you need to know

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Common symptoms include:

• Fever.

• Cough.

• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

• Clean regularly touched surfaces regularly.

More detailed information on the outbreak is available on the federal government's website.

More COVID-19 stories from CBC P.E.I.