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Opinion: New Westminster tenant from hell demanded deposit back after ‘burning holes’ in carpet

The renter tried to hide it by cutting out sections of the carpet.
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Cigarettes in an ashtray. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

People like to pick on landlords because, well, sometimes those who rent out property make it so easy by being bad to their tenants.

But there are some terrible renters as well, including one tenant from hell I read about in a dispute resolution ruling with the B.C. Residential Tenancy Branch.

I often take a read through the RTB decisions as I study the dynamics between renters and landlords. Often, it’s just a matter of poor communication between the two sides. I’ll read these decisions and find myself yelling at the screen “just talk to each other!”

The other issue I’ve found is that many tenants and landlords simply don’t know the residential tenancy rules. That is especially disturbing when it comes to landlords. It’s their job to know the rules and to follow them.

Of course, no amount of rules can help a situation when you have a tenant from hell doing disgusting things to your home.

One RTB decision details a New Westminster renter who actually filed paperwork to get their damage deposit back after leaving their rental unit in a shambles.

How bad was it?

Well, the tenant had burned holes in the carpet with cigarettes and then tried to cover it up by actually cutting out sections of the carpet.

They also had an unauthorized pet that did some heavy damage.

“(The landlord) said the carpet was so stained and urine soaked that he had to replace it,” reads the RTB ruling.

The landlord testified that the tenant moved out without cleaning the home, including leaving rotting food in the fridge.

“When asked about the cleaning, especially about food left in the refrigerator, the tenant said she could not say whether she cleaned the fridge because she has some short-term memory problems,” the ruling said.

The RTB ruled in the landlord’s favour, saying that the tenant left the apartment in a “deplorable” state and denied the tenant getting their damage deposit back.

Imagine the gall it takes to destroy a place and then go to court to get your deposit back.

Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.