Tenants from the burnt-out Traveller’s Inn apartments on Queens Avenue waiting for the return of damage deposits following a suspicious fire in March are seeking help from Victoria’s Together Against Poverty Society.
“Unfortunately, it’s really challenging to provide a solid estimate of how many tenants have received their damage deposits back, because many ex-tenants don’t have working phones,” said Emily Rogers, legal advocate for TAPS.
Rogers said she called 20 former tenants Wednesday and reached eight of them. Of those, four had received full returns of their deposits, one had received part of the amount and three had received nothing.
“Not all of the ex-tenants have been working with TAPS, either, but we have been assisting a significant number,” she said.
Thirteen suites were destroyed March 20, while others were heavily damaged by smoke and water in the 85-unit building that housed about 60 residents.
Former tenant Mike Hockaday said he has “no idea” whether he’ll get his $250 deposit back.
“I’m not counting on it,” he said Thursday. He could have used the money as he made the rounds to thrift shops for household goods for his new apartment.
Some tenants say they are seeking legal action to retrieve their deposits, and Hockaday said he may join them.
TAPS has provided building owner Robin Kimpton with forwarding addresses for some former tenants and is assisting in pursuing dispute resolution through the B.C. Residential Tenancy Branch in seeking the return of deposits.
“It is extremely unfortunate that the landlord is requiring some ex-tenants to pursue this lengthy bureaucratic process given that these people are victims of a devastating fire,” she said. “They have lost their homes, many of their possessions, and are struggling to meet their basic needs.
“Many ex-tenants at 760 Queens are on a fixed income, many have disabilities and many have a lifelong history of significant trauma. By withholding their security deposits, the landlord is placing an unnecessary burden on already marginalized people,” she said.
Kimpton could not be reached for comment.
Many former tenants, some of whom fled in their pajamas, were distressed that it took 10 days to restore lighting to the building in order to allow them to retrieve heavy belongings. The lack of lighting delayed the start of the retrieval of damage deposits, as they were not refundable until their suites were cleared.
