Nov 24 LIVE TWEETING from LTB Hearings

Coming in part way through a hearing.

Nicola Mulima: Can you tell me how the tenant pays the rent?

Landlord: They come to my door, .. or they put it in the BBQ.

10:05 - tenant taking a break to find rent receipts.

there is a general constant echo on all lines.

some kind of feedback loop happening.

"what is that noise"

Next hearing. Tenant owes over $4000.

Tenant is on Canada Pension.

Proposing to increase monthly rent by $250 to pay back arrears.

Mulima is taking down tenant's expenses, assume she is determining tenant's ability to pay the arrears.

10:18 Appears the arrears are in fact $11 000.

Mulima suggesting tenant can afford to pay MORE monthly based on his income vs. his expenses.

Duty council highlighting tenant has health issues and many costs.

Mulima: What did you do with the rent money you haven't been paying? What did you spend it on?

Tenant: I've been helping my daughter.

Landlord rep wants eviction, not repayment plan.

"let's not delay the inevitable"

Mulima will reserve decision.

Next hearing.

Adjournment request. Well reasoned, tenant only received arrears ledger on Friday, needs time to confirm accuracy, also needs time to contact the Rent Bank - who keeps putting him on hold.

Landlord rep opposes adjournment.

Losing track of how many hearings have occurred. Maybe 6 or 7 in 28 minutes. Maybe more.

Adjournment is granted.

Next hearing.

Looking for tenant, no one is responding.

Landlord rep is pointing out tenant's name was spelled incorrectly. Possibly did not receive the notice.

While Mulima checks records, there is a sound similar to a power saw happening.

Confirmed the notice was sent to correct address.

Hearing will continue without tenant present.

Several times Mulima has asked landlord reps (with no tenant present) if there are tenants' circumstances that she should consider when making her decision.

Forgive me but... fucking WHAT?

Let's ask the shark if the fish should be shown mercy.

Next hearing I think? We're back to the BBQ landlord.

"I asked them to put the rent in the BBQ!"

Tenant is laid off, waiting for EI.

Can start paying arrears in January - an extra $300 each month - but doesn't want to leave rent in the BBQ.

BBQs don't issue receipts apparently.

ppl are chatting (not me) in support of the current tenant.

"please stop using the chat feature"

BBQ landlord wants an eviction order.

Mulima will reserve decision. Interim order - 7 days to provide proof of payment for.. Dec rent I think? If she receives proof, "I will consider that in my order"

Next block of hearings. Took forever to do attendance.

First up, appears tenant is fine with paying arrears and has tried to do so. Landlord has simply not taken out bank account.

Next hearing.

Tenant's proposed repayment plan is more than his total income.

M: How will you pay?
T: My daughter is going to start paying rent to me.
M: Why weren't you paying the rent?
T: I was laid off. CERB wasn't enough.

These hearings are deeply saddening.

We are witnessing people with no options, up against a wall, agreeing to paying back huge amounts of debt on extremely short timelines.