Are you a resident of 50 Rosehill who is sick and tired of being mistreated by Homestead?
Are you tired of living like an animal in the sweltering heat, with no air conditioning, in a $1,200+ suite that is 90 degrees?
Are you fed up with the patronizing memos that are issued daily by the incompetent Homestead management team?
If so, have your say. Post your comments to the Homestead hell blog and make your voice heard. We cannot allow Homestead to get away with this. The temperature exceeded 45 degrees Celcius during the w/o July 5. Living with no AC was unberabale. Let's ensure Homestead hears our concerns, takes proactive measures to ensure this doesn't happen again and compensates its residents accordingly.
RENTAL CREDIT
What are your thoughts on the $250 rental credit, despite the fact that our rent is going up, so the net value of this credit is closer to $200.
The way I see it, each day without AC is a day that is unbearable and inhumane. We should not have to pay a penny to live like animals. At the very least the credit should be $520, based on 13 days of discomfort (as of July 10) for everyone in a 1 bedroom suite and more for those paying more rent. No AC = No rent payment. It's that simple.
It's also astonishing how Homestead could calculate this credit before the problem is even fixed. They are assuming that 13 days will solve the problem. We should not have any faith in this process or their assurance that anything is being addressed.
INQUIRY
I'm proposing we all work together, with the TABS team, to gain full disclosure into this issue. Why did this take so long? When was Carrier notified?
What did they do about it? Did they send out their top team to get this fixed? Was Homestead trying to save dollars by prolonging this 'issue'?
More importantly, what proactive measures are we collectively taking to ensure this doesn't happen again. We need to find out exactly who the negligent parties were and who is to be held accountable.
LATEST UPDATE - JULY 16
Now that the rental chiller is in place, it looks like Homestead has gotten their act together. It is now fully functional, surrounded by a metal fence and has overnight security.
We still do have a lot of questions that do need answers. What kind of additional compensation will we be receiving? What is the status of the broken chiller? How will the transition take place without causing yet another disturbance in AC?
Hats off to the TABS team and David Day for their continous dialogue with Homestead to ensure a solution was in place. We should see a response from Homestead shortly. Until then, please be sure to let the building management know if your thermostat is not working or if you still are not getting cold air.
POST YOUR COMMENT
Post your response by clicking the 'comment' link below this paragraph.
Test
ReplyDeleteAnyone interested in renting at this building (50 Rosehill Avenue) should really do their homework before commiting to moving to this building.
ReplyDeleteA really good website with actual tenant reviews of this landlord can be found at http://tinyurl.com/2lkuxk
The folowing review tells the whole story pretty well
QUOTE:
As a tenant at 50 Rosehill, I am taking the liberty of writing to advise that, despite what you may have been told, we continue to suffer through this heat and humidity, without the benefit of air conditioning for which we are paying.
Homestead Land Holdings claims to be trying to remedy the situation as we are in week 3 of no air conditioning, but it seems incredible to understand that nothing beyond a "cool suite" and a paltry $250 refund on August rent is available to alleviate the discomfort of tenants.
Moreover, bear in mind that Homestead successfully argued for above guidelines rent increase this year, has publicly advised us that it plans to pursue a similar rent increase in each of the next two years and has admitted further that, in an effort to reduce cost, it reverses the air intake during the winter months so that fumes and odours from individual apartments enter other units. Heat - though ostensibly individually controlled in each apartment - does not rise above 72 degrees, regardless of the setting of the thermostat - and 72 degrees would feel balmy compared to the 68 degrees (and less) we have endured in some winters, resorting to turning on our oven to get warm.
As individual tenants, we have little recourse. This is an untenable situation. It is difficult to fathom that a company that boasts multi-million dollar profits could not find a solution - even a temporary one - in the more than two weeks it has had to deal with this situation. Added to that, the air conditioning was a problem last summer as well, albeit for a shorter period of time and seems to recur whenever there is a heat wave. It appears very suspicious that whenever heat or air conditioning are needed, there are "problems" with providing those fundamental services.
Moreover, the Homestead representative has admitted to throwing out courier slips so that tenants do not get notice of delivery attempts and the "office' refuses to accept any deliveries on tenants' behalf. The "Super" isn't and won't do anything above what is required per work order - no customer service here, even though many of the tenants are elderly and need some assistance from time to time.
The result is that good tenants are moving out - much to Homestead's delight. It means they can boost the rent and lease the units to more transient tenants, sometimes as many as 6 to a 2 bedroom unit. The quality of our tenants is diminishing to resemble the quality of the building management. This is a sorry state of affairs and, if you want to live in this area, you are advised to look across the street at Jackes Avenue. The rents are comparable, the service is not.
UNQUOTE
Hey! That was my post :)
ReplyDeleteIt's presently 3:30pm Thursday and I'm at work. Can anyone tell me if the air conditioning is now working?
ReplyDeleteWho sabotaged the chiller equipment ?????
ReplyDeleteIt is now fixed again at 14:12 Thursday
but it seems the thermostats are still set for 'heating'
The last post isn't clear. Is the air conditioning working or not??? This morning when I tried it it seemed that the noise you hear when you turn it on was working again but no cold air was coming out. Is this what you meant? I just went outside in 40 degree weather, not looking forward to returning there tonight. I'm getting sick of these notices saying it's going to be functioning again in so-and-so many days or hours or whatever. I'd almost rather not know because it's a MAJOR let-down, and I don't care if Homestead is NOW working on the problem - it's too little too late and I can't afford another sleepless night. Not everyone can afford to buy a portable air conditioner up front and just wait for the August credit.
ReplyDeleteI didn't even see the massive unit (chiller or whatever) in the driveway until I came home tonight. I will say there's enough noise around here I can't imagine it would cause a disturbance that warrants vandalism. This whole thing is just bizarre. At this point I'm not even negating what Homestead has said about the complexity of these repairs, I'm just perplexed about how we've been left with no solution that reflects true responsibility on Homestead's end. The fact is, if i lost my job or I had my rent cheque stolen, however unfortunate, it would still be my responsibility to come up with that money. They haven't taken responsibility for the gravity of this situation. Going back to work today after vacation (which I spent most in this apt) helped immensely for me in terms of escaping the heat and even making it seem tolerable upon my return in the evening (well that, and tons of ice cream), but these elderly people and people who don't work, and pets, are now facing a chronic stress situation from this hell, and this is not okay. Homestead, despite legitimate challenges with this problem, still need to suck it up and offer a solution that addresses the stress and health concerns of tenants NOW. It seems in the long run they will be spending more money to make up for their mistakes, I know this type of cheap strategy well, I just never expected it take place where I live. Am I the only one here that feels that something awry is at foot???
ReplyDeleteSome obseravtions:
ReplyDeleteIf the A/C unit was actualy vandalized, did Homestead report it to the Police? If not, why not?
Perhaps this was just another excuse to cover their mismanagement and attempt to deflect the blame elsewhere. This Heather Trimble person apparently has a histiry of doing that.
Odds are that a pipe burst and they didn't have a replacement, thus shutting down the system and then using vandalism as an excuse.
Witnesses/residents at the building returning home to park at about 10:15 PM have stated that the unit seemed to be working and that there were a number of workers around at that time.
It is puizzling how someone could have cut the pipe with all the workers around within the stated vandalism time period? And what would the motive be?
Not only that but i t would have been a dangerous thing to do. A large amount of effort and a very heavy duty knife would have been required and we doubt the hose could have been cut quickly even then.
There is something fishy here.
It may be running but there is still really no air conditioning. It is still hot and the hallways are stifling. I REALY wished I lived somewhere else, I am fed up. Not only with sweating and not having any air conditioning but for having to struggle for something I am paying good money for and some cheap landlord has decided to deprive me of to make a few extra bucks.
ReplyDeleteBlogs about Homestead are sprouting up all over the internet. I like yours "Homestead Hell"
ReplyDeleteHere's one from a former employee.
the day i lost my job by Stoniepooh
http://www.treatingyourself.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=34179
This building in genral has really gone downhill since Homestead bought it two years ago. Yes they spent some money on it but it was all to increase rents, nothing that benefitted the tenants who each year are routinely cheated by this unscrupulous landlord out of air conditioning, who must beg and plead for heat with poorly educated and sometimes barely literate "building managers" each winter who come up and take the temperature of a room and declare that they are providing all the heat that the law requires, and tolerate "cost cutting" measures thinly disguised as "green initiative" such as reversal of the flow of kitchen exhaust vents to save heating bills by not drawing warm air out of people's apartments. This whole building is like some bad movie. Homestead's people have no problem bending or reinventing truths to justification and in general hold tenants in complete disdain.
ReplyDeleteThe Homestead people are essentiall crooks, in it for th money alone. If the law let them get away with no heat, they would. In fact they get away with quite a bit when the law isn;t looking. Bad news this place.
Looks like some Homestead apartment buildings in Ottawa had problems with their A/C also, as reported on CTV news.
ReplyDeleteRising temperatures put vulnerable population at risk
http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100524/OTT_heat_100524?hub=OttawaHome
-------------------------------------------
Hot weather sparks fight with Ottawa landlord
http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100525/OTT_landlord_100525/20100525?hub=OttawaHome
-----------------------------------------------
Landlord steps up after CTV Ottawa exposé
http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100525/OTT_landlord2_/20100527/The%20Bridge
From what I have researched on the internet and observed at some buildings owned by Homestead Land Holdings,
ReplyDeleteI have come to some interesting observations.
Living in a building owned by Homestead
"Is like living in a bad movie or Twilight Zone".
They do want to get rid of all the long time residents and have a high turnover to increase rents.
They can't wreck the location so they try to destroy the building.
Their Building Managers are incompetent idiots (through no fault of their own, they were just born that way
and Homestead gives them a prestigious title in lieu of pay)
and they are told what to say by the dirt bag weasels at the top.
Remember this company is owned by lawyers.
Lawyers are probably some of the best actors in the world.
They get on stage (the courtroom) and try to convince people that the person in the prisoners box is really a nice guy and didn't mean to hurt or kill or whatever. ie Charles Manson, Paul Bernardo, Karla Homolka etc.
They will say anything, it really dosen't matter, it's just their job.
They do not like negative publicity on the news or online.
They don't have everybody "in their pocket" as seen on CTV news,
and eventually even the crooked politicians won't want to be associated with this company as mentioned on some of kingstonkittens blogs.
http://kingstonkittens5.blogspot.com/2004/09/homestead-land-holdings-ltd-trying-to.html
Homestead executives read these websites and blogs and changes will happen for the good.
They are terrified of hunters and former employees like Stoniepooh.
I like that song "All along the Clocktower" by Jimmy Hendrix LOL
I find myself singing that song in my head all the time while playing with my "toys".
You can run but you can't hide forever,
you piece of shit.
I have a Terrorist Hunting Permit and there's NO BAG LIMIT.
P.S. It's always a good idea to use a wifi hotspot.
The ideal tenant for renting in a Homestead building
ReplyDeleteis a refugee or illegal immigrant.
They do not know about the Landlord Tenant Act, www.50rosehill.com
and are just happy to be in Canada.
So they don't question us or cause problems.
Plus in some 3rd world countries they don't even have electricity never mind A/C.
And yet another Blog about Homestead Land Holdings and right here at Head Office.
ReplyDeleteObviously we must be doing something right.
Other landlords don't get this much free publicity
http://140erskine.wordpress.com/
I use to work for this fly by knight outfit and I could tell you stories that would sicken a cow.They have property managers that will stick a knife in your back for a nickel.They havearea managers that are little rats.They dont give a damn about the good tenants take my word for it.......
ReplyDeleteEnter Homestead Land Holdings.
ReplyDeleteWe work at Superintendents for almost a year. From the beginning they spoke of things such as 'promotion', 'potential'...
We started with 180 units. Next step up was 1600. Good salary.
This would be a great way to establish ourselves in Canada. Earn an income learning how to invest profitably in real estate.
Months pass.. No promotion... Family members outside the business get pulled in.
No experience. No need for them yet.. But in they come.
Suddenly the conversations stop. . .
We're comfortable. I'm dabbling in various business exploits, such as One Life Systems. Savings spent on learning business.
Potential still there but motivation has been lost.
Then one day, our boss appears at our building with two letters for us. One is notice of termination. The other our final paycheques.
No reason. No notice or warning. No written progression of performance issues.
Just go. 10 days to move.
Back in with parents. Driving Cab to earn some quick cash. Thinking about school. Personal Trainer is a natural step. I'm already certified. Physiotherapist is the professional degree. A natural extension of my innate passion.
Life is better now. Homestead was a rut.
A very dangerous and comfortable rut with quicksand qualities. Family is good. Everyone is happy, and happy to have us around.
Ups and downs. We've survived them all.
Another blog about Homestead
ReplyDeletewww.homesteadmovie.blogspot.com
Another building professionally managed by Homestead Land Holdings in Ottawa has a blog
ReplyDeletewww.rivieragatetenants.info/forum/index.php
I found another blog about Homestead Land Holdings
ReplyDeleteHomestead/Ottawa/Riviera Gates
http://dlang1310.blogspot.com/2009/05/homesteadottawariviera-gates.html
quote:
"I have never seen a more incompetant bunch & THEY DON'T CARE!"
Some quotes from The Ontario Landlord Forums.
ReplyDelete"Homestead land holdings is a huge corporation. If they were cheating tenants on air conditioner fees someone would have nailed them by now.
Chances are very high it is a legit charge.
Ask your property manager and you will get the answers"
"Yes, and I doubt very much that Bret Smith would allow a tenant to have access to an outlet that he pays for"
"Even more doubtful he would play silly bugger and risk getting caught cheating tenants out of $30.
Nope not his game"
http://ontariolandlords.ca/forum/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=2723&sid=fbcbeb78f475f235c305383b958ca418&start=0
This web page has moved
Deletehttp://ontariolandlords.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=2723&sid=9090f8fcd31dee3f589f4f860b0bf888
I agree!! Never rent Homestead's apartment. I am living in 2700 Saratoga place in Ottawa. The building is horrible. I complained the TV noise from the below unit many times, but they never take it seriously. The guy from below always turn on the watch from late night to dawn. Man, I have to sleep and get up to work in the morning. The management said that guy is a deaf person and we cannot do much. Fuck, deaf people can do whatever they wants. By the way, the lobby always have a garbage smell, and people never push down the garbage from the garbage chute. This is a disgusting place to live.
ReplyDeleteI live at 145 queen st. in Hamilton,I have made a video collection of over 47 videos and made Homestead very aware of them,check them out,they are on you tube,my name on there is westendhamboy and here is a link to the latest but there is a lot of them,see how Homestead treats us,we have an arsonist,gunplay,drugs,etc...check it out and feel free to comment...http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=-PVa_CJ1gcw
ReplyDeleteHas anyone filed with landlord tenant board? I find myself in a similar situation.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post! Thanks for your sharing.
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