of seniors want to be reimbursed

The inhabitants of a residence for the elderly in Montreal-North want to obtain a reduction in rent compared to services paid and not rendered during the pandemic. They are thus joining a class action involving 33 residences.

It is through Lucie Manseau, mandated by the group of nine tenants of Habitations Pelletier in Montreal-North, that a joint application will be filed with the Administrative Housing Tribunal (TAL) by November 4.

“We canceled recreation during the pandemic and yet we were still paying rent, including recreation and access to the dining room, says Ms. Manseau, in a telephone interview with Subway. So we paid for services that we did not receive. I noticed later on television that we could request a refund for services not received by the owner, and that’s when we took action to obtain justice and reparations.

It is precisely the services provided to residents that are targeted, specifies Stéphanie Bérard, general manager of the Center for assistance and support for complaints (CAAP) Laurentides, which accompanies residents of Habitations Pelletier.

“Schedule 6 of the residents’ lease is divided into two parts: the first concerns the use of common and available areas, such as the dining room, while the second relates to care and services. For these two parts, people continued to pay their rents, including access to common areas and care, even if meals were served to them in their rooms and they had less individual care,” explains Ms. Bérard.

Unfair and unacceptable

Lucie Manseau adds that there had already been requests for rent review with the administration of Habitations Pelletier and that their proposals were considered “unfair and unacceptable”.

All we want is the money for the services we paid for. The last offer was to compensate us, only the nine residents who complained. This offer was ridiculous and unfair to other residents, who would have gotten nothing even though they experienced the same problems. We talk about the management of our lives, our old age and our vulnerability. It’s unfair and it hurts.

Lucie Manseau, resident of Habitations Pelletier

Contacted by SubwayLuc Dumont, vice-president and chief operating officer of the Horizon Residence Management group, which manages Habitations Pelletier, indicates by email that the group « has taken note of the missive from the group of tenants and their intentions […] to submit a joint request to the authorities of the Administrative Housing Tribunal” and that he would not provide comments, “out of respect for the process in progress”.