A Nanaimo landlord who evicted a dying woman has been fined $17,600 for multiple violations of the province’s residential tenancy rules.
The Residential Tenancy Branch found landlord Duart Rapton did not have grounds to evict his tenant, Sharon Kowalchuk.
Rapton faces multiple penalties totalling $17,600 for evicting Kowalchuk, who was facing a terminal illness at the time. Kowalchuk died in September.
The branch’s compliance and enforcement unit began investigating in March after CHEK News reported that Kowalchuk had her heat and power cut off and had been locked out of the unit.
The decision found Rapton committed six violations, including ending a tenancy, terminating or restricting services, and changing locks and other access.
Despite being contacted and warned by the compliance and enforcement unit in March, Rapton did not do anything to come into compliance with tenancy rules, the branch decision said.
Rapton did not respond to a voicemail or email on Friday.
