Neatby loses appeal

A Charlottetown resident has lost his battle against being evicted from his apartment.

Dave Neatby and eight other residents who lived in the apartment building at 24 Water St. received eviction notices on Feb. 19, along with documents stating the building owner intended on renovating and wanted them out by April 30.

Some of those residents appealed the eviction order to the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission. Since then, all of the residents, except Neatby, found a new place to live and dropped their appeal.

Due to the pandemic, the commission stayed all eviction orders until hearings could take place.

Neatby’s hearing occurred recently, and it didn’t go his way. The commission says he has to be out by today.

The commission upheld the eviction notice, explaining the landlord and the Dunne Group, which manages the building, acted in good faith and has offered to compensate Neatby $150 per day over three days to help with being displaced.

Jon Locke, the landlord, has previously told The Guardian that significant renovations are necessary to bring the building up to code.

He said asbestos was discovered in the plaster walls, posing a health risk to anyone in the building.

Renovations are expected to cost more than $600,000, which will result in all of the units in the building being gutted and completely rebuilt.

The commission said it is not reasonable to expect that anyone could continue residing in the premises while renovations are being carried out.

Locke did not say Neatby or any of the former residents could not reapply once renovations are completed, but Neatby said he expects rents will go up significantly as a result of the renovations.