Image Credits: CTV
Vancouver, BC—A family from Raleigh, North Carolina, who had eagerly driven 5,000 kilometers for their son’s enrollment at Vancouver Film School (VFS), found themselves shocked and disappointed upon discovering the deplorable condition of his rented housing unit. The student, Roman Karoly, 23, had been accepted into the school’s game design program earlier than expected, forcing the family to quickly secure accommodation. However, their enthusiasm quickly turned to alarm after seeing the unit in person.
False Advertising and Immediate Red Flags
Roman’s family initially found the unit through Harrington Housing, a co-living provider catering to students and young professionals. Photos and videos of the rental posted online appeared promising, and the listing came with a “verified” check mark, instilling confidence. However, when they arrived in Vancouver to inspect the unit, things quickly went wrong.
“We were told to meet with a building manager, but when we arrived, no one was available to show us the room. Instead, another tenant, who had only lived there for three weeks, gave us a tour—of her unit, not the one Roman had rented,” said Roman’s mother, Cyndi Karoly. After eventually gaining access to unit 607, the Karolys found it to be unsanitary, with a strong, off-putting odor and visible stains in both the kitchen and bathroom. Roman described the unit as unsafe and far below the standard shown in the marketing material.
Unsafe Conditions: Cardboard Wall Next to Stove
Most concerning was the discovery of a cardboard wall taped together next to the stove, used to subdivide the two-bedroom unit into four smaller bedrooms, one of which Roman was set to occupy. This low-quality partitioning raised immediate safety concerns. “One grease fire, and this place would light up like a haystack,” Roman said.
Cyndi, who questioned whether the unit met local building and fire codes, expressed dismay. “If I had a daughter, I would have been extremely uncomfortable leaving her in a room without a lock, especially with a wall made of cardboard next to a stove,” she added. Roman’s room didn’t even have a functioning lock on the door, further contributing to the feeling of insecurity.
City of Vancouver Responds
Saul Schwebs, Vancouver’s chief building official, confirmed the Karolys’ worst fears, stating that the partitioning wall clearly violated city codes. “That’s quite alarming. There are minimum requirements regarding combustible materials near stovetops in the Vancouver building bylaw, and this setup does not meet them,” Schwebs said. He confirmed that a case file had been opened and that city inspectors would be investigating the unit to ensure compliance.
Schwebs acknowledged the pressure that Vancouver’s competitive housing market places on students and renters but emphasized the importance of safety. “It has to be safe housing, and this isn’t,” he said.
Landlord Under Fire: CAPREIT
The unit in question is located in Ocean Park Place, a property managed by Canadian Apartment Properties REIT (CAPREIT), one of the country’s largest residential landlords. In response to inquiries, CAPREIT released a statement claiming, “all units in the Ocean Park Place community adhere to applicable safety standards, including those established by the National Building Code of Canada and the BC Fire Code (2018).”
However, the city’s findings and Roman’s experience cast doubt on CAPREIT’s adherence to safety and building regulations. The company has faced similar accusations before. Earlier this month, CTV News reported that CAPREIT had attempted to convert one-bedroom apartments into multiple-room units in a building in New Westminster, further raising questions about their practices.
A Quick Escape
Roman spent less than a week in the Ocean Park unit before deciding it was uninhabitable. He and his family quickly found a new place to stay, but the fallout didn’t end there. Harrington Housing informed them they were responsible for finding a new tenant to replace Roman and imposed numerous fees for early termination of the rental agreement.
“We had to make these decisions quickly, and we didn’t have the time we would have otherwise taken to scrutinize everything,” Cyndi explained, highlighting the unfortunate reality that many students face when trying to secure last-minute accommodation in Vancouver.
A Growing Concern in Vancouver’s Housing Market
Roman’s experience highlights a broader issue in Vancouver’s competitive and often unaffordable housing market, where renters, particularly students and young professionals, are vulnerable to predatory rental practices and substandard living conditions. With rising demand, some landlords are subdividing apartments in unsafe and unsanitary ways, pushing the limits of legality.
Schwebs emphasized that while the market is competitive, safety must remain the top priority. The City of Vancouver has pledged to follow up on these issues, but for Roman and others like him, the damage has already been done.
Read More: CTV News – Quite Alarming: U.S. Student Says Vancouver Housing Unit Subdivided with Cardboard Wall