City inspectors were sent to an apartment in Cote des Neiges on Tuesday in response to complaints from tenants about mould, vermin and a negligent landlord.

The apartment building on Vezina St. is infested with mice and cockroaches, and was described as "filthy" by a borough official.

Nicole Hamilton, who has lived in the building for the past two years with her three children, says she has moved her kids out of their bedrooms and into her own, because of mushrooms growing from the blackened, mouldy floors.

"I keep cleaning them, but they come back," she said.

When she complained to the landlord, he told her to put a bowl onto the floor to catch the leaking water that's causing the mould.

Hamilton also says mice scurry through her apartment and leave their droppings all over her kitchen.

"My kids get scared when they see them. They run, jump and scream," she said.

Lack of heat

Another tenant, Anu Balasingham, says his family has been living without adequate heat, and their apartment is getting increasingly chilly.

The family's repeated requests to have the heat fixed have gone unanswered.

"(For) many years we've tried to fight against this guy here," Balasingham said.

Building manager's response

CTV News tried to contact the owner of the building, Robert Sebag, but he was nowhere to be found.

The building's manager, who would identify himself only as Emile, said he had responded to tenants' complaints - but the real problem is delay in the sale of the building to the city.

"Since August (we have been trying to sell the building) and every time, they keep on postponing for many different reasons," Emile said.

But the city says it can't take over the building until repair work has been completed.

Borough promises action

Michel Therrien, a spokesperson for the borough of Cote des Neiges, says the borough will relocate tenants whose health is endangered by the conditions in the building.

"We're talking about rats, cockroaches, filthy conditions. We've got inspectors inside knocking at each and every door," Therrien said.