Lachine tenants have been out of heat and hot water for 2 months

Tenants in Lachine are asking for help.

Their 47-unit building hasn't had hot water for nearly two months, and the heat is out too.

Residents and the borough say they've tried to reach those responsible for the building, but they're nowhere to be found.

A visit from the fire department came as a relief for Catherine Hamel and Thomas Shedrick.

“It's just been really a nightmare,” said Shedrick.

Heat and hot water is included in the couple’s rent, but they say the heat stopped working last winter and they haven't had hot water since November.

“We can't invite guests over for Christmas one day, washing their hands in cold water,” said Shedrick.

Both work from home and have had to boil water to bathe and wash dishes for the last two months.

They use space heaters they purchased out of pocket.

In all that time, they say there's been no help from the building manager or property owner.

“They have not responded to calls or emails, since all the building is affected, everybody's been trying to reach them,” said Hamel.

Rashid Gizitdinov also lives in the building and said he tried to call the landlord for repairs, but he “never” answers.

Gizitdinov is getting by in his studio apartment with a small space heater and using public showers.

“We go to the gym, take hot shower over there,” he said.

Tenants say there's no janitorial service.

CTV News found appliances left in hallways, water infiltration, garbage in the entry way and all over the property.

The borough said it only recently learned of the heat and hot water issues.

It sent in fire inspectors on Friday in hopes of getting an emergency court order to force the building owner to act.

Maja Vodanovich, Lachine’s borough mayor, said she had to act quickly.

“For a while it was warm, but now it's going to get pretty cold, -14. So, we need to act fast because their landlord is nowhere to be found. I mean, and we've been after this landlord now for almost two years,” she said.

She said since early 2023, the city has been renting a dumpster for the building because garbage was piling up.

Bailiff's letters to the owner were ignored, she added.

And while tenants could ask for a hearing at the housing tribunal, Vodanovich says it's a lengthy process.

“The procedure at the TAL is very, very long. So, if we can do something faster with the fire department then we're trying that route,” she said.

After the fire inspection, the borough said its legal team gave the green light to send in city workers to fix the heat and hot water at the owner's expense.

CTV News reached out to the building manager by phone and email, but did not hear at time of publication.

“It's very difficult to, to stay, stay positive,” said Shedrick.

Meanwhile he and Hamel are hoping heat and hot water will return to their home in the coming days.