More drama for tenants of Yonge Street apartments

The residents of 2779 Yonge St., in the news earlier this year when their apartment building was without heat or hot water for seven weeks, found themselves embroiled in a new drama at the end of November, after tenants found notices posted to their apartment doors directing them to make rent payments to a specified company instead of to their landlord.

Resident Andrew Gallagher said he returned home on Nov. 30 to find a notice of attornment taped to his door. It stated that, as of Nov. 28, tenants were to pay their rent to the Canadian Mortgage Servicing Corp., he said.

The notice, dated Nov. 29, said a CMSC representative would be on site Dec. 1 to collect rent cheques, and directed tenants to forward all future rent cheques to the corporation’s Adelaide Street office.

Landlord Bianca Pollak refused to comment on the situation when approached by the Town Crier.

Gallagher said he remains skeptical and that neither he nor other tenants he has discussed the matter with intend to comply with the order until more is known.

“We are not willing to hand over our rent money until we find out who is legally entitled to it,” Gallagher said. “There is no legal clarification as to why and how they’re asking for these payments, plus no notarization or authorization from the City of Toronto or Landlord and Tenant Board.”

CMSC is a division of Canadian Mortgage Capital Corp. Its assistant vice president, Richard Munroe, declined to comment when contacted by the Town Crier.

“We’re obviously in the midst of a process, and I just don’t want to put anything at risk,” Munroe said.

Gallagher acknowledged that CMSC representatives visited the building on Dec. 1, but said everyone he’s talked to so far remains unmoved.

“As far as I am concerned, it looks like a collection agency trying to get our cash before the landlord,” he said. “While we understand that CMSC is attempting to collect arrears, using tenants as a pawn is not the solution.”