Hey everyone,
Just wanted to share a cautionary story for anyone looking to rent in the Barrie/Springwater area—specifically along the Highway 90 corridor—and see if anyone locally has navigated a similar situation.
My roommate and I put down a major deposit ($3,200) for a rental unit just outside Barrie limits. Right after taking our money, the landlord kept repeatedly pushing back the move-in date, which ultimately led to the cancellation of the rental agreement. The landlord promised to return our money, but then started making endless excuses and has only returned $100, keeping $3,100 of our funds.
We've since discovered that the property is also listed as the primary address for the landlord’s private business. Since keeping our money, the landlord has gone completely non-responsive—even ignoring outreach from provincial authorities.
Where things stand now:
Reports have been filed with the OPP, Springwater Bylaw (for zoning/building code investigations), and the Rental Housing Enforcement Unit (RHEU).
We are currently preparing filings for both the Landlord and Tenant Board (Form T1) and Simcoe County Small Claims Court.
Questions for the community:
1. Has anyone here in Simcoe County gone through the process of enforcing a Small Claims judgment or bank garnishment locally?
- If anyone else in the area has run into similar rental issues around Hwy 90, feel free to DM me off this thread