Due to a flaw in human nature, bad things make good stories. September was a lost month. It started in August, when my landlady handed me a letter saying she is intending to move into the house and everybody should move out. In Ontario, the tenants' protection act governs the housing market. Some laws you wouldn't find even in the most communist countries. After a contract expires, it is renewed automatically on a month-to-month basis. There is a maximal allowed percentage of yearly rent increase. A landlord cannot evict a tenant just because he doesn't like him. There are several specified reasons when tenants must leave, e.g. when a landlord wants to move in, and the legal procedure involves a written notice 60 days in advance. One reason I stayed five years at the same place was that my landlord were exceptionally nice. When I moved in, they didn't finish the renovations for few days, and gave me a rebate for a couple of days after I moved in. They also did costly fixes in this old house.
Unfortunately, August is the worst time to search a place in Toronto. Thousands of people, Canadians and immigrants, move to Toronto each year. Thousands of students are looking for places. All of them are watching one website, craigslist. You can imagine going for two weeks from place to place. Places were either far, in bad condition, expensive, or already taken. Finally I found a place. The room was ok, but the house was messy, since there was construction going on in the basement and they moved stuff to the corridor.
I spent few days packing. I came to Toronto with two suitcases and several bags, but after few years stuff accumulated. I used the opportunity to backup my computer and throw junk away. It became apparent that I cannot move everything by myself. I looked up moving companies. Prices were around $200. Someone told me he found a cheap mover on craigslist. And indeed, there was a company advertising $45 an hour+$25 for the truck+tax. I called them. Two Zimbabwean movers moved my stuff. When we got to the new house, they locked the truck and asked for $400. I recalled that craigslist had "report scam" link, but I couldn’t even do that since my computer (and the backup) were inside the truck. After arguing for a couple of hours in the middle of the street, the police came. They agreed it looks like a scam, but said there is nothing they can do because it is a civil dispute and not a criminal issue. They wouldn't even ask them to identify or show any paper of that company. My only legal option is to sue the company (which may not exist). It turns out there are amounts the Canadian justice system wouldn't even look at, as the police time is more expensive. I had no choice but to pay, and the two policemen made sure the movers don't steal my stuff.
My previous landlord changed her mind and decided not to move in. Since the new house was messier and noisier, I decided to move back. After paying the tuition fee, I moved everything by myself over three evenings. I organized everything better. But it didn't fit. So I ended up with two boxes under my desk. I also had to find someone to take the room I left. This time I saw craigslist from the other side, clogging my email. It is interesting what strategies people take to get a place. Some send their cv, one said she is a great cook. I showed the house to people, and it was embarrassing to have ladies look at me as if the mess was my fault. A new guy was in within a week. I ended up at the same old place with four new housemates.
And someone sent the scammers to move the Toronto jail.
