Cedarwoods Tower — Local services in Kitchener

I lived at Cedarwoods Tower for 6 months and it was not enjoyable. Here is my experience, just so others can be aware:

We signed a lease on a unit without seeing it in person as due to COVID, they weren't showing them. We received pictures that we were told were of the unit we were renting - they were not. Prior to our move in date, we were contacted by the office and asked if we would move in earlier than the 1st as there were lots of moves scheduled that day and they wanted to spread them out. We agreed and moved our truck rental and moving help to accommodate the new date.

On the day we moved in, we arrived to get our keys and were taken to our unit only to find that a) it had not been cleaned - it was filthy and the radiator covers were off, b) the appliances were missing and c) the kitchen counters and bathroom vanity were quite damaged and in disrepair. Having moved from Hamilton, we had no choice but to unload our things into this unit that was not ready for us. The staff brought up appliances and cleaned the unit as we were moving in, but we were still incredibly upset at the situation. The management offered to replace the kitchen counters and bathroom vanity but this would likely take weeks as they would have to be ordered and then installed.

As we were bringing our stuff into the kitchen, we spotted 3 roaches scuttling across the floor. And after all of our things were into the unit, we came to find it was infested! We reported the infestation and were told that the next possible treatment date was 1 week away. Now we were left in a roach infested unit that was in disrepair with nowhere to go.

The following day we inquired at the office about a vacant fully renovated unit 2 floors up and asked if we could amend our lease and move into the other unit (it was $120 more per month) provided it didn't also have a roach infestation. We went and looked at it and the office agreed to let us move so we slugged all of our furniture and belongings up 2 floors to the newer unit.

For our incredible inconvenience with moving in, we were given free parking. This was not offered until I asked if something could be done to make up for that terrible move in experience. After this horrific move, we thought that being in the newer unit would solve the problems we had with the building that first day - nope!

Our new unit was on the 9th floor and after living there for just 2 months it began to flood in our kitchen, coming from another floor above us. We were not offered any assistance with cleaning up the water on this occasion, and had to use (and throw out) many of our own personal towels to soak up the water. The flooding left water damage on our ceilings, walls and floors, which we reported to management with a work order to have it repaired, as it was quite unsightly and we could smell mould in the walls. We were told by the manager Vince that there was absolutely no way that he was opening the walls to check for damages or make repairs, and they sent a maintenance person to repair the floor damage, which he did not do beyond gluing down a floor tile.

Just weeks after this, our kitchen flooded AGAIN, in the same spot! This time they brought us a wet dry vac to soak up the water but still nothing got fixed after the flooding had stopped. The root cause was CLEARLY not addressed because after these 2 instances of flooding we continued to hear dripping inside the walls and noticed water running down our walls on multiple (nearly weekly) occasions. My husband took the cover off a cable outlet in the living room and behind it was covered in black spots and it was dripping wet. Still, nothing was done to address these issues.

At one point our microwave began shorting out the fuse every time you touched it, likely due to electrical damage from the water that had been running in the ceilings on multiple occasions. We reported this, too, as it was a built in microwave that came with the unit and we were told that they couldn't replace it or do anything because COVID prevented them from having anyone in....

I've lived here for over 5 years. The rental office has switched staff several times. Management has been tolerable at best, and an absolute nightmare at worst. An example:

After vacating my premises this week (June 5, 2024) for a fumigation, the rental office had brought up the fact that they took pictures of my unit.

The person who took said pictures (Ricky - according to the rental office) responded in sarcasm and a very hostile tone when I had questioned why. I pointed out that the pictures were taken without my knowledge or consent, and thus were not allowed. Ricky responded that it was within the law for them to do so. I challenged that fact and asked for citations. Ricky refused to provide any. He said I should look it up. So I did.

https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/privacy-topics/landlords-and-tenants/privacy-in-the-landlord-and-tenant-relationship/

According to Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Landlords are explicitly not to take pictures of the unit without the knowledge or consent of the tenant. Further, the fact that Ricky had cited the law as his reasoning is a cause of major concern for his gross incompetence at best, or knowingly lying to tenants about their rights at worst.

Moreover, when I had asked Connie, the head of the management office, as to why she allowed Ricky to speak to me in such a rude tone, (being in the room at the time) she mentioned that he was simply trying to explain to me why he had a right to do what he did. Unfortunately, she didn't actually answer the question.

I sent an email to Connie demanding that all pictures of my unit, past and present, are deleted from every location in its entirety on every device. I had asked to please provide proof. None was given in her reply. At no time should the office be taking pictures of my, or any other unit without consent and knowledge.

I am shocked and appalled that Ricky is able to speak to tenants in this fashion. He could not have been any more unprofessional. I had never insulted him or used sarcasm at any time. Why he felt the need to do so to me is beyond my understanding. He is a bad reflection on the rental office, and I would like change to ensure this never happens to another tenant ever again. His manner was inexcusable, and the fact that this was allowed to happen is a cause of concern.

Any reasonable person would agree that breaking privacy laws, not caring about it, being insulted and lied to for bringing it up, and not doing one's due diligence to rectify the error is worthy of a one star review.

EDIT: Regardless of what the response below says, they don't actually care. I had found that same email address commented on other reviews, so I did email them 3 days after posting this review here. I have not heard...

Here is an honest review about living in this building for a year:

Pros: Management is friendly helpful and responsive to any needs. Superintendents are very reactive to any concerns and have always been profesional and courteous.

Cons: Visitors parking might as well be non existent. My catalytic converter was stolen off my car while parked in the parking lot. So security is minimal or absent. Laundry room is often disgusting with occasionally piles of dirty clothing in a corner seemingly donated for free and the strange odor of feces. Many machines are non functional and those that are, left our clothes stinking and stained forcing us to go to a laundromat. Water pressure and temperature always inconsistent. Showering with a desired temperature is like trying to lockpick a difficult door in skyrim. They recently started construction on expanding the parking lot that will last all summer. The noise pollution literally will ruin every one of your summer days from 8 am to 5pm and sometimes on weekends too. Last but not least, we keep our place impeccably clean and despite that have found several bedbugs coming from mysterious sources. I had gotten bit quite badly several times while sleeping. Vacuuming and pressure steaming everything is barely effective.

Safe to say we are eager to move out. Rent here at your...