An Etobicoke landlord called us Wednesday morning holding a Property Standards Order from Toronto Municipal Licensing and Standards. The order cited hoarded conditions, pest risk and fire code concerns inside a basement apartment near Kipling and Rexdale. The 72-hour clock had started Monday. The landlord had been trying to reach the tenant for consent and had just secured it that morning.
The Situation
The landlord needed the unit cleared, inspected and ready for the Municipal Licensing officer’s re-inspection by Friday afternoon. The tenant was cooperative but overwhelmed. The landlord did not want neighbours or other tenants in the building to know the PSO was active. A compliance letter had to be in his file by Monday so he could respond to the city in writing before the fine window opened.
We dispatched a three-person crew Wednesday afternoon in an unmarked white van. Full PPE inside the unit, plain coveralls outside. The crew lead met the tenant for a 20-minute walkthrough, agreed on a keep list and started on the main living area the same day.
The Scope
Scope landed at $4,200 to $8,800 for an Etobicoke basement apartment of this size with Level 3 contents. Final invoice came in at $6,100. ICD Level 3. Service type: hoarding cleanup, HEPA decontamination, pest-risk mitigation, Toronto Municipal Code 629 compliance letter.
Timeline: 3 days - Wednesday afternoon through Friday afternoon, inside the 72-hour PSO window.
The Process
- Day 1 (half) - Mobilization, assessment, bulk pass. PSO reviewed with the landlord so our scope mirrored the city’s citation points. Bulk hoarded contents removed from the main living area and entrance. First disposal container ordered for Thursday morning.
- Day 2 - Sort, dispose, HEPA. Keep items catalogued and set aside for the tenant. Kitchen, bathroom and bedroom cleared. HEPA negative-air set for the overnight cycle. Any evidence of pest activity treated with a residual spray and documented with dated photos.
- Day 3 - Deep clean, verification, compliance letter. Hospital-grade disinfection with quaternary ammonium on all hard surfaces. Final HEPA sweep. Walkthrough with the landlord and the tenant. Compliance letter drafted, signed by the crew lead and emailed to the landlord before 5pm.
Written workmanship warranty, WSIB registered, $2M CGL, IICRC S540 certified. Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 629 language used in the compliance letter.
The Outcome
Landlord submitted the compliance letter to Municipal Licensing on Monday morning. The city inspector attended Tuesday and signed off without a fine. The PSO was closed within seven days of our mobilization. The tenant chose to stay in the unit and signed a new lease addendum covering housekeeping expectations. No neighbours in the building knew the PSO was active - the only unmarked traffic in and out of the driveway lasted three days.
For a landlord, the real risk on a PSO is the fine window and the possibility that the city escalates to a work order they bill back. Finishing inside 72 hours with a compliance letter in hand is what prevents both.
