Property Management

September 9, 2024 Published by Toronto and Area Chapter - By Kimberley Peck

The Hoarder Within

From the Summer 2024 issue of CCI Toronto Condovoice Magazine.

As property managers and board members, we can’t help the hoarders psychologically, but we can help make them safer

Unit owners are complaining about a smell, about water leaking, about the number of flies gathering, there could be rodent infestation. As the property manager, this is when you realize that behind a unit door there may be a hoard.

For me, each time I have encountered a hoarder, it has been the smell; indescribable yet so unique - a smell that clings to you and that you can smell for hours even after changing your clothes.

There are five levels of hoarders and unfortunately once you have become aware of one, it is likely that they are at least a level three – and most definitely requires your attention.

Level One: The clutter is not too bad, safety really isn’t a concern, exits are accessible.

Level Two: Clutters start to take over several living spaces, some egress points may be inaccessible, pets may be not cleaned up after.

Level Three: Things begin to become unsafe; kitchen and bathrooms have become unsanitary, odours are strong.

Level Four: Can be a safety issue with limited access to egress points, hydro and water issues, infestation of bugs.

Level Five: Is the worst level, with rodent infestation, health and safety being a large concern, for those living in the hoard and their neighbours.

From a property management standpoint, what do you do about it? Ask your lawyer? Call the fire department? Call municipal departments? Send letters? To all of the above the answer is “yes”. However, it doesn’t mean that any or all of these things will work, because they likely will not.

Each hoarding situation that I have discovered and have been in has required a different way of dealing with it and because hoarding is a mental health issue, each hoarder must be dealt with on an ILLUSTRATION BYBARBARA KLUNDER individual basis. Of course, your condominium may have a hoarding policy regarding dealing with hoarding, but the human aspect is a very difficult barrier, and it is unlikely that it will contemplate each unique human aspect.

We have all seen the tv shows where the hoarders’ residence is cleaned up in a weekend and the person is happy to live in their new clean and renovated space. This is just not reality. Hoarding encompasses a wide variety of difficult problems that take time and the effort and involvement of many people and services to address.

The first hoarder that I was made aware of was discovered because water was leaking into the unit below. Once gaining entry to the unit, I was first hit by the smell and then the wet mushy floor. The unit owner was nowhere to be found. The unit was cluttered with piles of furniture and garbage. I had been in and out of the unit for three days with plumbers before I realized there was a large dog living in the unit under a table with no way to get out (I had a vet tend to the dog). The owner was finally located and after speaking to her about the condition of the unit she decided to sell the unit, as is, for next to nothing. The new owner had a crew empty the unit and beautifully restore it for a quick sale.

The second encounter required legal action. The legal action was needed because the man living there with his nephew was not aware that the condition of his unit was a problem. The nephew blamed the man, who was clearly not able to take care of himself, and the man just wanted someone to help him with day-to-day things. When I asked him if he knew why I was there he said “no”. The nephew changed the locks, and we were unable to enter the unit with or without proper notice. This unit was cluttered with garbage and unsanitary items. A court order judgment was made to ensure the unit was cleaned by a given time and then inspected by the property manager, the result being that a court judgement was made with timelines of what course of action was to be taken by certain dates and to be inspected by the Property Manager. The owner adhered to the court order judgement; however I do suspect that they have begun to fall back into their old habits.

The third, and one of the easiest cases I was involved with, was brought to my attention by an adult child of the owners. He came to me to tell me that the parents were hoarders and asked if I could help him figure out what to do. This was the easiest to deal with because I had the cooperation of the closest family member. This unit was rat infested and food was scattered on every surface. Everywhere, every f lat surface housed food. After many pest control visits and thorough cleaning, the unit was much improved. The unit has since sold.

Every experience that I have had with hoarders has been different. They have required time, patience, empathy and sometimes creativity to help the unit owner - because help is what they need. They don’t need judgement or lectures; this is not helpful and will actually make the issue harder to deal with. I can not tell you how to deal with a hoarder because each one is very different and unless you see it and get to know the human side of the hoarder, you can’t know what steps to take.

What I can tell you is, take pictures. These may be necessary later when possibly requiring legal action, insurance claims and chargebacks.

Speaking to the hoarder to figure out their level of understanding of the problem is the next step when trying to resolve a hoard. Simply asking them “Do you understand why I am here?’ will give you a great deal of insight into how much they understand the issue. The hoarders that understand “this is not the norm as far as house cleaning practices go” tend to be a bit more responsive and willing to accept help. However there tends to be a level of embarrassment for them when they do understand, and this must be dealt with compassion but also firmness that stresses the importance of resolving this problem. The hoarders that do not comprehend the issue are a little more difficult. I would suggest trying to reach out to their emergency contact or family for assistance in getting the unit up to a safe livable standard.

The fire department is an excellent resource for determining when the unit is unsafe, regarding egress access and fire hazard. Some people are more receptive when it is someone that they see in a position of authority telling them what needs to be rectified.

If the hoarder is receptive to having people come into the unit, it is advisable for the board of directors to have a plumber, electrician, and possibly HVAC technician and if necessary, pest control assess potential damage or safety issues that require attention. The costs involved for these repairs will be something that the board of directors will have to consider regarding who and how these charges will be paid for. This is when your declaration and consultation with your lawyer may be required.

There are companies that specialize in this type of clean up. They do not come without a hefty price tag. They do however have experience with the proper safety equipment, and biohazard requirements that may be needed. Property managers and board members should always take proper safety precautions when going into a unit that is hoarded.

Approximately 4 to 6 percent of the population are hoarders. I would be willing to bet that one of the units in your condominium has a hoarder in it.

As property managers and board members, we can not help the hoarder with the psychological aspect, but we can help to make their living space safer.

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Kimberley Peck
OLPM