Landlord who evicted College Avenue tenants connected to several other apartment buildings

A man connected to a Winnipeg apartment block whose residents were forced to move out suddenly more than a week ago, is linked to the ownership of at least four other apartment buildings in the city.

According to provincial companies office and land titles documents obtained by CBC News on Tuesday, Kelly Vasas is the sole director of a numbered Manitoba company that owns 285 College Ave., where the evictions took place.

He is also the sole director of different numbered Manitoba companies that own blocks at 355 Charles St., 270 St. John's Ave., 669 Elgin Ave. and 211 Furby St.

At a press conference last Wednesday, the province condemned the 285 College Ave. evictions, calling them "illegal" and saying its landlord was known to Manitoba's Residential Tenancies Branch.

The government department has the role of investigating and mediating disputes between landlords and tenants. 

RTB records show Vasas has faced several claim, repair and security orders dating back to 2009.

Lockout orders issued, province says 

In a 2009 decision, the RTB ordered Vasas to pay $2,712.34 to an Edmonton woman who had been in town the year before while her husband was hospitalized.

Vasas allowed the woman to stay at one of his apartments near the hospital, with an agreement to pay rent and sign the lease the following day, the decision reads.

Her husband died the next morning before she signed the lease. The woman and her family informed Vasas and moved out of the apartment that day. 

The decision says Vasas still charged her $1,500 in rent and $1,250 for the security deposit. Neither had been returned by the time the case was heard by the RTB in February 2009.

Vasas alleged the family had damaged an appliance and walls, among other things, during their one-night stay but the RTB officer did not accept his claim.

CBC reached Vasas's lawyer, Garry Sinnock, by phone Tuesday night.

Sinnock said he could not provide comment but said a statement from his client would be forthcoming in the near future.

As for the College Avenue building, the province says the RTB continues to investigate what happened.

It said last week the landlord faces 32 "lockout orders" issued by the RTB. 

"Depending on the outcome of the investigations, these measures could include the imposition of further orders, administrative fines and prosecution for contraventions under the legislation," a provincial spokesperson said Tuesday.

Last week, the province hired a locksmith to change the building's locks to allow tenants back in. The province has said the landlord has been given new keys to the building.