Family suffering after alleged rental runaround by Winnipeg landlord

A home on Alfred Avenue was supposed to be a fresh start for a First Nations family of seven, but when the family saw the residence first-hand, they described it as walking into a house from hell, refusing to bring their children into the rundown property.

Looking for a home close to her grandmother in Winnipeg’s North End, Samantha Zebrasky signed a one year lease with Ember Realty Group Ltd. with some support from Jordan’s Principle. In the last month she’s been shown two homes to rent at around $1,800 monthly. In each case, Zebrasky claims the homes were in a state of dangerous disrepair.

“I cried ’cause in that moment, I thought about my kids. What are we gonna do with five children and where are we gonna go?” 

“It wasn’t what the photo showed on the internet. Nothing like it,” she said. “Like when we walked in, there were walls, they were collapsed from the foundation from the hallways. There was no fridge. No heat. No water, no stove, no furnace, no hydro.” 

Zebrasky says she has been working hard to improve her life. She’s been sober for more than a year and reunited her family, making huge strides forward, but her recent experience with Ember has put her several steps back and left her out thousands of dollars. 

Unable to get settled and still in the process of moving, Zebrasky uninsured household items were delivered to the Alfred Avenue home while she and her family were at a hotel. She tells CityNews that was when  her property was stolen in a break and enter from the house.

 “We walked into a house that had nothing. Everything we owned was gone. Gone. The couches, the dressers, the kids’ clothing,” she said. My kids’ traditional stuff — all the way to like, the deep freezer full of food.”

“Everything that I bought for my daughter, at the NICU, that we were saving up for was stolen. The crib, the clothing, the star blankets. Everything that she owned was stolen.”

The second home she was moved to by Ember on Aberdeen Avenue was similar, Zebrasky claims, with crumbling walls, mould and exposed wires present, the conditions all observed first-hand by CityNews.

Now, she’s working to get restitution, asking the Residential Tenancies Branch to award her $18,000 to replace her lost and destroyed property, compensation for moving, rent and other expenses.

“My kids are affected by everything at this point. My kids lost everything,” she said.

Initially, CityNews made contact with Ember Realty Group Ltd. Wednesday April 9th, at which time an official with the company said they were not interested in offering comment, CityNews also called three different numbers associated with the firm over two days, but they went unanswered. 

Then, just hours before broadcast of this story, Ember Realty Group Ltd. director Daniel Unruh responded. Although he refused an interview, a statement he sent read: “We value concerns about our tenants and properties and are dedicated to resolving them fairly and openly.”

“Regarding Sammy Richard, a review of her public social media shows a pattern of offensive, discriminatory remarks and unfounded claims. Renting a property involves mutual respect and responsibility from both landlord and tenant, including clear communication and adherence to lease terms,” the statement continued.

“We have a straightforward process for addressing issues, and we encourage tenants to work with the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) for mediation. While tenants have rights, these come with the expectation of meeting legal and contractual duties. Regrettably, we believe Sammy Richard has not fulfilled these responsibilities, leading to violations of her lease and violation of the law.”

The group’s website also appears to have changed over the course of CityNews’ reporting, as numerous listings posted online Wednesday, were gone the following day including the Aberdeen and Alfred Avenue residences.

Zebrasky is now dealing with an eviction notice from Ember due to being behind on rent, but she says she refused to pay for a property that was potentially putting her and her family at risk, especially as she alleges there was no action from the landlord.

“This girl is doing everything right,” said Grant McPherson, Samantha’s close family friend.

“Especially when they’ve tried so hard to work at their recovery. It shows,” he said. “And I wanna do everything I can to help them.”

Zebrasky continues to try and manage at the home on Aberdeen. She tells CityNews Ember is ignoring her, forcing her to go to the Residential Tenancies Branch, where they’re still waiting for a hearing.