Kittens were still roaming the rental home when landlord Thamara DeVries repossessed it. She says they were part of a litter bred for profit in the bathroom. What started as a standard lease to three university students and their mother, turned into a months-long ordeal involving 12 tenants, nearly 14 animals and tens of thousands of dollars in damage. DeVries says the process of removing them was delayed at nearly every turn. Now, she is calling for urgent reform to Prince Edward Island’s rental tribunal. “I’m in shock. I’m devastated,” DeVries said. “Seeing it being destroyed, not being able to do anything about it, it’s very gutting.” She says the tenants moved in this past February and she stopped receiving rent in April. By the time they were evicted, on Monday this week, her property had been trashed. Appliances were missing, furniture was broken, couches were stained beyond repair and one back door had vanished entirely. “The kitchen is absolutely filthy. You can take a look at the freezer,” she said, pulling the door open to reveal the mess. She estimates $80,000 in damages. Outside, DeVries says the tenants dumped truckloads of horse manure across the lawn, including directly on top of the property’s well, its main water source. She filed her first eviction application in early March, citing over-occupancy and property damage. She says it was dismissed after 55 days by the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission (IRAC) on procedural grounds. The wrong checkbox had been selected and attempts to inspect the home were physically blocked. She alleges the tenants had wedged knives into the doorframes. A second notice was filed in May for non-payment of rent and continued damage. DeVries says that application was granted on June 17, with tenants ordered to leave by June 24. But they appealed before the deadline. The hearing was delayed and later converted to a written submission without her consent. “I don’t feel any protection,” DeVries said. “Not only that, but there’s no consequences for the damages cost. I believe the system is killing small landlords like us.” In a statement to CTV News, IRAC said, “The timeline associated with the appeal process is dependent upon a number of factors,” including “complexity of the file,” and that the commission tries to handle matters “in a way that adheres to legislation and is fair to all parties involved.” Across Canada, landlord–tenant tribunals have faced mounting criticism over long delays. In Ontario, eviction hearings often stretch beyond seven months due to case backlogs. In British Columbia, timelines are significantly shorter, with tenants typically ordered to vacate within weeks, even when they appeal. In P.E.I., the slow pace is pushing some landlords to walk away, says June Ellis, executive director of the Residential Rental Association of P.E.I. “We’ve got a lot of good tenants,” she said. “But it’s difficult for them because properties are going to be taken off the market.” As for DeVries, she says she’s unsure whether her insurance will cover the losses. But for her, the damage is done.
