MOTHER SIDE OF STORY OF BEING EVICTED AND CUT OFF FROM NEW BRUNSWICK FAMILY SERVICES!!

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Ok Charlie, You wanted the story... here it is.

On or about December 1st, a new neighbor moved in the apartment underneath my children and I.

Since that time I have received many phone calls from workers of Fredericton Rentals following up on complaints of this one woman.

I have lived in this building for over 3 years and it wasn't until last year about Christmas time that we were having the same trouble with previous neighbors.

Just to give a brief on my last neighbors, there was a couple living underneath.

One went to work through the day and slept through the night while the other stayed up all night and slept all day.

I have two children, one of them with Asperger's Syndrome (mild autism) who was only diagnosed approx. 8 months ago.



My children at that time were causing some noise, but they are only 6 and 4 years of age.

I certainly didn't find that the noise was excessive at that time.

Especially since my son is in school and gone for most of the day, (till 2:00 PM) and my children go to bed by 7:00 PM every day.

My children are also not allowed to play with trucks or anything with wheels to run across the floor, they are not allowed to jump or run.

However they do tend to test that rule every now and then, they are children after all, they receive time outs for that behaviour and it stops shortly after.

After we got notices (3 all at the same time) we got the rentalsmen involved.

I also went to the media to cover the story, and had my other neighbors who lived around me to write letters in our favour stating that our noise level was not excessive.

We won our case and were permitted to stay.

This time around, the complaints are not so much about the noise level of my children, more so the noise complaints about me and my daily living.

The first complaint came at 11:50 PM, I was watching the news with my ex-husband, and it was at a low level.

One of the workers from the building came to my door at this time and knocked.

I had my 4 year old daughter sleeping in my lap, and my ex husband opened the door to find the worker at the door following up on the complaint and he asked if that was the level of noise that we were making, he noticed my daughter who was sleeping on my knee and said that the complaint was unfounded, and left.

I again received a notice stating that I was vacuuming at 10:30, which I thought was strange as I don't even own a vacuume with a motor, I have a carpet sweeper that has no motor.

It also stated that I scream and yell till 11:00PM.

Which seems extremely odd, cause my children are in bed by 7:00 pm and I live alone, I don't understand who I'm screaming at when the only one here is myself.

I also had a complaint about my children playing with another friend oneday.

This is probably the only day that I could agree there was noise.

The kids were a little excited and loud, and after speaking to the landlord who was following up on the complaint, I asked my friend to take her child and leave.

I then received a notice stating that my kids were "not to have their friends over again" so, we have not had other children in since that incident.

My mom was here sweeping the sand up off the floor by my front entrance when we heard loud banging on the floor from the neighbor underneath complaining that the sweeping was too loud.

This was at 4:00 in the afternoon.

I have also had a lot of banging up on my floor and phone calls over watching tv, or running bath water.

One time my mom was here and completely shocked as the level of the tv was so low that we could hardly hear the program we were watching.

However my mother's personal favourite story was the evening that she and I were watching a show on CNN and we received a call about yet another complaint that there was screaming coming from my apartment... again, the complaint was unfounded.

My children were at their dad's on a weekend visit, it was only my mother and I at my residence.

I have also had other guests who can verify that there was no noise at the time of either banging on my floor or phone calls from workers in the building following up on complaints of noise.

I have asked all the workers from my building what I'm to do?

They have all commented that this girl is over sensitive and "weird" and they have told me that she even complains about the furnace room and noise coming from that which nothing can be done about.

They all suggested taking the bass and treble out of my television all together.

I only own a 27 inch. It's not a floor model, or a big screen, but I followed their advice just the same.

Then on February 27th, my landlord knocked loudly on my door.

I went and opened the door with my 4 year old daughter at my side, my son was at school.

He was there with one of the workers from the building.

He handed me an envelope telling me that I had to move that he was getting threatened and told that If I didn't move, she would and he couldn't risk that.

All the while my daughter is listening to him tell us we have no home, and all the while the worker with him was looking behind his shoulder mouthing the words.. "I'm so sorry".

I was later approached by a different worker from the building who stated that I should fight it cause the complaints of disturbance were all unfounded.

They had all said that they suggested at the meetings that the floors are very thin and that installation should be shot up between the floors and that it would help with the sound.

I also can hear my neighbors noise... I can give you a play by play on the selection of songs that she plays on a daily basis, and I can also tell you what tv programs that she enjoys and some of the things that she talks about with her guests and in phone conversations she has had.

Some mornings when she coughs, it sounds as if she's right in my own bedroom.

I believe the solution was to fill in between the floors with installation to see if it helped.

My children and I have also moved into my bedroom for the most part and have lived like prisoners locked up in a small space to watch tv and eat our meals there so not to disturb the lady underneath.

A lot of the workers from around the building all agree that the floors are thin and this should be tried first.

They also all agree that the next tenant will have the same trouble as this is an NB housing unit and a family building.

I was given the notice on February 27th, and it says that I must be out by no later then March 28th.

As a result of this eviction, not only do my children not have a home, my son will have to change schools which seriously concerns all of the schools people who have been working very hard with my son to help him have a successful school year.

They are concerned that an uproot and change of school in the middle of the year would cause great damage to my son as routine and structure is important in his success with his Asperger's Syndrome.

It also puts me at risk for ever being able to get a transfer with housing as once this occurs, you are seen as a risk and do not get another unit.

I have also received a call from my worker stating that my assistance is being surpressed until I find another place to live which is difficult as with rents being as high as they are, I am not able to find a decent place to live.

I have looked into one bedrooms, however have been told that with two children of the opposite sex I need by law a 3 bedroom apartment.

I am not someone who is just trying to take advantage of the system.

I am involved in work placements which is helping me work toward a lower tuition in the fall where I am enrolled in a course to get out of the system.

It seems that the harder I try... the worst things seem to get for my children and I.

I don't know what will happen to us now.

With only 3 weeks to go, and nowhere to live, I am extremely panicked and worried about my current situation and I am at a loss of what to do.

Any suggestions are helpful. Thank you.