Clearbrook Management Dishonest and Exploits Your Trust Toronto, Ontario

I had a very bad experience with this company. I signed a 1-year lease with them for an apartment in uptown Toronto. Due to my job, I had to move out at the end of the 8th month so I wrote to them asking for permission to sublet/assign my lease. They never replied. In the meantime, I decided not to waste any time and conducted viewings for my apartment. I got many interested viewers and two sent their applications in. Still no reply from the landlord. Everytime I called to chase them, the manager was out and he would not return my calls. About one month later, I finally got a call from the manager saying that one of the applicants' papers had been approved - but it was way too late! So I told him that under the laws in Toronto, I was entitled to move out at the end of the 8th month because they had not replied within a week of receipt of my written notice asking for permission to sublet. He said, "Yes, you are free to move out, since we didn't get back to you in time."

It was such a hassle because it was too late to conduct any more viewings for prospective tenants. I did all the moving out of the furniture and on the last day, the handyman came in to give the green light that the apartment was still in tentable condition. Inspection was completed.

8 months down the road, Shellco Credit Systems started harassing my aunt (who was my guarantor for the lease), claiming for 3 months' unpaid rent on my apartment. I decided to call Clearbrook to clarify what on earth was going on, since I thought we had an understanding that I was good to go. When I finally managed to speak to the manager, he was extremely rude. He claimed that there was no such thing as me moving out without paying any rent for the rest of my lease and he didn't remember having any such conversation with me. When I asked why it took so long to demand payment from me, he said that he had been sending letters to my address. I told him, "You never had my new address. Which address did you send it to?" He paused, and said, "Look, it doesn't matter, you didn't pay, so we claiming the rent you owe us." When I asked him to check my file for the letter which I sent in, he told me he couldn't talk to me because my case had gone to the debt collector and he hung up on me.

I was out of the country by then and I felt that the hassle of approaching the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board was not worth the time, plus I never obtained any written documents to the effect that my lease would terminate at the end of 8 months. Everything was verbally agreed and it was hard to prove my case. I decided to pay them the 3 months' of rent and made them sign a full settlement contract. Under the terms of the settlement, they had to withdraw my case from all debt collection agencies.

1 month after the settlement, my aunt was still being harrassed by Shellco. I emailed Clearbrook to inform them of the situation but there was no reply. In the end, I decided to email Shellco with a copy of the settlement letter, and the lady, Tammy Watts, said that Clearbrook had not informed them of the settlement, but she would close my file.

It was the worst experience of my life. Granted, now I know better than to trust people, and I should obtain written agreements next time. Still, avoid Clearbrook at all costs.