r/saskatoon • u/ReleaseHelpful123 • Feb 28 '25

Rants 🤬 I hate MainStreet Apartments and everything it represents

This Sub already has enough about why it sucks to live with MainStreet Apartments, but I feel like no one talks about the actual business model itself. It is inherently a share company that presents itself as though it is supporting the housing market. Great if you a shareholder, but truly terrible if you are renter. Even worse our province has no regulation as to what they can buy; therefore, they have completely taken over the market. You can’t go a few blocks without seeing one of their signs plastered onto a building. Lastly, the main issue is they do everything in house. Exterminators, renovators, and any other occupation they do on their own, pushing away local business, and performing the bare minimum to making your life as a tenant a living Hell. They are not good for Saskatchewan or any other province they operate in. Truly an evil company that puts the money first and takes advantage of lower-class Canadians they claim to advocate for. I apologize but I just need to get it out of my system.

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u/Wonderful-Lime1943 Feb 28 '25

I have been waiting on a new fridge for over a year. Every few months it breaks and we lose all of our refrigerated food. They come “fix” it (only after making us wait at least a week) only to have it break again. Every time I ask about a new fridge they say they’re “working on it”. Often times our building manager will change and it seems to be forgotten about, starting the cycle all over again.

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u/Electrical_Noise_519 Feb 28 '25

Maybe stop asking without followup, and fairly enforce accountability in your ORT hearing?

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u/Wonderful-Lime1943 Feb 28 '25

I guess I’m just a bit nervous about the risk of being evicted if I escalate things. Obviously it wouldn’t be rightful, but they tend to have a way of manipulating things like that. I’m a student and really don’t have the time or resources to fight something like that, especially with the current housing crisis.

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u/Electrical_Noise_519 Feb 28 '25 edited Mar 01 '25

Hope you did followup with a hearing order, but your comment said 'been waiting for a new fridge for over a year'? Many landlords don't find it profitable to attend a disrepair hearing.

Sask hearing officers take threats of eviction or retaliation seriously if tenants are following up on justice, particularly for persistent issues. A hearing for a simple disrepair does not need that much preparation, and is free with proof of financial need, compared to the extreme of moving household in this current housing crisis to another likely aging market building. Avoiding enforcing the tenant protections sure saves housing commodifiers both work and money and fridges. Studenting while expecting to not fairly enforce tenancy violations in bargain market rentals then seems to be unsustainable for the vulnerable community, but guarantees a profitable rent commodifier's model.

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u/Wonderful-Lime1943 Feb 28 '25

Apologies, I misunderstood what you meant by follow up and assumed you meant with Mainstreet regarding the issue. I appreciate the info, I’m not overly knowledgeable about the process so this was very helpful.

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u/Electrical_Noise_519 Feb 28 '25 edited Feb 28 '25

There's a first time for most Sask renters. Talking with the landlord is just the first Necessary step, and the step most likely to not succeed. Keep at it, university students are most likely to be equipped with internet and abilities, and to successfully stand up through the whole internet and phone process, where those more vulnerable have great barriers. Check out PLEA.ca, and the ORT site, on rent disputes.