Areas of concern noted in the report included no ventilation from the toilet and shower to outside, areas of moisture and rot, and no railing on the back deck.
The basement area had insufficient fire ratings between tenancies, non-compliant ventilation, an incorrectly installed gas water heater and unconsented sanitary facilities.
Donald did not have consent to alter the basement and make it a residence, rendering it unlawful to occupy.
He contributed to this unlawfulness by continuing to rent the premises to the tenant.
Donald said he had purchased the property in 2012 without doing any due diligence and the basement had been let at the time.
Wilson said she did not consider the failure to undertake due diligence as a plausible reason to continue renting it out.
Donald was also accused of harassing the tenant.
The landlord was at the property working on other units most weekends, but the tenant never knew when he would be there. He had also dumped rubble near the clothes line, making it unusable.
Wilson accepted the tenant's claims of harassment, but no compensation was applied for, so no additional money was awarded.
She awarded a partial refund of rent, amounting to $24,300, and about $700 in compensation for loss of income as the tenant had to take a week off work to find new accommodation following the eviction.
