Toronto duo finally found a permanent home, then their landlord allegedly tried to evict them over normal bodily functions: ‘Wish we were joking’

Yes, you heard that right, or maybe smelled it. A Canadian theatre and comedy duo says they are facing eviction from their Toronto home after a dispute with their landlord over air-quality monitor readings, which the landlord allegedly attributed to the couple’s flatulence.

According to TorontoToday, S.E. Grummett and Sam Kruger, who perform as the queer comedy-clown duo Creepy Boys, challenged the eviction at an Oct. 29 hearing before Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Board. The pair alleged that the eviction notice was served in retaliation for asserting their tenant rights.

The couple said they launched a GoFundMe to fund a tenant lawyer. On the fundraiser, they write, “We are being wrongfully evicted because we fart too much.” They add, “This is not a joke. We wish we were joking.”

Bad gas turned into a bad situation

The dispute with the landlord reportedly began in December 2025, when she raised concerns about volatile organic compounds (VOCs) detected by an air-quality monitor in her unit. The landlord, who the couple say had recently been diagnosed with a chronic lung condition, was particularly concerned about the recurring readings, given that the two properties share an air duct system.

The couple said they cooperated to identify the main culprit. They reportedly stopped cooking for the time being, avoided showering at home, and tested appliances and other household activities to see whether they were contributing to the readings.

They denied smoking inside the apartment. Grummett acknowledged occasionally smoking cannabis outdoors, but the pair insisted that neither of them smoked indoors.

At that point, the couple began to research VOCs further and found an FAQ on the air quality manufacturer’s website. The company explains, “We often receive the question from users, ‘Why do VOC levels increase in my bedroom at night?’ The answer is likely that the VOC sensor is naturally reacting to the build-up of breath and results of other bodily functions in the room during the night.”

They also contacted a Public Health Specialist from the City of Toronto, who confirmed this explanation. Then they came to their conclusion: “Farts. It’s farts. It has to be farts,” they said.

The landlord later accused them of using a wax diffuser, which they describe as a clown-shaped ceramic candle holder. The couple says their lease does not prohibit candles or diffusers, but they offered to stop using them.

About three weeks after an inspection where they raised maintenance concerns, they say they were allegedly served an N12 notice, stating the landlord plans to use the unit herself and turn the house back into a single-family home. They claim the notice an act of bad faith in response to their efforts to enforce tenant rights.

The case is now before Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Board. According to the latest fundraiser update, the board has not yet issued a decision, and their lawyer expects a wait of several weeks to about two months.

Health Canada reports that VOCs “form a large group of chemicals commonly found in both indoor and outdoor air.” Its list of indoor sources includes “cooking, especially frying,” “cigarette smoke,” and “candles and incense.” However, the couple says they avoided these sources, yet the monitor still detected elevated levels.

The fundraiser initially aimed to raise CAD 2,800 and, they say, covered the lawyer’s fee within a day. As of publication, it had surpassed CAD 3,500 from 43 donations. For now, their housing situation remains unresolved.