From broken doors to holes in ceiling: N.S. landlords say tenant left rental in shambles – Halifax [Video]

“A scene from a horror film” is how a Yarmouth, N.S., couple describes their rental property after their former tenant left following a three-month stay.

The owners, Jillian Smith and Shawn Douglas, now face significant repair costs as they try to pick up the pieces.

From piles of beer cans to rotten food, broken windows, and holes in the walls and ceilings, it’s beyond what they could imagine.

“To see all the money we’d put into it, just torn apart in like three months was overwhelming,” Douglas said.

The couple say the tenant was recommended to them by Shyft House, a Yarmouth non-profit that works with youth facing homelessness.

The house had been sold this past summer, but they decided not to hand over the keys until the new year to let another longtime tenant downstairs stay for a few extra months.

In the meantime, they welcomed a new tenant downstairs.

Then, they say, things took a turn.

“My phone started going off. It was my …