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UPDATE: A notice from Capreit has been distributed throughout the complex saying Halloween decorations will now be allowed until November 2nd. The notice also apologizes for any misunderstanding and says the original decision was for residents’ safety, and wasn’t meant to be malicious.

Residents in a townhouse complex in Maple Ridge have been told to take down their Halloween decorations or they will be thrown out.

Families at the 44-unit complex along Dewdney Trunk Road say they have been putting up decorations for years but new landlords have now given them an ultimatum.

“It breaks my heart for my children, it makes me mad because I feel like I’m being controlled, especially for something that we do every year,” said resident Tanya Cameron.

READ MORE: The science of fear: Why do people love being scared?

The property is now owned by Capreit, one of the largest providers of rental properties in Canada.

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It is unclear why residents were asked to take down their Halloween decorations, but some residents did receive a letter telling them to take down their decorations by this morning, or they will be removed and disposed of by the landlord.

“We’ve all been doing this for as many years as we’ve been here,” said resident Shelly Balson. “And this is not fair.”

Residents say they have no intention of taking down their decorations.

-With files from Grace Ke