Two sides toevery story
I will say upfront that I'm speaking from the landlords side although we have all been tenants at one time or another.
I have been a landlord in both the residential and commercial areas. While many of the basis issues like non-payment of rent, violation of lease terms and damage to property etc are common to both areas, it is residential that seems to enjoy the heartstrings tug angle.
We do not know the whole situation in the example Fred cited but look at some of the facts. This couple abused a situation and worked all the angles for as long as they could. While forcing cash flow problems onto the landlord by not paying rent they also caused willfull damage to his property. I too have been a victim of the first and last rent scam, and its aptly worded, they are the first and last cheques you will ever see. When you finally get back the property it is very demoralizing to see what you face in remediation costs.
So lets not let the image of some poor family with a child being evicted in the cold of winter colour the situation. I agree that life is hard for that child with deadbeat parents but that is no more the landlords fault than the fault of a Porsche dealer who doesn't give them a car. Accomodation is a commodity and not a right.