Prospective purchasers may not be aware that portions of the properties are unpermitted and lack the required inspections and approvals
The City of Surrey continues to deal with a plethora of illegal builds.
Council recently agreed with a staff recommendation to file notices in the Land Title Office regarding three residential properties that have non-permitted works.
A notice on title to the properties will inform prospective purchasers about the unpermitted construction.
One of those properties is at 6770 128B St., which was purchased in October 2024 and unpermitted construction came to the city’s attention a month later.
A report to council notes city staff including building inspectors have made numerous attendances which confirmed that the property contains an unpermitted two-storey addition, which includes two self-contained dwelling units and a laundry room, as well as a metal awning on the north side of the property.
On one of the city’s visits, a bylaw enforcement officer observed the addition and knocked on the front door of the house, speaking to an individual who denied that any work was taking place.
A stop work order would be posted but in one of several subsequent bylaw visits, another bylaw officer wanted to deliver a compliance order. That officer heard voices inside the house and knocked on the front door, but received no answer, even though the voices went silent after she knocked.
“At this time, staff do not see a realistic path for the owners to obtain a building permit to retain the unpermitted works. The unpermitted works were constructed without a valid and subsisting building permit issued by the city under the Building Bylaw,” the report notes. “Much of the construction has progressed to a point where many essential elements are now obscured, preventing the inspections staff consider necessary to confirm safety and compliance with the Building Bylaw and British Columbia Building Code.”
It’s a similar story for a house at 13050 Pekin Place, where the city had issued six bylaw enforcement notices related to unpermitted works, for a total of $3,000, which remains unpaid.
Bylaw officers also had numerous visits to a house at 12439 72 Ave. where unpermitted works had taken place that included the addition of six self-contained dwelling units including the conversion of the garage into habitable space, an enclosure of a deck and a two-storey addition at the rear of the house.