The City of Surrey is investigating following a complaint that an under-construction South Surrey house is being lived in against city rules – and has been for several months.
According to area resident Miriam Berman, the house, located in the 14300-block of 27 Avenue, has been occupied since early last summer, despite the fact none of the final inspections that are required prior to move-in have been done.
“It’s so new, it doesn’t even have an address,” Berman told Peace Arch News.
Berman said she and other neighbours are concerned the home could pose a safety hazard. As well, it’s “unfair” that the city is not enforcing bylaws in this case when others have been made to follow the rules, she said.
“My neighbour beside me is furious,” Berman said. “The house needs to be completed. It’s nowhere near completed.
“Me and my neighbours have built houses and we had to comply with bylaws. These people are not compliant.”
The city’s manager of bylaws, Jas Rehal, confirmed Thursday that no final inspections have been done on the home.
“We are aware of the complaint. I will assign an officer to look into it,” Rehal said by email.
He did not respond to further questions by PAN’s press deadline Tuesday morning.
Berman said she has made multiple calls to the city since the summer regarding the home, and that she was told that someone would be looking into it last September. She made a formal complaint at city hall in November.
“I believe I’ve done everything,” she said, regarding efforts to have the city address the issue. “I’ve called, I’ve made a written, formal complaint…
“If somebody had gone out there (in September), those people would be out.”
Berman said she has no doubt the home is being lived in full-time. She described a flow of people coming and going from the home on a daily basis, as well as six to eight cars parked in the driveway.
