Authorities investigating unsafe, shuttered Kamloops apartment
The Residential Tenancy Branch's compliance and enforcement team is investigating the landlord of a shuttered Kamloops building.
The new investigation is in addition to a hearing scheduled for next week, which was prompted by tenant complaints.
A provincial housing ministry spokesperson confirmed to iNFOnews.ca that the compliance and enforcement unit is investigating the property, but said no more details can be released.
The team investigates tenants and landlords alike, often looking at repeated failure to pay rent, refusal to repair a property and repeated attempts to evict tenants. It can then levy fines in serious circumstances.
The 91 Seymour Street West apartment was boarded up after Kamloops Fire Rescue deemed it unsafe for tenants, citing several fire code violations. The decision from fire chief Ken Uzeloc ordered the tenants to find temporary housing and forced the landlord to immediately start making a plan to fix the building.
READ MORE: Derelict apartment shuttered by Kamloops fire department leaving residents scrambling
Legal tenants were moved into temporary housing, which included motel rooms that are expected to be paid for by the landlord.
Uzeloc said the owner was required to submit a plan to have the building repaired or face more fines. One Wednesday, Oct. 26, he confirmed to iNFOnews.ca that a contractor is now starting to work on the property, which needs extensive repairs.
The owner has already received fines in past months after the fire department inspected the property for other violations.
A source close to the situation told iNFOnews.ca that work was started, but it was sabotaged by tenants, both legal and illegal.
"It's frustrating to see a resident crying to the media when I witnessed the same resident purposefully and criminally destroying property," they said.
The person asked to remain anonymous for fear of compromising their employment elsewhere.
"The landlord made the mistake of buying property, and I don't think he got it inspected," they said. "Yeah he was a bit absent in the beginning, but I don't think he quite realized how bad the property was, or just how bad the tenants were."
They described piecemeal efforts to repair the building, but then said those efforts would soon be ruined by people in the building, including newly-replaced smoke detectors found destroyed in hallways.
iNFOnews.ca reached out property owner Daljinder Aujla several times, but he's refused to comment, saying he was advised by his legal team not to comment publicly yet.
The property is owned officially by a Surrey-based company, with Aujla named as one of its directors.
READ MORE: Why a Kamloops shelter refused evicted tenants of derelict apartment
The unnamed source said the property was in "deplorable" condition before it was purchased in February, but firefighters were only made aware of the dangerous building in May after getting a complaint from a tenant.
Last week, firefighters found exposed and arcing wiring, faulty or missing smoke alarms and people living in the mechanical room, where a propane tank was next to the hot water tank.
Uzeloc said the repair efforts are just beginning, but that the owner is on a short timeline to get the building back to code. He didn't provide a set timeline, but he did say any efforts to demolish or redevelop the property would be a "contravention" of his order.
Until the building is reopened, former tenants are expected to live in temporary housing or find another shelter, but their options are limited.
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Canadian Mental Health Association, one of the primary shelter providers in Kamloops, refused to accept the displaced tenants when asked by Kamloops Fire Rescue.
Executive director Alfred Achoba said it isn't in his organization's mandate to accept tenants who are evicted by "illegal" practices.
The building at 91 Seymour Street West remains fenced off and boarded up, with security patrolling the area to steer off any future squatters.
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