A Burnaby renter who received an apology from the City of Burnaby and filed a complaint with the BC Human Rights Tribunal after a visit by five inspectors to an illegal rental suite has been told the complaint has been delayed due to a backlog.
The tenant, who the NOW previously agreed to not name due to concerns about her possible search for a rental home in the future, supplied a copy of the complaint she filed.
She also posted a response email from the tribunal to her Twitter account, @Burnabyexposed that explained there would be a lengthy delay.
The complaint was filed in February 2022, but the tribunal email says it is only doing August 2021 complaints.
“As you may be aware, the tribunal is experiencing a high caseload volume, which is unfortunately resulting in significant delays at many stages in the complaint process.”
In the complaint, the tenant outlined that she lives in an illegal basement suite that the city wanted to inspect. In January, the city sent five people who entered the unit and told the NOW she felt “ambushed” by the group. She also said she had previously warned the city that she and her mother were immunocompromised.
“City of Burnaby staff disregarded my health concerns relating to COVID-19 despite them being aware of said concerns,” the tenant says in the complaint.
Received FOI back from @CityofBurnaby today. This letter, dated Feb. 1st, 2022, clearly states the suite on the main floor (mine) is legal. So WHY, on Feb. 22nd, did Dan Layng EVEN ASK when I planned on moving? This is MORE evidence that the City caused me unnecessary stress. pic.twitter.com/PNvnZpTKUt
— Burnaby Exposed (@BurnabyExposed) April 20, 2022
The NOW reviewed documentation, including emails to and from the city, as well as video footage of the actual inspection taken from a kitchen surveillance camera that verify her story.
In the video, five masked city inspectors are shown entering the tiny suite as the woman and her mother watch them look at appliances and other items.
This would appear to violate the typical city inspection response, according to a Dec. 8, 2021 letter the woman received from Burnaby’s chief licence inspector in response to a previous complaint about city staff visiting her home.
“Normally, we would approach a residence with no more than two, and preferable only a single staff member,” the letter says.
The city looked into the complaint and issued an apology to the tenant.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
