GROW-OPS WILL PROVE COSTLY FOR LANDLORDS

Both the City and Township of Langley are about to introduce parallel
bylaws that target any illegal activity in rental homes.

On April 23, both councils will hear from a delegation representing the
South Fraser Health Region, bylaw enforcement, local fire departments
and possibly B.C. Hydro.

Before the Maintenance of Residential Rental Premises bylaw is adopted,
the two Langleys will host a public education forum at which these
representatives will explain the rights and responsibilities of both
tenants and landlords.

The bylaw "elaborates on the tools that are already available to the
tenants and landlords through the Residential Tenancy Act," said Langley
City Mayor Marlene Grinnell.

"If criminal activity is found on the property by police, then this
bylaw becomes strongly enacted," said Grinnell.

"After the criminal investigation is complete, the police then would
call in the health inspector, bylaw enforcement department and the fire
department and as a team they would go through the premises and decide
what in fact has to be done to make that premises healthy and safe for
future tenants," she added.

There will be a cost to landlords whose rental properties are checked by
the authorities, and those costs will be spelled out in the bylaw, said
Grinnell who added that it is hoped that the education forum will be
held before the beginning of June.

The bylaw has been welcomed by the head of Langley RCMP, Supt. Cliff
Macdonald, particularly because of the growing problem of rental
properties used for the cultivation of marijuana.

"The drug problem is a visible one and more of a problem for
investigators. The bylaw is certainly good because it deals with rental
premises and that is where 90 per cent of our grow operations are, and
the bylaw puts the onus on the landlord to keep a check on his property
on a timely basis," he said.

The township is interested in the bylaw because of the educational
opportunity to instruct homeowners on their rights and obligations, said
administrator Mark Bakken. If it passes, the legislation "will minimize
some of the costs we incur when uses are made of residential property
that are contrary to the interests of the homeowners and the township,"
he said.

Both councils will hear the delegations at their afternoon meetings on
April 23, and the city is expected to introduce the bylaw at its 7 p.m.
meeting.

The township will follow suit on April 30.

"We want to educate tenants to let them know that landlords have the
right to inspect the property they own," Grinnell said.

Langley City's acting manager, Cliff Gittens, said the bylaw, penned by
the city and approved by lawyers for both jurisdictions, "is not outside
the powers that we have already. It consolidates everything into a
single bylaw."

The owner of the property or an agent acting for the owner has the
authority under the Residential Tenancy Act to visit, after giving
appropriate notice, property that has been rented, the mayor said.

"We are concerned with the health and safety issues that may result from
an illegal activity being found by the police and we are just trying to
protect the future tenants," said Grinnell.

Fourteen months ago, the city proposed legislation that would have
forced landlords to inspect their rented premises at least once every
three months, and given city officials and police the right of entry at
any time.

The bylaw, intended to combat the proliferation of drug houses, was
condemned by the B.C. Civil Liberties Association whose president,
lawyer Craig Jones, called it irresponsible legislation that would
immediately have been challenged in court had it been adopted. Jones
called the bylaw "Charter bait."