Tenants, belongings tossed from problem rental house
Neighbours of Penticton house express relief and hope for end to criminal activity, mess on property
Tuesday was moving day at 377 Winnipeg St. in Penticton. Police, fire and bylaw officers accompanied a bailiff, movers and a locksmith to the notorious rental home in the morning.
Two tenants could be seen outside the home, visibly distraught.
The movers were making a growing mound of items at the back of the property. The bailiff’s fee was covered by a neighbour of the problem property, who paid to get the tenants out.
“I’m glad it’s over,” said neighbour Matt Taylor. “I’ve paid a significant amount of money to arrive at this point, way above what a neighbour should have to pay for.”
He commended city staff and council for upholding the city’s bylaws. He also commended police, the fire department and the bylaw service for doing the best they could with the tools they have.
But, the evicted tenants will have to go somewhere, Taylor pointed out.
“It will all be for not if the city doesn’t stay the course. That’s where the city needs to look at strengthening their bylaws and continuing their party’s-over strategy. If you accept that level of criminal activity, it will migrate here. We can’t let it get rooted in,” he said.
He believes landlords need to take greater responsibility for their rental homes’ maintenance and be held accountable.
“For the most part, the tenants of 377 Winnipeg were respectful of our property. It was more a health and safety issue. There was needles and, of course, they had no running water or electricity. And, there was a lot of criminal activity going on inside that house,” Taylor said.
The ramshackle home is owned by the Randhawa family, whose holdings include the Three Gables Liquor Store.
A property manager of a building nearby came out Tuesday to see for himself that the party really is over at 377 Winnipeg. He was relieved to see the process finally move forward.
While not wanting to be named, he said various people staying at the home would use the nearby building’s outside electrical plugs to charge their phones and the waterlines to wash. There were often needles and feces at the dumpsters. They also dealt with the theft of ladders, lawnmowers and other gardening equipment.