You would have thought it was a requirement all along – but apparently not.
But that’s going to change as owners of secondary suites will have to provide 24-hour contact information to the city if Delta has to deal with problem tenants.
Council recently gave preliminary approval to bylaw amendments which will require owners or property managers of suites to provide the information.
“This contact information will assist enforcement staff when dealing with emergent situations and potential problem tenants related to the secondary suite. Staff would continue to have all inspection and enforcement powers for rental permits as they do for business licenses,” a report notes.
All suite owners have been required to obtain a “business licence” but the amendment also changes the term to “rental licence” to more accurately portray the function of secondary suites.
The report also notes all existing requirements and costs for secondary suite operators will still continue under the new rental permit program.
The fine for operating a secondary suite without a rental permit is unchanged from the existing fine for operating a secondary suite without a business licence.
It’s $500 under the Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw and $1,000 under the Municipal Ticketing Information Bylaw, which are the maximum fines allowed under each bylaw.
Rental permits are required to operate a secondary suite unless the suite is unoccupied or is occupied by immediate family.
Civic staff, meanwhile, also proposed a minor amendment to change the definition of warehouses which will assist in the licensing and enforcement of those businesses.
Warehouse licensing would be based on square footage and a building would be defined as a place where raw materials or manufactured goods are repackaged or stored until export or distribution.
