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A pair of Vancouver landlords face a combined $90,000 fine after converting a single-family home near Commercial Drive into an illegal 21-room rooming house. The Residential Tenancy Branch imposed the penalties following an investigation into serious health, safety and housing violations at the property.
What Inspectors Found
City inspectors visited the home in July 2025. They discovered the property had been subdivided into 21 rooms housing at least 17 tenants. Multiple bathrooms and plumbing fixtures had also been added without permits.
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Following the inspection, the City of Vancouver issued an Order to Vacate in August 2025. Investigators then determined the landlords had failed to maintain the property to the legal standards required for health, safety and housing. They also failed to complete urgent plumbing and electrical repairs.
Breakdown of the Fines
The Residential Tenancy Branch ordered the landlords to pay $85,000 for the first violation. A further $5,000 penalty covered the second violation, bringing the total to $90,000.
Global News visited the property on a Thursday but received no answer at the door. Reporters also knocked at the owner’s home in Richmond, however, no one answered there either.
Community and City Response
Nearby residents expressed shock at the situation. However, many also acknowledged the pressures of Vancouver’s tight rental market. Local resident Dane Lawrence called the circumstances excessive. “It’s pretty grim,” he said, “if that’s sort of the state they’re going to in order to rent out a room in a building like this.”
Vancouver Mayor Pete Fry told Global News the new council strongly supports tenant protections. “I haven’t personally heard of anything like that, but I certainly understand that scenarios like that do exist and we’ve certainly had a few,” Fry said. He also praised city staff for their work. “This is great work by our city inspectors to ensure that the standards of maintenance and occupancy are upheld,” he added.
The City of Vancouver later confirmed that a property use inspector found the rental home vacant earlier this year. As a result, officials determined no further enforcement actions were necessary.
