Letter writer S. Sidhu seems mighty annoyed with the City “hunting down” secondary suites. S/he takes umbrage with the $10 million this action will generate for the good of the majority.
I moved into Surrey in 2007 into what turned out to be six different secondary suites. The first one I moved into exemplified the following five and nearly 100 I’ve seen since.
There is always a minimum of two “secondary” suites per single dwelling, and up to four in the largest homes. Not one of them is constructed with the minimal sound barriers. In fact, because of the empty spaces between the cheapest drywall and lumber throughout all the ceilings and walls, the normal sounds of daily life are magnified, and occur at all hours.
Those large families, S. Sidhu refers to, make a great deal of noise; it’s the nature of the human beast.
As a tenant, I don’t want to know when any of you use the toilet, what arguments you and your loved ones have, nor the laughter of your children, or their fights, or your love making from above my head. Nor, do I want to hear any of the other families’ either.
Yes, children must play. Yes, you and your spouse, children, parents, cousins, and friends will argue and laugh together. But you do not have the right to ignore the peace and quiet of your tenants, according the Residential Tenancy Act.
The City of Surrey also has a noise bylaw that states any noise that disturbs another, at any time of the day, is forbidden. I take umbrage with what seems the vast majority of Surrey’s homeowners violate these laws.
I would even argue evidence could be found to show there are tens of thousands of homeowners violating not only those two laws, but income tax and charter violations also.
Who pays for the upkeep of the acres free park space, street cleaning, road and bridge maintenance, public transit, emergency response services, disaster preparedness, etc.?
Alysen Cameron