B.C. condo owners’ group ordered to repay owner for cockroach control bill

VANCOUVER — The Civil Resolution Tribunal has ruled that a British Columbia condominium owner should be repaid thousands of dollars she was charged to eradicate a cockroach infestation in her building.

It says the homeowners’ group is obligated to address the problem under its duty to repair and maintain common property, and Alanna Hurran should not have been made to pay the $4,588.50 pest control bill.

The decision says the owners’ group said Hurran was charged because the pest control company, which attended the building several times between 2021 and 2022, identified her lot as the source of the infestation and claims she did nothing about it.

It says expert evidence was required to support the claim that it began in Hurran’s condo, but none was submitted.

It also says the group was unable to prove their claim that Hurran didn’t co-operate with pest management treatments.

The Sept. 24 decision says the group should pay the woman back in full within 30 days along with post-judgment interest.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2024.

The Canadian Press