Notorious Vancouver landlord finally makes payment to flooded tenants landlord, payment, makes, Notorious, Vancouver

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Notorious Vancouver landlord finally makes payment to flooded tenants

It’s been years coming, but 36 former tenants of a notorious Pandora Street apartment block have finally received some money for their pain and suffering.

Residents of the now-shuttered east Vancouver apartment gathered Wednesday at the offices of the B.C. Public Interest Advocacy Centre (BCPIAC) to celebrate their $170,000 legal victory — but also to wonder if another $50,000 owed 12 other tenants will come through any time soon.

“That settlement’s not going to get my pictures back,” said a teary-eyed Marlene Henry, who lost all her possessions when the roof collapsed in October 2007, sending water flooding in.

The building was evacuated after the City of Vancouver ordered it closed.

“The guy had no regard for the people who lived there,” said

Henry on Wednesday.

Landlord Gurdyal Singh Sahota finally paid the court-ordered settlement — but not before two appeals and a lien was put on another building Sahota owns.

“These tenants lost everything — it isn’t fair to make them wait so long for compensation,” said BCPIAC lawyer Sarah Khan.

“It’s a lot of unnecessary legal problems and effort.”

The tenants said they complained for years about a leaky roof, until it collapsed.

On Wednesday, the complex was behind a security fence, gutted back to bare studs.

Outside lay a dumpster along with piles of insulation and gravel, but no signs of ongoing work.

Attempts to reach Sahota’s lawyer were unsuccessful.

B.C. Minister of Housing and Social Development Rich Coleman has ruled that the damage awards will not affect the eligibility of tenants in receipt of income assistance — a decision the BCPIAC commends.

Khan said she believes the tenants’ award may be the largest in B.C. history. While the $170,000 awarded the 36 tenants has been paid, a second group of 12 other tenants who filed a later claim are still waiting for their $50,000.

Khan said the unpaid tenants have filed a court application calling for the sale of another property owned by Sahota so the $50,000 settlement can be paid.

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Former residents of 2131 Pandora Street, including Marlene Henry, speak-out against their poor treatment the received from landlord Gurdyal Singh Sahota, at the offices of The British Columbia Public Interest Advocacy Centre Wednesday, October 6, 2010