Surrey issues two new illegal-construction notices, warning buyers and owners after years of unpermitted additions and unpaid fees.
City Steps Up Action
Surrey council added two more notices on title this week, and the move shows the city is pushing harder than ever on illegal building work. The decision came on Monday, and it followed two similar orders issued late last November. Because of this, buyers, lenders, and insurers now get clear warnings before they take on a risky property.
Why These Notices Matter
These notices work under Section 57 of the Community Charter. They help people see trouble early. They also act as a reminder that Surrey’s Illegal Construction Enforcement Team, launched in April 2022, is still watching closely. And since then, the team has stepped in again and again as unpermitted home additions continue across the city.
Case One: A Struggling Owner and an Unfinished Fix
The first home sits at 8861-139A Street. Owner Gurpal Singh Gill added a rear extension without permits. City staff visited many times, and each visit brought a fee. Seven visits added up to more than $1,500. Only two were paid.
Gill told council he is facing a hard year. His mother got sick. His father needed knee surgery. He said money is tight, and he asked for more time. He said he always planned to get the work inspected. Yet Councillor Rob Stutt asked the key question: why not check if permits were needed before building?
Gill said he thought he was allowed to build inside the lot size. He later admitted he was mistaken. Even so, assistant city solicitor Komal Gill explained that staff had told him many times that he needed permits, and he kept building anyway.
Case Two: A Long Delay and No Permit in Sight
The second home sits at 14449-114A Avenue. Owners Jorawar Singh and Gurvinder Kaur Mann built a two-storey rear addition with a deck. Again, no permit. They faced four enforcement notices, and they paid $450. But they still owe $1,500 in fines plus outstanding site-visit fees.
Singh asked for more time because of family medical issues. Yet assistant city solicitor Guillermo Flores explained that construction began three and a half years ago. During that long period, no permit applications were filed. Not even one. Work even continued after a stop-work order went up. Because of that, council moved ahead. And while the owners asked for more extensions over the years, none of those extensions led to real progress.
City Sends a Clear Signal
Surrey’s message is simple. If you build first and ask later, you will face warnings, fines, and now these notices. As the city grows fast, it wants safer homes, clearer rules, and less confusion for buyers. And with more cases still coming forward, the push for compliance seems far from finished.
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