When the residents of a Langford housing complex received notice they were facing new parking charges in 2025, they decided they weren't going to take the decision lying down.
In a letter dated Nov. 22, property management company Devon Properties told the Glen Valley Grove residents parking would no longer be covered by their rent.
Instead, they would have to pay an additional $150 a month for an underground parking spot from Jan. 1 2025, a total of $1,800 for the year.
A lot outside would cost $85 a month, and an electric vehicle charging spot would cost $60 a month.
According to Devon Properties, a development permit with the City of Langford requiring them to provide a parking spot without a fee had “expired a year ago", allowing them to introduce “regular parking charges.”
The news came out of the blue for the residents of the complex, which comprises of three six-storey buildings containing a total of 273 suites.
“I live in a building where the vast majority are families and people with kids – they’re struggling as it is,” said Glen Valley Grove resident, Jason Murray.
“So for Devon to drop that on us, it was really pretty appalling, especially like right before Christmas time."
But Murray says the residents resisted, banding together to investigate their rights as tenants.
“Thankfully, we have a pretty strong community here,” said Murray. “And so immediately people started communicating. We've got a great Facebook group.”
And they were right to question the decision, as they soon discovered Devon Properties had made a blunder.
The residents found the land where Glen Valley Grove sits was covered by a covenant, stipulating “at least one parking stall should be made to the individuals residing the unit at no additional cost.”
The property management company were quick to backtrack on their decision, telling residents in a letter dated Nov. 27 that they were “rescinding” the parking charges.
According to the letter, Devon Properties was unaware a covenant was in place.
“We take full responsibility for this oversight and any confusion it has caused,” said Devon Properties in the letter.
“We deeply regret the inconvenience or concern this has caused and want to reaffirm our commitment to honouring the terms of the covenant,” continues the letter.
Devon Properties has promised Glen Valley Grove residents “greater diligence” in future.
But for Murray, the apology is too little, too late.
“It was really disappointing that not only did they not do their due diligence to see what was legal for them to charge us, but they didn't do their due diligence to see what their obligations were to their tenants,” he says.
Supporting the residents with their investigations were staff and councillors at the City of Langford.
“I was really happy to have this news come out,” said Coun. Colby Harder.
“More buildings are being picked up by real estate investment trusts and financially motivated landlords,” continued Harder. “Rent control set by the province is there for a reason, but these companies are massive.
“They hold huge portfolios and their job is to make the most money that they can for the landlord, not the tenants.”
Praising the “savvy” Glen Valley Grove residents, Harder says she hopes their story will inspire other Langford tenants to question their rights if they ever find themselves in a similar situation.
While the residents have celebrated the U-turn on charging residents for parking, they have been unable to stop the introduction of visitor parking fees.
“The visitor parking situation has been appalling,” said Murray. “They’re charging people to come and visit us.”
According to Murray, visitor parking fees is one of many changes made by Devon Properties, which has seen residents get less for their money.
“To see how greedy the landlord and the owner of this property has been, there isn't a sense of equality,” he says. “There's a sense of very much like a big corporate entity that just decides what they're going to inflict on us, and we just have to accept it.”
But the Glen Valley Grove resident is hopeful the property management company's recent stumble will encourage them to think twice in the future.
“I hope Devon takes a step back and reflects on this an opportunity to learn some lessons and maybe reconsider some of their business practices,” said Murray.
