The long saga of an illegal North Vancouver short-term rental has entered its endgame.
The townhouse property, known as the “Oasis Hostel,” has hit the market with a list price of $965,000. A B.C. Supreme Court judge ordered its sale in June.
The order was the end result of a three-year legal battle between property owner Emily Yu and her strata council.
Yu had been listing the three-bedroom unit as a hostel that could sleep 15 people through several online platforms, prompting numerous complaints from neighbours.
She was found in contempt of court in 2018, and later ordered to pay about $95,000 to the province and more than $50,000 in fines and legal costs to the strata.
“I hope it sells quickly and that we can actually get reimbursed for the moneys paid out. It’s money we don’t have,” neighbour Lindsay O’Grady told Global News on Wednesday.
“(It has gone on) way too long. All she had to do was just cease the bed and breakfast.”
Stephen Hamilton, the lawyer representing the strata, said a real estate agent had been hired and will be posting notices on Yu’s door this week requiring her to allow potential buyers access to the property.
“The end is now getting very near for my clients, and they’re certainly thankful, it’s been a long journey. But it’s out of Ms. Yu’s hands now, and she needs to be cooperative,” he said.
“If Ms. Yu fails to cooperate with the bailiff by not providing access when she’s been asked to provide that access, then I can apply … and ask the court to remove Ms. Yu from the property and we can show it to buyers.”
Global News has requested comment from Yu.
O’Grady told Global News he’s happy that the end appears to be in sight, but that he doesn’t expect the forced sale process to go smoothly.
READ MORE: Rogue North Vancouver hostel operator found to be in contempt of court
“She has all kinds of excuses and says the strata is lying and it’s fraud,” he said.
“Unfortunately I can’t see her going easily.”