The notion that a condo manager could lose their licence based on a single complaint would be unsettling. Fortunately, this does not reflect how the CMRAO’s complaints process works.
Although the CMRAO regulates condo management services, the authority prefers owner complaints go through condo management and boards first. They expect all parties to act in good faith throughout the complaints process. As a result, having a transparent, formal Condo Management Complaint Policy allows complaints related to the Condominium Management Services Act (CMSA) to be resolved before they escalate.
We’ve all heard the old adage that when you buy a condo, you also buy its legal documents and rules. Any property manager worth their salt knows how much of a joy it can be navigating complex condo communities through drafting rules and regulations, let alone enforcing them. Here are some lessons and steps managers and directors can take away.
In the realm of condominium management, having a trusted condo lawyer by your side is essential. Engaging a solicitor at the right time and establishing a long-term relationship can significantly benefit the condo corporation, the board of directors, and the manager. This article will explore when to involve a condo lawyer, the factors to consider when choosing one, and the value of maintaining an enduring partnership with your legal counsel.
Feature || Nancy Longueira, Stefan Nespoli, Stephanie Robinson, Sally Thompson, Justin Tudor
Construction price inflation has been significantly higher than consumer inflation over the last three years. Reserve fund study updates completed this year and in 2024-2025 will have to reflect this significant increase in costs even for those projects that are in the distant future.
Feature || Joel Berkovitz, and Mohiminol Khandaker
Like newborn babies, a newly registered condominium corporation quickly goes through a number of developmental milestones on its way to becoming a fully functioning building. Many of these milestones occur within the one-year period following either registration or turnover. This article summarizes some of these key developments.
The connections you make during a networking event will provide information, referrals, or opportunities for the future. Networking isn’t just crucial in today’s business world; it’s necessary!
In Ontario, every new residential condominium built and sold comes with a seven-year warranty that starts on the condominium corporation’s registration date. For that reason, it is important for you as a condominium manager to be aware of the age of your condominium, as certain warranties and protection may still apply to the common elements.
Despite the age of a condominium corporation, the common issue is that financial shortfalls directly affect the individual owners within the community. When inflation and interest rates surpass income growth for most individuals, overcoming this challenge is more difficult.
When older communities were constructed, they did not benefit from the decades of cumulative condominium experience that we have access to now. It was indeed the “wild west,” with the first corporations, boards and various industry professionals planning a future with limited experience and few points of reference.
While there are certainly differences in managing older housing stock vs. new, there are also many similarities. The life cycle of a condominium corporation comes with unique challenges in managing each stage.
As condominium buildings age and land values continue to escalate, some condominium corporations are now considering the possibility of selling all the units and common elements of their condominium site when approached by condo developers with an agreement of purchase and sale.
Long-term performance, efficiency and the overall quality of a condominium strongly correlate with specific actions and procedures put in place early in a building’s life. From inception, a condominium must be guided in the right direction, and its future market value may be traced back to the actions taken or not taken during the pre-turnover period and the first couple of years following registration.
A well-executed construction project is a result of strong collaboration between the engineering consultant, the property manager, the board, and the contractor. This article discusses how to avoid common pitfalls.
Ask a property manager to explain what takes up most of their busy workday, and they will probably respond with a list of maintenance items. Most of a condominium manager’s time in any given week is spent working on the maintenance and repair of the condominium structure, equipment, and site. This includes preparation for scheduled items or dealing with those unscheduled emergencies on a Monday morning. So, where does a capital project fit into a manager’s work week?
