An advice column where you can ask any question or share a difficult situation relating to condominium management anonymously, and we will endeavour to find an appropriate expert in the field and publish an answer with some advice. Ask the hard questions you may have been afraid to ask for fear of repercussions. Your full name or company will never be published or shared.

Large or small, the use of contractors is inevitable in the day of a manager’s life. It is part of the manager’s job to ensure quality control and value for the condominium’s money, which is done by managing contractors/suppliers and setting expectations.

One of the most often talked about subjects in recent years is the topic of procurement processes. They vary from condo to condo, manager to manager, and management company to management company. Part of that is due to the very nature of condominiums. Individual condos have the decision-making responsibilities of what work will be done, who will do it, what vendors will be used and even what type of contract will be issued. These realities fly in the face of the systemic approach to procurement that most would want to see in our industry.

Many moving parts need to be aligned to ensure everything in the residential community runs smoothly but the critical component is to have open two-way communication. But how do you achieve communication that results in high levels of trust, satisfaction, and engagement? How do you turn daily contact into stronger relationships?

The seasonal and infrequent services market is often tricky for property managers to maneuver. This article will shed light on some of the associated issues and give concrete suggestions for managers to succeed in dealing with service contractors in this space.

Managers are still faced with additional workloads, with continued delayed lead times on material, labour shortages, increased costs of material and labour, and a general lack of interest from some service providers. Some service providers who offered a vast array of services have reduced their scope and are now focused on more specific services.

Condo managers know this truth – some owners can be professional complainers and are the most frequent visitors to the management office. Should you lock the door and close the blinds? The CMRAO lists “responding to owner complaints” as a typical example of a condominium manager’s responsibilities. As a manager, you would not want an unresolved complaint or unaddressed owner inquiry to be escalated as an ethics violation to ACMO or the CMRAO complaint process.

A condominium corporation is required by law to communicate with its owners about certain matters. While it is easy to see prescribed communications as a ‘box-checking’ exercise, we would encourage managers and boards to view them as an opportunity to communicate with and educate their owners and, in some cases, to advance the condominium’s legal interests.

How do we Make Meetings More Focused and Productive? We must understand that the meeting doesn’t just occur during the actual meeting time slot – it’s an entire process called the Meeting Cycle, and each part requires attention and participation.

Essential skills for effective communication require email etiquette, understanding client preferences and adapting out of our comfort zone to accommodate communication requirements for our clients.

Whether the issue is resident safety, unsightly garbage, common element deficiencies, or a chargeback, managers are regularly caught in heated conversations with irate owners and residents. Although de-escalating conflict is a hallmark of a great property manager, some property managers can struggle to communicate disagreements or differences without heightening tension. 

The classic comparison of a silk glove vs. an iron gauntlet regarding communication techniques is paramount in condominium management communication. Most people are generous and patient. However, out of the hundreds of owners and tenants that property managers deal with, there may be a few who will use every potential matter to criticize.

To ensure your communications are managed in a timely manner, you must be efficient and organized. Yet, many fail to utilize the available tools to help us manage our daily responsibilities and communications. Let’s review some best practices for organizing, planning, prioritizing and efficiently managing your daily duties so you can communicate effectively.

This article will offer strategies to avoid hot water by staying cool and address why soft skills are becoming increasingly crucial in Condoland.

Effective communication is a critical component of every condominium’s success. It is essential to keep the community informed and engaged. It helps managers and boards make more impactful decisions, making the community run more efficiently.