If your condo’s parking garage is over 20-years old, you should develop a five-year schedule for condition assessments. This proactive approach allows you to make incremental repairs resulting in more manageable garage maintenance costs. Here are the tests you should be applying every five years. Delamination Testing: Chain Drag and/or Hammer Tap Survey While this…

According to the Toronto Real Estate Board, 2020 third quarter condo resales increased by 10.5 percent in the GTA. This is good news, but it comes with one caveat: New listings increased by 84.6 percent. That presents steep competition when condo owners decide to sell. Therefore, board members should keep in mind the important role…

Nothing makes condo owners happier than seeing their hard-earned dollars at work. When you ensure your condo winter maintenance is well-managed, residents feel their property is being cared for and their common element fees are being used wisely. Here’s how to keep residents smiling even when the bitter cold of winter is upon us. Secure…

When Ontario introduced its Energy & Water Reporting and Benchmarking (EWRB) regulation it was a wakeup call to many property management companies and condo boards given that energy waste in condos is such a critical issue. Essentially, it enabled condos to better track energy waste and use and get better at identifying efficiencies. Multi-unit residential…

Condo boards and property management companies in Toronto all want a better community for their residents, without infringing on their rights and privacy. Communities in condos are diverse, providing homes to a wide variety of residents. This mix of people can offer a positive living experience. However, diversity often makes it difficult for board members…

Communication is key when living in a condo community. Board members and residents must use effective communication. However, when communities are diverse, language barriers are a common occurrence. Language barriers include more than a person’s language of origin. Barriers span from unfamiliar and complex terminology to linguistics and physical barriers to state of mind. To…

Special assessments are a condo owner’s worst nightmare. The assessment presents an extra charge on top of monthly maintenance fees. Owners do not have approval over a special assessment. From an owner’s standpoint, an assessment is never a good thing. Most owners trust their monthly fees include a reserve fund to pay for unexpected projects…

Condo maintenance became a lot more challenging with the arrival of COVID-19. The City of Toronto calls for heavier duty cleansers and cleaning schedules. In addition, property management companies in Toronto and beyond have the responsibility to protect the most vulnerable residents in their condos. Here is a list of the residents most at risk…

In April 2020, Ontario Regulation 107/20 was amended to accommodate changes during the Covid-19 pandemic. This affects condo property management and includes guidelines on virtual condo meetings and voting. To help you to adapt to this new approach, here are 10 tips to run effective virtual meetings if you’re a condo adjusting to the new…