The condo act, board powers, registration, etc..

[DSC]

Oh yes, it's not mechanical noise, it's people noise!

I joined it years ago. It really doesn't do anything. No meetings, no discussion. It's one person (a real estate person) who says she represents condo owners' voices but never consults. Save your money and sign up for the Condo Madness newsletter.

Or go to the websites of the larger condo lawyers like Lash or Gardiner Miller or ...... They have various condo blogs that offer useful advice too.

 

[PinkLucy]

Canadian Condo Institute also has good info and useful seminars and courses. Our condo corp is a member and all of our directors regularly participate in training opportunities.

 

[SunshineToronto]

Oh yes, it's not mechanical noise, it's people noise!

I joined it years ago. It really doesn't do anything. No meetings, no discussion. It's one person (a real estate person) who says she represents condo owners' voices but never consults. Save your money and sign up for the Condo Madness newsletter.

Good to know!! A completely different impression from the website... false advertisement? Wish you all the best keeping the building a nice and quiet place for people to enjoy!

 

[SunshineToronto]

Canadian Condo Institute also has good info and useful seminars and courses. Our condo corp is a member and all of our directors regularly participate in training opportunities.

Kool, thx again for sharing!! Wondering anyone had good experience with mediation? Wondering if this is a good option to at least get the parties a chance to express their concern face-to-face.

 

[PinkLucy]

I haven't done formal mediation, but our board will always sit down with a resident who has an issue before going the legal route.

 

[DSC]

I haven't done formal mediation, but our board will always sit down with a resident who has an issue before going the legal route.

Yes, a Board would be very foolish not to meet an owner before going the mediation and arbitration route. We had a mediation case a few years ago but "mediation failed" and we were about to send the matter to arbitration when the owner agreed to settle. It cost the Corporation some $ and lots of time but even if we had won at arbitration a settlement was cheaper and got us the Section 98 agreement we needed. None of this was fun, for anyone, and if it had all been firmly dealt with when it started it would have been much better but hindsight is always better and one really can't be too tough, at First!

 

[SunshineToronto]

Yes, a Board would be very foolish not to meet an owner before going the mediation and arbitration route. We had a mediation case a few years ago but "mediation failed" and we were about to send the matter to arbitration when the owner agreed to settle. It cost the Corporation some $ and lots of time but even if we had won at arbitration a settlement was cheaper and got us the Section 98 agreement we needed. None of this was fun, for anyone, and if it had all been firmly dealt with when it started it would have been much better but hindsight is always better and one really can't be too tough, at First!

Very reasonable, I would be so proud to live in the building(s) you all managed! Seriously considering moving out RH.... lol

 

[SunshineToronto]

Yes, a Board would be very foolish not to meet an owner before going the mediation and arbitration route. We had a mediation case a few years ago but "mediation failed" and we were about to send the matter to arbitration when the owner agreed to settle. It cost the Corporation some $ and lots of time but even if we had won at arbitration a settlement was cheaper and got us the Section 98 agreement we needed. None of this was fun, for anyone, and if it had all been firmly dealt with when it started it would have been much better but hindsight is always better and one really can't be too tough, at First!

Oh.. one more question, curious why can't you just make the owner pay the legal fee?

 

[DSC]

Oh.. one more question, curious why can't you just make the owner pay the legal fee?

The Corporation had legal costs and engineer costs. Of course we would have liked to have all paid but if we had insisted I bet it would have gone to arbitration and one never REALLY knows what will happen. Yes, we might have got more but we might have got less and after a few offers going both ways we decided enough was enough and we got an acceptable offer we accepted. It really was a very unpleasant business and our Board learned that if an owner "misbehaves" it really is best to stop any activities we can, a reno in this case rather than allow things to continue and get worse.

 

[SunshineToronto]

The Corporation had legal costs and engineer costs. Of course we would have liked to have all paid but if we had insisted I bet it would have gone to arbitration and one never REALLY knows what will happen. Yes, we might have got more but we might have got less and after a few offers going both ways we decided enough was enough and we got an acceptable offer we accepted. It really was a very unpleasant business and our Board learned that if an owner "misbehaves" it really is best to stop any activities we can, a reno in this case rather than allow things to continue and get worse.

I see, very reasonable. Thx for sharing again. The meeting is really important, still don't understand why my condo board refused to sort it out with me to start with.. I'll work on that request. Thx again all for all valuable discussions. Wish you all continue success.

 

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The new Condominium Authority has just unveiled its website at http://www.condoauthorityontario.ca/ Not much there yet but it will (or should!) become more useful in time.

 

[SunshineToronto]

anyone with good reference what is consider "emergency" where people from the office can enter our unit without notice? Our board said they can come in anytime if they need contractors to check things. Feel like there is no privacy living in a condo..

 

[Ex-Montreal Girl]

It's open to interpretation but I would say an emergency is along the lines of an overflowing tub, sink or toilet that is flooding another suite or a common element, a fire, a kitchen stack backing up, somebody screaming for help ... It had better be a good reason or it could be seen as trespassing or oppression. Otherwise, 48 hours is reasonable notice, although more is nicer.

https://www.reminetwork.com/articles/proceed-with-caution-when-entering-units/

https://ontcondolaw.com/2014/04/16/making-entry-to-a-unit/

 

[SunshineToronto]

Very logical, and agreed. Thx for the reference as well. My board was investigating an issue with water cross-over issue, the plumber was here to check why hot water don't come out right away, but need to wait for it to run for several minutes before it is "hot". They said these type of issue is emergency... I guess it's really based on interpretation. If they said yes, it is emergency, we can't really argue, and no way for owners to argue. There is also no way for us to object... they just say it is very serious and come in anytime.

It's open to interpretation but I would say an emergency is along the lines of an overflowing tub, sink or toilet that is flooding another suite or a common element, a fire, a kitchen stack backing up, somebody screaming for help ... It had better be a good reason or it could be seen as trespassing or oppression. Otherwise, 48 hours is reasonable notice, although more is nicer.

https://www.reminetwork.com/articles/proceed-with-caution-when-entering-units/

https://ontcondolaw.com/2014/04/16/making-entry-to-a-unit/

 

[Ex-Montreal Girl]

My board was investigating an issue with water cross-over issue, the plumber was here to check why hot water don't come out right away, but need to wait for it to run for several minutes before it is "hot". They said these type of issue is emergency...

Nonsense.

(1) We have cross-over issues all the time. We always give notice.

(2) If one unit complains that they have no hot water, we do check the surrounding units, up, down, next door. We always give notice.