frequently Asked questions
What do I do in an after-hours emergency?
Our emergency service is for events on your property that cannot wait for office hours the next day, or an ongoing situation that may further damage a unit or structure, please call our office (226-580-9580) and leave a message with the answering service. If you are dealing with a medical emergency, fire, or threat of physical violence, you need to call 9-1-1 immediately. Always inform your insurance provider promptly in the event of a flood emergency.
What am I responsible for maintaining?
You are responsible for everything within the unit boundaries disclosed in Schedule “C” of the Declaration and any exclusive use portions defined in the Schedule “F” of the Declaration. You can log onto your community’s webpage to view a copy of your corporation’s Responsibility Matrix if one is available.
When are my condo fees due?
Your condo fees are due on the 1st day of every month. If you have supplied us with a pre-authorized payment form your fees will be automatically withdrawn from your account on the 1st of the month. If you pay by cheque, it must be in our office for us to deposit no later than 2 business days before the first of the month. Late and/or returned payments will result in additional fees being charged to you, and could result in legal implications without further notice.
What do my condo fees cover?
Your fees cover the maintenance and repair of all common elements, including landscaping and snow removal, liability insurance, and management. A portion of your fees is also deposited to your Corporation’s Reserve Fund in anticipation of future major repairs and replacements, in accordance with your Corporation’s Reserve Fund Study. For further information please refer to the budget on your community site.
When will my condo fees go up and will you give me notice?
Every Condo Corporation has a fiscal year-end determined by the Corporation’s Governing documents. Prior to your corporation’s year-end, the Board of Directors will approve and distribute a budget for the coming year to all owners. Typically, the budget will increase to match the rate of inflation, from 3% to 5%, as it is tied to the cost of local services and materials and must anticipate costs in the future.
How do I pay my condo fees?
We request that all owners use preauthorized payments, which enroll you in automatic monthly payment for your Condo Fees. See our resources page for a copy of the electronic payment (preauthorized payemnt) form as well as a copy of our payment policy for additional information.
What kind of insurance do I need to have?
You need to acquire and maintain condominium owner’s insurance. This coverage can vary for nearly every condominium property. Your insurance provider can advise you on the package that is right for you. Please provide your insurance provider with the Corporation’s Declaration, Standard Unit By-Law/Definition, and Insurance Memorandum. These are available on your community page.
How do I make a service request?
Log-in to your community page to submit a service request form. If your unit has flooded, contact management immediately at the emergency number/email on our contact us page.
What is the procedure to make an addition, alteration, or improvement to my unit?
Alterations may or may not require Board approval and/or building permits. In any event there will be a form to complete and remit to our offices. Please be sure to review and complete our Alteration Request Form.
I want to rent out my unit to tenants. Do I need to notify you?
Yes, The Condominium Act, 1998 requires that you provide accurate records to the Condo Corporation & Management prior to leasing the Unit. Some corporations require the Board approve of the lease agreement. Please see our forms and resources page to obtain the necessary forms to be completed and forwarded to our office.
Who pays property taxes?
Owners are responsible for paying their unit property tax directly to the city.
Who maintains my household appliances?
The owner is responsible for all appliances within the unit, including furnaces and water heaters. The Condo Corporation owns the common elements defined in its Declaration. Appliances are usually owned by the homeowner and as such are the responsibility of the homeowner. NOTE: if you do not maintain your appliances the Corporation may maintain them on your behalf and charge you the cost of doing so.
I am having an issue with my neighbour. What should I do?
Try talking to your neighbour directly. If that doesn’t work, you can contact us and we will speak to them on your behalf. Please ensure that you have the correct unit number when you call as we don’t want to speak to the wrong party.
City Bylaws are enforced by the city, not the Condo Corporation. If the conflict is a Bylaw infraction (IE. after-hours noise complaint), you should direct your inquiry to City Bylaw Enforcement. In our experience, documentation is key. If you can safely photo or video the issue it is helpful for demonstration and building a record to provide to the City.
Where can I park?
The Corporation’s Declaration and policies determine how parking is assigned to homeowners. Often each unit is allotted 1 parking space per 1 residential unit within a parking lot type parking plan. Owners are not allowed to use Visitor Parking at any time. Visitors are always to use the spaces marked as such, while fire routes and barrier free spaces are to be reserved for those exact purposes. Parking seems to always be an issue within condos and we ask that you review your condo’s regulations to understand the parking rules within your specific community.
How do I update my contact information?
Log into your community page and go to the “Update My Information”.
Where can I find my Condo’s Rules?
This information is available in your community page.
What are the landscapers responsible for? (Note: this can vary depending on the corporation’s arrangement.)
IN THE SPRING
· Sweep along all curbs and driveways and removal of winter debris.
· Rake/Dethatch turf area to remove matted and compacted turf areas.
· Prune dead and dying branches and prune bushes and shrubs.
· Fertilize and weed spray all turf areas
· Top dress and seed or sod any winter damage by May 1st.
· Typically, April is the month for Spring clean-up, including: dethatching, hard raking of sloped areas, edge & cultivating all shrub beds, and picking up debris.
IN THE SUMMER
· Pick up litter and debris each week prior to cutting.
· Edge concrete walkways, curbs, and common elements beds on a monthly basis
· Weed common element beds on a weekly basis.
· Cut all turf areas starting the first dry week of May and maintain grass height at no longer than 2.5 inches for the season.
· Trim around all curbs, buildings, fences, and signs etc.
· Fertilize all turf area twice
· Remove grass clipping from patios, walkways and driveways.
· Shape shrubs and bushes to maintain a neat appearance.
IN THE FALL
· Fall clean up, including: cleaning up leaves & debris and preparing site for winter
· 1 x fertilize all turf areas
· Clean up leaves and fallen branches on a weekly cycle until snow falls.
IN THE WINTER
· Plow all roadways before 8 am on normal overnight snow falls of 5 cm and return to clean all city sidewalks and walkways before 1 pm each day.
· Monitor conditions 24 hours a day and apply ice melting products as necessary.
· Salt/sand roadways in icy or freezing rain situations to eliminate build up.