Living in Harmony
- by
Rizalyn Reye
In any normal living arrangement, difficult situations can and will arise. Problems with neighbours or just the general upkeep of your property can be aggravating. The great thing about buying and living in a condominium is that owners and residents are offered a certain amount of protection and security in those situations through their condo board.
A condo board is a group of representatives elected by the owners to operate in accordance with the Condominium Act and bylaws. The main purpose of the board is to ensure that each owner’s value for their unit is intact. As an owner it is imperative to be aware of all of the functions and responsibilities that your board is accountable for. Items such as snow and garbage removal, maintenance of the exterior and interior common areas and enforcement of the rules set out in the bylaws should be administered by the condo board.
Stuart Laird, Condo Board President for Gateway Garrison Woods, says that it is also important that potential condominium owners learn everything they can prior to making the investment.
“Anybody who is going into condominium living should really acquaint themselves with the condominium bylaws and also the condo act of Alberta because each condo is a little bit different,” Laird suggests.
When Kimberley Colbourne moved into her new condo, she took it upon herself to familiarize herself with the condo board and eventually decided to run for her board’s election. She served as the secretary of her board for a one-year term where her duties consisted primarily of attending monthly meetings and an annual general meeting, where she took minutes, typed them up and sent them out to other owners. It is an experience that she felt was necessary as an owner.
“I pay my condo fees and I wanted to have a say in how they were being spent,” says Colbourne. “I thought it was important to be involved in the processes and to be kept aware.”
Colbourne says that serving on a board of elected owners is something that all owners should be encouraged to do.
“Even if you don’t have any strong opinions, the matters that are discussed involve you. You have to be accountable and protect your investment,” she says. |
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If serving on the board doesn’t interest you or is just not right for you, you should still continue to keep aware of the monthly meetings, issues and any other information to make certain that your board is doing a good job.
Evelyn Thompson, President of the Canadian Condominium Institute, encourages all owners to take initiative and get involved with their board.
“Pay attention to the minutes that are sent out, take the time to read any memos, any newsletters, ask questions and attend meetings. Don’t be shy,” she says.
If an owner is unhappy with any of the board’s decisions or with their performance as a whole, there are options available to deal with that. Many people feel that as owners they are powerless, when in truth, the opposite is true. Remember that your condo board is elected by you, for you. The interests of all owners are their primary concern, so if those are not being met, you have every right to take action.
If you do have a dispute, try to reconcile the matter between yourselves first. Speak with the property manager and meet in person with the board or individual with whom you are at odds with and try to iron things out that way. A lot of issues are settled when parties are face-to-face, that are not always so when done over a phone call or through a letter.
“First you need to ask questions and you need to expect a reasonable response in a reasonable time. Failing that, you want to go to a mediation service and consult with several different consulting companies,” explains Thompson. “There are services out there to assist the owner.”
If no resolution is reached between yourself and the board, and the board is endangering property and not operating properly, impeachment is a possibility. The process for that is included in the bylaws and generally entails the creation of a petition that needs to be signed by at least the majority of owner that you bylaw states is required. That petition then goes to the board and by that petition, the board is required to call a meeting. That meeting is where you can vote to impeach them; they resign and owners can then re-elect the proper people.
For more hints and tips about buying and owning a condominium in Calgary, watch Shaw TVís Condo Living with Barb Mitchell, every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
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