Market Report
Who Takes Care of the Building and Grounds of a Condominium?
Most condominium corporations contract-out
the day-to-day operations of the condominium
to a property management company under
the direction of the condominium’s board
of directors. The cleaning of common
areas, payment of common area utility bills,
operation and maintenance of the central
space and domestic hot water heating and
air-conditioning systems, snow and garbage
removal and the collection of monthly
maintenance fees may fall under the
jurisdiction of the property manager. There
are usually limits to the property manager’s
authority. For example, anything that requires
a major expenditure, or an expenditure not
accounted for in the annual budget, may have
to be approved by the board of directors. The
property manager is not usually responsible
for items or operational problems within
individual units, unless they are related to
the common elements (e.g., heating systems,
roofs, windows, exterior walls).
Some condominiums prefer to deal with
the management of daily maintenance
themselves. These are sometimes referred to
as “self-managed” condominiums. Under this
management style, the board of directors—
and in some cases, volunteers who are residents
or owners—will carry out the day-to-day
tasks of operating the condominium.
It is important when considering the purchase
of a particular condominium,
to ensure you are comfortable with the
management style, whether it is a contract
property manager or self-managed. This may
have implications on both condominium fees
and any obligations you may have towards
the operation and maintenance of the
building.
The condominium unit owner is responsible
for some maintenance duties and the
condominium corporation for others. These
responsibilities vary from condominium to
condominium and should be clearly laid out
in the condominium’s governing documents.
Maintenance duties for the unit owner can
include:
• Internal unit plumbing, appliances,
heating, air-conditioning or electrical
systems that are contained in and serve
only that unit;
• Cleaning window surfaces that
are accessible from inside the unit;
• Cleaning some parts of the common
elements, such as balconies and patios that
are assigned to or exclusive use of, the
unit holder.
Maintenance duties for the condominium
corporation can include:
• Common plumbing, electrical and heating
and air-conditioning systems;
• Roof and wall repairs;
• Windows and doors—repairs and
replacement;
• Grounds cutting, watering;
• Recreational amenities;
• Parking areas;
• Any other part of the property that
is not part of a unit.
Sometimes the responsibility for maintenance
and repair can be shared. For example, a
heating and air-conditioning (HVAC) system
may be part of the common elements, but the
unit owner may be responsible for some tasks,
such as changing filters.
Above material extracted from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. For more information please visit www.cmhc.ca
