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Let’s Talk Condos!Let’s Talk Condos!Let’s Talk Condos!Let’s Talk Condos!Let’s Talk Condos!Let’s Talk Condos!Let’s Talk Condos!Let’s Talk Condos!

TT he Alberta government has created a consultation paper to help them develop recommen-

dations for possible legislative changes to the Condominium Prop-erty Act (CPA). They ask Albertans to complete an online survey to share their opinions on a variety of condominium-related topics, that include: consumer protec-tion for buyers, insurance require-ments, access to corporation records, dispute resolution, board governance, and regulatory standards for condo-minium managers. This is a unique opportunity to have your voice heard. The online ques-tionnaire is available until April 2 at letstalkcondos.servicealberta.ca. Paper copies of the questionnaire can be requested by Calling 1-877-427-4088 toll-free in Alberta.

Edmonton Office Edmonton Office

ExpansionExpansion

CC ondominium First is pleased to announce that we have ac-quired Edmonton-based Chris-

tenson Property Management. The acquisition expands our presence in Edmonton and increases the size of our property management business in Alberta.

Five former Christianson employees will join us at our new Edmonton office in the Greystone Business Park, located at 4220-97 Street. They are Sheila MacAulay, senior community manager; Anne-Marie Robidoux, sen-ior community manager; Nicola Tem-ple, community manager; June Straty, senior admin assistant; and Lise Tetreault, admin assistant.

These new staff members will con-tinue to provide management services to the Christenson properties to en-sure a smooth transition for their cli-ents.

“We are excited to welcome the Christenson employees to our fam-ily,” said Roger Davies, President of Condominium First. He added, “the addition of these colleagues and prop-erties is important as we continue to provide management services to the Edmonton area.”

CCONTACTONTACT USUS:: Customer Care: 1-855-266-3601

Calgary: (403) 299-1810

Canmore/Banff: (403) 678-9933

Edmonton: (780) 638-0988

Fort McMurray: (780) 714-5838 After Hours Emergency: 1-855-266-3602

www.condominiumfirst.com

Fix leaks Fix leaks —— save money save money

DD id you know that one in four toilets silently leaks, wast-ing up to 28 bathtubs of

water every month? Or that a faucet leak can waste 10 to 100 litres of water a day?

The City of Calgary estimates that your water bill could be reduced by up to 12% just by doing a simple fix to stop toilet leaks. They run an an-nual indoor water conservation cam-paign to educate homeowners about these leaks and how to fix them.

This year Condominium First joined forces with the City to get the infor-mation to condominium residents that live in condominium buildings we manage. The City provided valu-able education about indoor water consumption and water waste, toilet leak detection tools, and instructions on how to easily fix the common leak culprit.

All toilets, in any type of dwelling contribute to the waste water prob-lem, but in an apartment condomin-ium with a shared water meter, the fix can have a significant, positive impact on the annual budget.

Water, and the associated sewer

cost, is charged on the monthly util-ity invoice. Water and sewage is typically the largest budget line item after electricity and natural gas on an apartment complex’s annual budget. For example, a 300 unit complex in Calgary has budgeted $100,000.00 for 2012-2013. If they could suc-cessfully stop the leaks in 25% of the toilets, they could potentially save $12,000.00!

The City’s goal in its annual Fix-A-Leak campaign is water sustainabil-ity for the future. They want to ac-commodate Calgary’s expected population and business growth, but use the same amount of water that was removed from the river in 2003.

We can all contribute to this goal with leak repair, and we’ll save money at the same time.

For more information about the Fix-A-Leak campaign, or to learn other tips and tricks to help you find and fix household leaks, visit Calgary.ca or contact 311.

Did you know that one in Did you know that one in

four toilets silently leaks, four toilets silently leaks,

wasting up to 28 bathtubswasting up to 28 bathtubs

of water every month?of water every month?

II f you plan to rent your con-dominium unit, you need to know that both owner and

tenant have responsibilities under the Condominium Property Act of Alberta (CPA) in rental situations. These are in addition to rights and responsibilities for landlords and tenants covered in the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA).

When you own a condo you also share ownership of the common property with all the other own-ers. Examples of common prop-erty are hallways, stairwells, side-walks, and roads. Balconies, pat-ios or yards are often common property too, but they are usually for the exclusive use of the occu-pants of the units that are attached to them. The board of directors, elected annually by the owners at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), have a responsibility to maintain the common property. Owners are responsible for any damage to the common property whether is

caused by the owner, a visitor to the unit, or a tenant. A condominium is governed by its bylaws, board policies and the CPA. Owners, visitors and ten-ants must abide by the bylaws, or the owner may face sanctions.

Unit owner responsibilities

The owner is responsible for the actions of his or her tenant. The CPA requires the owner to give written notice to the condomin-ium corporation that the unit will be rented. Many corporations have a document called a tenant undertaking that collects the re-quired information. The condominium corporation may request a deposit of not more than one month’s rent when a unit is rented. The deposit is to cover repair to, or replacement of, any common property that the tenant damages. The owner may not ask the tenant to pay this deposit. The owner must agree that the tenant will not damage the corpo-ration’s property and will abide by the bylaws of the corporation.

Tenant responsibilities

The tenant must also agree to not damage the corporation’s prop-erty and to abide by the bylaws.

If the tenant causes damage to the common property, or does not follow the bylaws, the corporation has the authority to evict the ten-ant. The tenant can be evicted with as little as one month notice, even if the landlord does not want to terminate the lease. In extreme cases, the corporation can apply to the court for an order to give up possession. In this case the court decides when the tenant must leave. Eviction under the CPA supersedes the rental agree-ment between the landlord and tenant, and the RTA.

If the tenant refuses to leave, the corporation can apply to the Court of Queen’s Bench for an order to vacate. All repair, legal and court expenses will be charged to the unit owner’s account. If you plan to rent your condo-minium, please contact the Cus-tomer Care Centre (CCC), your community manager or your com-munity assistant to find out what you must do to be compliant. There may also be move-in or move-out policies of which you need to be aware.

What you need to know if you plan to rent your condominiumWhat you need to know if you plan to rent your condominium

© Condominium First Management Services Ltd.

CONDOMINIUM SALES AND LEASING CERTIFIED CONDOMINIUM SPECIALISTS (CCS)

Condominium Leasing:

• Full service management • Tenant screening

• Rent collection

• Monthly financial statement

• 24 hour emergency service

• In/out & mid-term inspections

Condominium Sales:

• Call for FREE CMA (Comparative Market Analysis)

• Our CCS associates will

provide the information you

need to make a sound

business decision.

(403) 299-1800 | www.equitycapital.ab.ca A FirstService Residential Management Company

Disclaimer: This information is not intended to solicit properties currently listed for sale or lease, or to individuals

currently under a buyer brokerage agreement. We are pleased to work with our fellow industry members.

Condominium First Condominium First Condominium First Condominium First Condominium First Condominium First Condominium First Condominium First

wins 8th Consumer wins 8th Consumer wins 8th Consumer wins 8th Consumer wins 8th Consumer wins 8th Consumer wins 8th Consumer wins 8th Consumer

Choice AwardChoice AwardChoice AwardChoice AwardChoice AwardChoice AwardChoice AwardChoice Award

For the eighth year in a row, Condominium First has received the Consumer Choice Award for Business Excellence in the Residential Property Management Category.

This award is valuable to us as it represents the trust and loyalty we have earned from the customers with whom we have had the pleasure of doing business.

Thank you for your support!

The owner is responsibleThe owner is responsible

for the actionsfor the actions

of his or her tenantof his or her tenant