A $12 million settlement of a 2008 class action lawsuit over faulty elevator sheave jammers has been approved and is now available for distribution. Eligible parties must file claims by March 29, 2013.
Continue Reading Elevator class action lawsuit ends in $12 million settlement
Maintenance & Repairs
On further thought . . . Reversing earlier board decisions
A recent decision of the Ontario Small Claims Court tackles the interesting issue of whether and how condominium boards can reverse earlier decisions in maintenance and repair scenarios.
Continue Reading On further thought . . . Reversing earlier board decisions
Hoarding in condo units: Aftermath of 200 Wellesley fire
Thanks to the September 2010 fire at 200 Wellesley Street, condominium corporations now have another option for addressing the difficult and uncomfortable subject of hoarding in multi-unit residential buildings.
Continue Reading Hoarding in condo units: Aftermath of 200 Wellesley fire
5 lessons from Calgary condo fire
This month’s news featured a horrifying story of a serious fire at a 159-unit condominium building in Calgary. We’ve come up with 5 lessons from this story.
Continue Reading 5 lessons from Calgary condo fire
“Do you want a loan with that balcony retrofit?”
Daily Commercial News reports on a trend emerging in response to the deteriorating physical and financial condition of older condominiums — "lender tenders."
The article cites a report by GRG Building Consultants showing that condominiums built in the 1970s are in worse shape today in terms of their building envelope and structure compared to complexes built in the 1980s and 90s. Moreover, increasingly stringent reserve fund requirements in the Condominium Act since the 1980s have created a financial gap between condominiums built in the 1970s and those constructed afterwards. The 1970s condominiums are less likely to have a properly-funded reserve to pay for major repair and replacement of the common elements than condominiums constructed since then.Continue Reading “Do you want a loan with that balcony retrofit?”
An ounce of prevention . . .
In a recent blog post, personal finance diva Gail Vaz-Oxlade reminds homeowners of the need to budget for home maintenance items and be ready for big costs that can arise. Good advice.
Continue Reading An ounce of prevention . . .
Get ready for the renovation boom
The Home Renovation Tax Credit will likely cause a small surge of renovation work in condominium units this year, but might also bring a corresponding surge in disputes between condominium corporations and their unit owners. Here are some ideas to help avoid or minimize such disputes.
Continue Reading Get ready for the renovation boom
New for 2009: Home Renovation Tax Credit
Bob Gardiner summarizes the nuts and bolts of the Home Renovation Tax Credit (“HRTC”) contained in last week’s 2009 Federal Budget.
Continue Reading New for 2009: Home Renovation Tax Credit
What lies beneath the snow in Vancouver . . .
A Vancouver political hopeful suggests that what lies beneath the snow on sidealks in front of condos in that city might not be pretty.
Continue Reading What lies beneath the snow in Vancouver . . .
From PM Expo: Tips on water damage and mould growth
Today’s entry reports on Pinchin Environmental’s seminar on federal, provincial and local guidelines and tips in dealing with water damage and mould remediation. This was one of many seminars held at PM Expo, which ends today.
Continue Reading From PM Expo: Tips on water damage and mould growth