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Massey Square Horror

Massey is terror

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I lived in the Crescent Town neighborhood for 20 years. I loved the amenities that are available as well as the community. After living in the much enjoyed rentals I decided to purchase a condo in Massey Square. I thought it would have all the same advantages while giving the plus of owning.

Little did I know Massey Square is a complete nightmare. The management office staff have been there a few too many years and mistreat all of their residents. They are dismissive and are very arrogant. I've never met more rude people in my 20 years in this neighbourhood. Massey Square (YCC) have a long list of rules and regulations to be followed by owners/residents. But they fail to follow their own rules. They have a contruction/renovation rule from 9-5pm but they start at 7am! When I called to address this Baharrti Aurora (staff) asked which unit I was from. I refused to tell her. They always ask this and it got annoying....I felt they try to black list the condo unit that complains and just dismiss it. I told her which building I live in which I thought was enough. Anyhow, after I refused to say my unit she started yelling at me and hung up.
Besides that when I was in the management office I witnessed her mistreating several other owners. In addition, one of her coworkers asked her if she liked being a secretary and she said she just wants money...her coworker told her she doesn't have any morals which I think is true. Her search for money is causing residents to be mistreated.
The management office staff lack professionalism! They create rules that fit their daily mood swings. One staff told me that babies are not allowed to cry! Kids should be kept under control....she went on to talk about colic babies and how they cry for months. I asked her if people should kill their babies to make the Massey Sqaure YCC happy???!!! She said the it could be taken to court and the judge could rule for the owners to sell and move.
While in the process of moving here we were given a temporary parking pass to park in visitors. This was so that we could change our license and registration information to suit our new address. We kept getting parking tickets! For up to $200. When we addressed management -Baharrti (staff) said we would also have to pay the monthly parking fee!!!!! I was so upset cause we were given a visitors parking pass, fined tickets on top of that and now she was charging monthly parking fee. Her reason was that we are owners not visitors. Why give us a visitors permit then???
Do not move here. I know I need to sell my condo and move but I'm still giving this advice.
They have water shutdowns with no notice! When you call about this they are rude yet again!
Even moving in here you have to give $600 deposit for 9-12pm and 12-3pm move. The security yell at you through the elevator intercom and tell you service will be shut off (not a minute more is what she yelled through the intercom).
When we were renovating our unit, security would knock our Door down if it went a minute past 5pm and mistreat our contractors. Yet, they cannot uphold the same rules for their contractors.
This place has been a nightmare from the start....not to mention roaches and bed bugs!!!!
Massey is worse than rentals.....they are wanna be condos....so far from the criteria.
You pay for parking yet there is no assigned spot....every time you come home you need to search for a parking spot. If there is none you have to go to p4 where there is no elevator (if you have kids this is a real problem).
 
I am also a Massey Sq condo unit owner, and my concerns are exactly the same as yours. I liked the location very much which is very central. But that seems to be the only advantage. I've been living in this complex for some years and it's been very discouraging to watch the gradual deterioration of the management as well as the security. My complaints as an owner have been completely dismissed. The management runs the place like a bunch of reprimanding and rude school teachers. They just don't want anyone to complain. All 4 elevators are never working. At least one is out of order every month. Huge noise problem as there's zero sound-proofing between floor & ceiling of units. Not to mention, the deteriorating condition of the exterior of the buildings, which eventually works against the interest of owners depreciating the value of their properties. The entire scenario is truly upsetting.
 
Have you looked into trying to become part of the board? Talk to other residents. I'm sure many others feel the same way and a united front is helpful.
 
^^^ I agree. The board is responsible in directing and managing property management, or find a better, more appropriate management company. If the board doesn’t play a proactive and involving role than these management companies and developers will step all over them and it’s residents, which is what it sounds like is happening here and I have seen it in other buildings.
I hope your board are actual residents in the building so they can fully understand the unprofessionalism and incompetence of the management and builder. The board and management, along with a good building engineer to complete the mandatory building performance audit, are key in going through the Tarion warranty process for the entire building as some developers will weasel their way out of many building deficiencies and get out of the building quickly.
Tarion sides with the developer, so once this warranty period ends and no much has been accomplished than you are pretty much stuck with a lemon and will be paying for future fixes.
 
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Massey Square is YCC 76 and if you go to "Public Registry" on the Condominium Authority of Ontario website (https://www.condoauthorityontario.ca/en-US/) you can see the names of your Board and of the Property Managers. This is a huge condo corporation (1420 units in 6 buildings) built in 1972; they have a large Board and seem to employ individual property managers directly rather than relying on a PM Company. YCC 76 has what looks like a fairly informative website (http://www.ycc76.com/) which is usually a sign that the Board and Managers want owner input but not from what you say. The complex is old (long past any hope of a Tarion warranty!) and probably has many building components in need of replacement.

As Neuhaus notes above, it is important to remember that the BOARD are the people in charge; they hire (and fire) the managers. (And that the Board itself is responsible to the owners and Directors can be removed and replaced.) Getting elected to the Board is a good way to influence how the building is run. Under the updated Condo Act you have a right to access and have copies of many documents and you can send an official request to the Managers or the Board - they MUST send these to you and if not you can go to CAO to get them to ensure they do,. There is an official form to be used to request records (linked to from CAO website) - I would look at the current budget, the last audited annual statement the most recent Reserve Fund Study and maybe Board meeting minutes for the last few months. I suspect that a major concern will be that the Corporation does not have enough money in its reserve fund and maintenance is well behind schedule - this is usually caused by Boards being unwilling to see fee increase but sooner or later the 'chickens come home to roost"!
 
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Many thanks for the interesting replies. I've never considered becoming a board member, not interested at all.

I'm gradually considering the prospects of moving out within the next year or so, even though selling & buying at the same time involves a string of hassles, to say the least. Yet the thought of getting out of this place also feels a bit cheerful as my negative experiences here have left me so disappointed.

Can anyone suggest some favorable condo units in other neighborhoods like East York or North York or anywhere in GTA? ... not the new buildings as they would be too costly. I'm looking for something within the same price range as Massey Sq. built approximately during the same period .. like 1970s or so. Some place which is a bit central with basic shopping areas and TTC bus stops at walking distance.
 
I read your complained. I am worried because as a Realtor I put a very nice lady in this building complex. She really liked the location but now there are some issues that there is no longer a Property Manager available. Maybe I should suggest she moves out to a more friendly and respectful building for it's owners. Does anyone know if there is now a property manager and if yes - how is he/she treating the owners/tenants ?
 
Hi ellydewinne. That might be true but I really don't know. However, what I have experienced is that the management is pretty slack. I don't get the feeling they care for the owners' interest. Some in the management office have also been rude with me. Once a security officer was also very rude when I complained to him about perpetual noise problem from the residents in the upper floor. Such things should not happen if a management is serious about its responsibilities.
 
I read your complained. I am worried because as a Realtor I put a very nice lady in this building complex. She really liked the location but now there are some issues that there is no longer a Property Manager available. Maybe I should suggest she moves out to a more friendly and respectful building for it's owners. Does anyone know if there is now a property manager and if yes - how is he/she treating the owners/tenants ?
As noted above, the CAO website lists all Property Managers for all Ontario Condos and this file must be updated within 30 days if they change. For a complex of that size there MUST be a registered Property Manager.
 
I have been living in Massey Sq. for 11 years and my experience with management is horrible. They don't know how to behave. Especially, there is a older lady in the management office (didn't even bother to get her name) and she is simply annoying and rude. Recently, there are few incidents about theft/ robbery where we have 24/7 "security" service and the role of management is nothing but enjoying that. I really wish, there was something WE (owners) could do to stop it....sighhhhhhhhhhh
 
I have been living in Massey Sq. for 11 years and my experience with management is horrible. They don't know how to behave. Especially, there is a older lady in the management office (didn't even bother to get her name) and she is simply annoying and rude. Recently, there are few incidents about theft/ robbery where we have 24/7 "security" service and the role of management is nothing but enjoying that. I really wish, there was something WE (owners) could do to stop it....sighhhhhhhhhhh
15% of Owners can call an owners meeting to discuss anything you want. See details at: https://www.condoauthorityontario.ca/en-US/condominium-living/meetings-voting/owners-meetings/
 
A recent problem in my condo suite is the permeating of odor, what seems to be household pesticide spray used by some neighbor close to my unit. It comes through the kitchen cabinet below the sink from between the plumbing lines. I feel it's unhealthy and uncomfortable. I've asked the neighbors above and beside my unit for up to 4 or 5 floors. Everyone says they aren't using any such stuff yet the smell keeps permeating periodically in winter months between November and February. I haven't asked the neighbors in the lower floors. I want to know if such odors only travel down from upper floors or can also travel above from lower floors?
 
A recent problem in my condo suite is the permeating of odor, what seems to be household pesticide spray used by some neighbor close to my unit. It comes through the kitchen cabinet below the sink from between the plumbing lines. I feel it's unhealthy and uncomfortable. I've asked the neighbors above and beside my unit for up to 4 or 5 floors. Everyone says they aren't using any such stuff yet the smell keeps permeating periodically in winter months between November and February. I haven't asked the neighbors in the lower floors. I want to know if such odors only travel down from upper floors or can also travel above from lower floors?
If smell (which can go up, down and around) is leaking in around the plumbing a simple cure would seem to be filling in the gaps. Use caulking or a spray that expands (and is fire resistant.)
 
I did have the wall beneath the sink and around the plumbing pipes plastered with sheetrock last summer. But the odor still comes. There could be some tiny openings still uncovered or perhaps sheetrock isn't resistant enough. What kind of spray can I use that could work, is safe and fire resistant?

Can the odor also permeate upwards from lower floors of the building?
 

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