SunshineToronto
New Member
<sigh>... that's why I said I am moving to your building! LOL. Quality of the board members really makes a big different... knowledgeable and professionals like people from this group is really admirable.
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The condo act, board powers, registration, etc..
- Thread starter Wooba
- Start date
Yes, I would never consider that an emergency.
SunshineToronto
New Member
Agreed as well, thx for sharing. With that type of judgement within our board members... sometimes it is really unbearable. And just too bad our Act don't protect ourselves from those misjudgment. Except "shaking my heads", there is nothing we can do..
Ex-Montreal Girl
Active Member
But you know what? My Board is stressed and exhausted. Today I had a meltdown, as did my normally chill-beyond-belief VP.
It doesn't help that our current Brookfield manager is RUDE, CRUDE and a USELESS LIAR and we feel that, if we didn't do all that we are doing, the building would fall down. (The last Brookfield manager was stunned and useless -- and had to leave his former assignment for shady reasons.)
The Brookfield contract is up at the end of the year and we will definitely start looking around before then.
Do you hear that Brookfield???
Did I say BROOKFIELD often enough?
We are so conscientious as a team, and do so much, that everybody in the building -- and it's not a small building -- seems to be happy and rarely complains. We don't pick up on anything negative through our various grapevines. Oh sure, there's always the usual whiners but they whine about anything, anytime, anywhere. Because everybody is confident that the building is well-run, nobody wants to challenge us at election time. The younger newcomers can't be bothered, the downsizers want to relax and travel and the older original crowd members have served their time, are not healthy enough to run or think they live in a rental.
One of these days we will be too tired to go on and, to be honest, all of us are concerned about what will happen then.
I am thinking of seeing about bringing in "apprentice" Board members next year to the extent it is legally possible. And if it isn't, we'll make it happen somehow, even if we have to pass a bylaw adding two-three Board members.
Seriously. Our situation is NUTS.
It doesn't help that our current Brookfield manager is RUDE, CRUDE and a USELESS LIAR and we feel that, if we didn't do all that we are doing, the building would fall down. (The last Brookfield manager was stunned and useless -- and had to leave his former assignment for shady reasons.)
The Brookfield contract is up at the end of the year and we will definitely start looking around before then.
Do you hear that Brookfield???
Did I say BROOKFIELD often enough?
We are so conscientious as a team, and do so much, that everybody in the building -- and it's not a small building -- seems to be happy and rarely complains. We don't pick up on anything negative through our various grapevines. Oh sure, there's always the usual whiners but they whine about anything, anytime, anywhere. Because everybody is confident that the building is well-run, nobody wants to challenge us at election time. The younger newcomers can't be bothered, the downsizers want to relax and travel and the older original crowd members have served their time, are not healthy enough to run or think they live in a rental.
One of these days we will be too tired to go on and, to be honest, all of us are concerned about what will happen then.
I am thinking of seeing about bringing in "apprentice" Board members next year to the extent it is legally possible. And if it isn't, we'll make it happen somehow, even if we have to pass a bylaw adding two-three Board members.
Seriously. Our situation is NUTS.
Sounds very similar to the situation we were in. I can't even tell you how many hours our board put in. We fired our management company, hired a new one and told them they needed to do their job, not have the board do it for them. I know some board members who do very little between board meetings, but that hasn't been my experience, and I wonder just how much you can know of what really goes on as a board member if your involvement is limited to a few hours each month. But there has to be a happy medium, right? Fortunately, our new manager actually does her job and things have greatly improved.
Ex-Montreal Girl
Active Member
Not only do we have a hard-working team with the perfect combination of education, skills and experience, but we genuinely love our homes and even each other. We get together socially quite often at each other's places and are extremely open and honest with one another.
The other night at the Board table was the first time we were ever divided over an issue and, though the discussion got heated, there were no hard feelings.
The thing is, there is no Brookfield manager that we feel that can match us, certainly not as a group and perhaps not even as individuals, in the management department.
If I hear the Brookfield idiot bark one more time at us about her "10 years in the business" to a group of people with a combined 180 years in finance, law, management, communications and engineering I swear I will throw her off the roof. I mean lady, shut up and listen. Maybe you'll learn something. But no. She just runs on and on.
Right now we estimate that the last two BROOKFIELD managers have cost us upwards of $20,000 in the past 12 months in legal fees due to their screw-ups.
The other night at the Board table was the first time we were ever divided over an issue and, though the discussion got heated, there were no hard feelings.
The thing is, there is no Brookfield manager that we feel that can match us, certainly not as a group and perhaps not even as individuals, in the management department.
If I hear the Brookfield idiot bark one more time at us about her "10 years in the business" to a group of people with a combined 180 years in finance, law, management, communications and engineering I swear I will throw her off the roof. I mean lady, shut up and listen. Maybe you'll learn something. But no. She just runs on and on.
Right now we estimate that the last two BROOKFIELD managers have cost us upwards of $20,000 in the past 12 months in legal fees due to their screw-ups.
SunshineToronto
New Member
Hum...... Brookfield Condominium Services. Poor review online. I can't even recommend because ours' is definitely not good as well.
I can tell you are a person with kind-hearted and very reasonable. I think you did the right thing start looking into "apprentice", this is great and I'm sure those who trained by you will continue the great work under your direction. Our average age rate of board members is very high as well.. and some of them already start having health problems, and eventually will have issue. Initially thinking of helping out, but definitely not appreciate of their narrow-minded unprofessional manners.
I think once you started to recruit new members, I am sure people will be wiling to support and help out the activities. The most important part is you have a great team with open minds, so they can work as a team and voice opinions.
I can tell you are a person with kind-hearted and very reasonable. I think you did the right thing start looking into "apprentice", this is great and I'm sure those who trained by you will continue the great work under your direction. Our average age rate of board members is very high as well.. and some of them already start having health problems, and eventually will have issue. Initially thinking of helping out, but definitely not appreciate of their narrow-minded unprofessional manners.
I think once you started to recruit new members, I am sure people will be wiling to support and help out the activities. The most important part is you have a great team with open minds, so they can work as a team and voice opinions.
SunshineToronto
New Member
That really sucks... I can't stand those who kept saying "I have xxx years of experience". People aged, so if you reach certain age, of course you can start counting your "years" but that doesn't means they did good work in those years. Another nonsense.
CondoTenant
New Member
Sorry I can't start a new topic so I had to post under this thread.
Hi,
I live in a condo. Property management has banned all food and drinks from the outdoor pool area, including water in a non-breakable container (i.e. a water bottle or similar). This seems unreasonable to me. What steps can I take to have them revisit this policy? Property management has refused to address it. Would it be the condo board? Is there any sort of regulator that would address an issue like this?
Hi,
I live in a condo. Property management has banned all food and drinks from the outdoor pool area, including water in a non-breakable container (i.e. a water bottle or similar). This seems unreasonable to me. What steps can I take to have them revisit this policy? Property management has refused to address it. Would it be the condo board? Is there any sort of regulator that would address an issue like this?
Yes, go to the board. Rules have to be reasonable, and to me (I'm not a lawyer or a judge) banning water does not seem reasonable. Glass containers can break and be dangerous, and food is generally banned from pool areas, but water in a plastic or metal bottle shouldn't be.
Ex-Montreal Girl
Active Member
I don't think Management can enforce a rule without Board and even resident consent.
I agree that the water in unbreakable containers rule is unreasonable but, then, what if people are sneaking in alcohol or sticky sodas or whatever? Is Management to inspect every bottle?
This could also be a way of avoiding partying around the pool. It would depend on your condo and its demographics. We don't have this problem because our owners are, um, generally mature.
I agree that the water in unbreakable containers rule is unreasonable but, then, what if people are sneaking in alcohol or sticky sodas or whatever? Is Management to inspect every bottle?
This could also be a way of avoiding partying around the pool. It would depend on your condo and its demographics. We don't have this problem because our owners are, um, generally mature.
DSC
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Rules are made by the BOARD, and can be over-turned by an owner vote. The Property Manger (and Board) must enforce the Rules but cannot just make up their own. Ask for a copy of your Condos Rules (your landlord should have given you one or get one from the Manager). Look at them and if they do not specifically forbid ALL food and drink at the pool then you cannot be forced to go without. That's the easy way to go. However, even if the Rules forbid ALL food and drink a Rule must be 'reasonable' and forbidding water in an unbreakable container sounds pretty unreasonable to me. That may take a Court application and that will be much harder (more expensive) - though probably successful in the end.
CondoTenant
New Member
Thanks all, appreciate the insight. I reviewed the condo rules and it actually only says "no food or drinks IN the pool". Hence, I would think anything on the pool deck is fine, especially because it later says no smoking in or around the pool.
TheKingEast
Senior Member
Sorry to hi-jack but my building has banned electric bbq's. Is that normal?
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Do you mean the Board have passed a specific Rule that bans them or that some officious Property manager has done so? Was the ban made based on a general Rule about 'safety'? Was the use of them causing smoke and fire alarms to go off?