Dear David: Our condominium board hired a duct cleaning service to clean the dryer vents in our complex. We think the cleaners damaged our duct connection. In our opinion, the condo corporation should pay for the damage, since they hired the company. The condo corporation says we’re responsible for maintaining our own unit. Who is right? – NEED TO VENT

DEAR VENT: Perhaps think about how you would approach this situation if you lived in a freehold home instead of a condo. If you hired your own contractor and had the same result, you would likely be asking the duct cleaning company to help cover the damage. Either way, your property needs to be repaired, regardless of who is responsible.

With so many unknowns, sizing up the issue is a good place to start. I suggest hiring someone to fix the damage and asking them to diarize and photograph what they find. When you know for sure what type of problem you’re facing, you can decide whether this is a battle worth fighting. Sometimes these things are bound to happen and it’s not really anybody’s fault. 

PRO TIP:

One of my dad’s favourite expressions used to be “don’t holler before you’re hurt”. Once you know whether this is a major or a minor concern, the path to resolution will be much clearer.

Dear David: I own a condo, which I’m renting out. I was wondering how much the rent can go up in the new year. –PLAYING BY THE RULES

DEAR RULES: Congrats on having an extra foothold in this crazy real estate market. There are two things to keep in mind when considering a rent increase.

First, rent increases for most properties are governed by tightly controlled provincial guidelines, as outlined in the Residential Tenancies Act. For 2022, the Ontario rent increase guideline has been set at 1.2 per cent.

Second, rent increases are not automatic or mandatory. As a landlord, you must give your tenant(s) a minimum of 90-days written notice before any increase. Notice must be delivered on the proper form, and at least 12 months must have passed since the last time their rent was raised.

PRO TIP:

One thing that’s not clear from your question is when you purchased your condo.  According to the Residential Tenancies Act, the rent increase guideline does not apply to units located in buildings that were first occupied after November 15, 2018.If your unit is in a newer building, it’s exempt from rent control, but rent increases still need to be reasonable. #Advice #AskDavid #TheNegotiator

David is a top-selling Broker in Kitchener-Waterloo Region. He works personally with you when selling or buying your home. Moving? Get it right. Ask David today! Call or text 519-577-1212.