保护你的投资，共管公寓业主必须知道的事

在过去的十年中，共管式公寓已成为许多相信投资地产能赚钱的投资者的投资首选。由于这些投资者中有许多已经拥有自己的居住的房屋，因此他们将尽可能的收高租金来提高自己的投资回报。租金可以让他们支付大部分抵押贷款利息，公寓维护费和地税，直到他们把公寓出售为止。到目前为止，他们投资共管公寓的决定是正确的，并且让自己在多伦多等城市和其周边地区的投资获利多多。

Over the past decade, condominium apartments have become the investment of choice for many investors who believe in the real estate market. Since many of these investors have their own primary residence already, they will try to maximize their investment dollars through rental. With that income, they can cover most of the mortgage interests, condominium maintenance fees, and property taxes until they are ready to sell. So far, they are correct and reaping the benefits of their insight in major cities like Toronto and surrounding areas.



投资公寓的人当中有许多是亚洲人。由于他们不了解安大略省公寓的概念和规则，不知道作为业主的法律责任和经济责任，一旦遇到问题是就很沮丧，当然，租客也会让他们头疼。在许多情况下，由于租客或邻居不小心，造成公寓发大水，或下水管堵塞，造成经济损失。他们不知道违法有关规定，没有买该买的保险将给自己带来巨大的经济损失。而这些事是我成为万锦市一栋公寓楼的公寓公司总裁后所遇到的。

Many of these investors are Asians and they do not understand the concepts and rules for condominiums in Ontario. Not knowing owner's responsibilities and liabilities are major causes of frustration for investors, followed by tenant issues. There are many occasions when apartments are damaged by their own tenants or others through flooding caused by negligence and sewer backups. Not knowing all the rules and securing all the insurance coverage will mean a big monetary loss for the owners. I am speaking of this from my experience as President of a high-rise condominium corporation in Markham.



在安大略省，公寓楼由安省共管公寓管理局（CAO）监管。公寓楼按照《安省共管公寓法》（CAC）注册的公寓公司管理公寓大楼的运营。 CAO是一个新成立的组织，旨在通过为公寓的业主，租户和董事提供服务和资源来改善公寓的管理。它为共管公寓的负责人提供必须参与的有关公寓管理的培训，监督公寓管理层的透明度和向业主派发有关公寓信息。它还帮助共管公寓所有者和租户解决常见的问题，并通过公寓管理局法庭（CAT）提供在线争议服务。

In Ontario, the operations of condominium apartments by a registered condominium corporation is regulated by the Ontario Condominium Act (CAC) through the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO). CAO is a newly established organization that aims to improve condominium living by providing services and resources for condo owners, residents and directors. It provides mandatory training for directors of the condominium, governs the condominium Management's information openness and their distribution to owners, serves as resources to help condo owners and residents resolve common issues, and offers an online dispute resolution service through the Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT).

在公寓竣工后并允许临时居住之前，开发商要先注册公寓公司，提交有关公寓公司（CC）如何运营的法律文件，并任命董事会的董事。因此，除非事后改变规定，公寓公司的董事不必是公寓的业主。

A registered corporation is established initially by the builder or developer before the building is complete and interim occupancy is allowed. A declaration or constitution governing the operation of the condominium corporation (CC) is filed and directors on the board are appointed. For this reason, directors do not have to be owner(s) of the apartments unless the declaration is changed later on.



许多开发会与一家物业管理公司（CMC）签约，让其管理公寓的日常运营。一般情况下，开发商都会指定自己熟悉的物业管理公司来管理公寓。在公寓50％的单位被业主进驻时，公寓公司必须召开业主大会，解散开发商组建的董事会，将公寓公司交给由业主选出的董事会。业主选出的董事是义工，他们将给物业管理公司指令并监督物业管理公司的工作。业主选出的新董事会可以保留原有的物业管理公司或重新找一家新的物业管理公司。

Many builders will then have a Condominium Management Company (CMC) contracted to deal with the daily operations of the condominium. Although not in every case, builder will put in their own CMC, supposedly at arm's length. This will continue until more than 50% of the units are closed and transactions are complete. At that time, the Board of Directors will be dissolved and new directors are elected in a turn-over meeting. The owners will elect and have their own volunteering directors to provide instructions to and monitor the performance of the CMC. They can choose to stay with the existing CMC or contact a new one.

根据我和其他人的公寓管理经验，原开发商指定的管理公司往往会利用亲自己的物业管理公司为自己谋利，包括寻找那些维修物业的建筑公司们。他们的关系太紧密，无法给业主安全感。当我所在的公寓公司董事会取消了原来的物业管理公司时，他们带走了清洁工，安保和大楼维修开发商，一下子让大楼管理服务中断。我们的教训是，在解雇开发商指定的物业管理公司之前，首先要与新的物业管理公司定下合同！

In our experience (as with others), the builder's arm's length CMC will take advantage of their position in dispensing condominium expenditures when it comes to the contractors they are using for maintenance. Their relationships are too close for the comfort of the owners. When we cancelled the original CMC's contract, all of the building's cleaners, security, and maintenance contractors left and left us in a precarious position without services. One lesson learned is to first contract a new CMC before firing the builder's appointed CMC!



接管公寓公司董事会后，我们必须雇用一家工程管理公司来验收大楼是否按蓝图兴建，并及时向开发商和TARION提出索赔。 TARION是安大略省的官方机构，致力于解决业主和开发商之间在建筑保修期间内的纠纷。新建公寓大楼必须在两年之内与开发商一起查看大楼内共用地方中所出现的建筑裂缝，漏水和未完成的建筑部分。共用部分包括地下车库，共用设施，大楼设备和结构等） 。TARION将保留开发商的建筑保证金，直到大楼和开发商在验楼文件签字。

Once we took over the Condominium Board, we have to deal with hiring of an Engineering firm to inspect and record building discrepancies and file claims to the builder and TARION within a short period of time. TARION is the Ontario organization that facilitate disputes between homeowners and builders over warranty coverage. Any items in the common use areas (the underground garage, the amenities, the building mechanical items and structures, etc) exhibiting cracks, leaks, and in-completion have to be identified and resolved with the builder within a couple of years under the eyes of TARION who will hold onto the builder's deposit until a sign-off by both parties.

大楼里的那些还没有从开发商手中过户给买家的“客房”的按揭可以成为开发商与公寓公司讨价还价的筹码。开发商可以为此找借口不去修理那些有问题的单位。

The “Guest room” mortgage becomes a bargaining chip in the builder's hands to trade for items not satisfactorily resolved when the deadline is approaching. The builder may refuse to complete the fixes and trade off their “guest room” as money to encourage the Condominium Corporation to accept the superficial defects as-is.



如果原来的公寓管理公司由公寓公司代替，则该财政年度内的任何亏空（赤字）都必须由开发商补偿。这始终是一个有争议的问题，必须由公寓董事会介入协商和解决。

If the original Condominium Management Company is replaced by the Condominium Corporation, then any shortfall (deficit) during that fiscal year will have to be reimbursed by the builder. This is always a subject of dispute and have to be negotiated and resolved by the Condominium Board as well.

当我看到每年有一些身在异地的业主交来的物业管理费时，我都会为他们捏把汗。要保护自己的投资，你需要知道许多公寓公司里发生的事，而他们似乎不知道，也不在乎。 他们似乎觉得有人去看管他们的产业是天经地义的事。

Every time when I see some owners living off site coming in on a yearly basis to hand over post-dated cheques for maintenance fees, I draw a deep breath. There is so much that one needs to know about Condominium ownership in order to protect their investments but they do not seem to care. When things are out of order, they come in and expect everything to be looked after.

我将在下一篇文章中介绍公寓的居住规则，业主的私人使用空间和设备，公寓保险都保哪些东西。

We will look into rules of condominium living, owner private use areas and equipment, and insurance coverage next time.