Owning a condo
Learn about your rights and responsibilities as a condominium owner.
The law
Three laws protect condo owners when buying and living in a condo:
- Condominium Act regulates how condo corporations are created, owned and governed
- Condominium Management Services Act establishes rules that condo managers and condo management companies must follow
- Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act establishes:
- deposit protection
- a warranty program that protects owners against many building defects
- direction on resolving disputes with vendors
We are continually working to strengthen protection for condo owners:
- learn about changes to condominium laws
- subscribe to ONCONDO for email updates about condo law changes
Living in a condo
As an owner, there are a number of things you should know about your condo, including:
- condo fees
- maintaining and repairing your unit
- participating in how the condo is run
- all other rules about living in your condo (e.g. pets, time restrictions on noise, etc.)
You can get this information from your condo manager or board.
The Condominium Authority of Ontario is responsible for:
- more information about your rights and responsibilities
- mandatory training for condo directors
- maintaining a database of condo corporation information
- a system to resolve disputes
They can also give you information on:
- how condos are run
- how to decide if living in a condo is right for you
- types of condo fees
- how to resolve common issues in condos
Condominium guides and forms
The Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO) provides a variety of resources to help condo communities thrive. Many of the forms under the Condominium Act are mandatory and intended to help standardize and facilitate communication between condo boards and owners.
Access these guides and forms.
Before you file a complaint
Before you file a formal complaint about an issue, there are steps you can take to try and mitigate or solve the problem.
Raise your concerns about a board of directors or condo corporation
You can raise your concerns about your condo board of directors or condo corporation by:
- discussing concerns with the condo manager
- writing to the condo board to request formal consideration of your concerns
- requesting a condo owners meeting
- raising concerns at the annual general meeting of owners
Use tools provided by the CAO
The Condominium Authority of Ontario provides tools to help owners, boards and managers resolve their issues before they escalate.
Learn about some of the most common issues that may arise and guided steps to help resolve them.
How to file a complaint
There are 3 different ways to file a complaint depending on what the complaint is about.
Complaints about a condo manager or management provider
The Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario (CMRAO) administers the Condominium Management Services Act, including:
- condo manager and management provider licensing
- a public registry of licensed condo managers and management providers
Email the CMRAO if you have a complaint about a condo manager or management provider.
Common issues that may arise and guided steps to help resolve them.
The Condominium Authority Tribunal
The CAT is an online tribunal to help condo owners and corporations resolve certain disputes conveniently, quickly, and affordably.
The CAT can help you resolve disputes related to:
- condo records
- noise
- odours
- light
- vibration
- smoke and vapour
- pets and animals
- vehicles, parking, and storage
- other nuisances
- compliance with CAT settlement agreements
Learn how to file a dispute with the CAT.
Accessibility concerns
The Ontario Human Rights Code provides the right to be free from discrimination in housing (“accommodation”). Under the Code, people living in Ontario have the right to equal treatment when buying, selling, renting, or being evicted from an apartment, house, condominium, or commercial property.
Learn more about the Ontario Human Rights Code and how to file an application with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
Condo managers must be licensed
Often a condo corporation will hire a condo manager to oversee the condo’s day-to-day operations. As of November 1, 2017, condo managers and condo management providers must be licensed by the Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario. To get their licence, condo managers must either take official courses or have a certain amount of experience and pass an exam.
If condo managers or condo management providers are found to have breached of the code of ethics, they can be referred to a discipline committee.
Electric vehicle charging system
The Guide to Electric Vehicles Charging Systems provides a summary of the rules that came into effect on May 1, 2018, for installing an electric vehicle charging system at your building as a condo owner or corporation. You can find the full details on e-laws.
Visit the Ministry of Transportation’s website for more information on charging an electric vehicle.
Condo unit owners
If you are submitting an application to install an electric vehicle charging system on common elements of a condo property, the condo corporation must provide you with the information and/or permissions you reasonably need to complete the application, such as schematics or electrical room access.
The condo corporation must respond to your application within 60 days, unless another time period is agreed upon in writing with you.
Condo corporation boards are not allowed to reject your application unless the installation is assessed as:
- not meeting some legal requirements (for example, it violates the Electrical Safety Code)
- posing a serious risk of damaging or adversely affecting the structural integrity of the condo property or any assets of the condo corporation
- posing a serious health and safety risk to an individual
The condo board’s assessment must be based on the opinion or report of a qualified professional obtained by the corporation. The condo board must provide this opinion or report to you when they respond.
The condo corporation can require that the installation be carried out in another manner or location, only if it:
- would not cause you unreasonable additional costs
- is necessary to meet other criteria
Entering into an agreement
If the application is not rejected or abandoned, the condo corporation must enter into an agreement with you within 90 days unless another time is agreed upon in writing with you.
The agreement must outline any terms, conditions, roles and responsibilities between you and the corporation relating to the charging system, including:
- installation
- ownership
- costs (maintenance, repairs, insurance, etc.)
Condo corporations
Condo corporations looking to install an electric vehicle charging system are exempt from some approval requirements under the Condominium Act, if the following conditions are met:
- the estimated total cost of the installation is 10% or less of the annual budget for common expenses in the current fiscal year
- the condo corporation board agrees that owners would not see the installation as having a significant reduction in the use or enjoyment of their units, the common areas or assets of the condo corporation
- at least 60 days have passed since owners were given written notice of the proposed installation
If any of the first two conditions are not met, the corporation must provide a notice to owners informing them that owners have the right to hold a meeting within 60 days to vote on the proposed installation.
The corporation will then only be able to proceed with the installation without having to comply with some approval requirements of the Condominium Act if the:
- owners of at least 15% of the units do not request a meeting within 60 days
- meeting is requested but quorum is not present at the first attempt to hold the meeting
- meeting is held and a quorum is present at the first attempt to hold the meeting, and the owners do not vote against the proposed installation