February 2020
Condo living comes with many benefits along with shared responsibilities and compromises.
One area of conflict revolves around residents required to grant management or staff access to their suite.
Management should never enter a suite, or provide permission to enter a suite, without consent of the resident except during an emergency or when in possession of a court order.
Reasons for management access to a suite may include water damage or infestation; repair or maintenance to life safety systems; excessive hoarding that creates a safety or infestation hazard; or improper renovation work compromising the building structure.
Residents found to have denied legitimate access to their suite may be held responsible for necessary building repairs, and certain in-suite maintenance that would normally be handled and paid by the corporation. Improperly refused access resulting in damage to common areas or other suites may make the resident liable for this damage.
Management can and should act responsibly when entering a resident suite:
- Provide advance notice for non-emergency repairs
- Have contractors accompanied by the condominium manager, security or superintendent
- Never enter a suite without first knocking or calling
Some buildings require residents to provide management with a key and emergency contact. Having possession of this key comes with the responsibility to not misuse it.
