June 2024
Is It legal to have a door bell camera in a condo building?
Management is reluctant to install cameras in hallways for security and address ongoing damage to carpets.
I would love to see an article about those who fail to park within their assigned area and/or use the space to store personal items such as baby carriages, motorcycles, bicycles and junk, and those who create oil stains that damage the property.
J. D.
Response from Toronto Condo News
Video doorbells are a relatively new technology that, when used properly, have a role to play in ensuring condominium building safety and security. Enforcement to ensure parking spaces are not misused also plays a role in high-rise condominium building safety.
It is not illegal to have a door bell camera (video doorbell) and there are good reasons for doing so. In a condominium building, there are considerations about how it can and should be done, and rules governing its use. See Video Doorbells Conflict with Right to Privacy and Video Doorbells for articles we have published on this topic.
With regard to how parking spaces are utilized, you have identified some common problems with residents failing to properly use and maintain their parking spaces. More troubling are safety and structural concerns arising from improper use of parking spaces. All condominium corporations have the authority, right and sometimes legal obligation to ensure parking spaces are utilized as intended. Not all condo boards choose to do so until forced by some authority such as the Condominium Authority Tribunal or Fire Department. By this time, they have spent unnecessary time and money seeking to justify their prior failure to act or simply paying a fine for allowing a safety infraction. It is safer, more economical and less time consuming for a condo board to ensure parking spaces are utilized as intended than deal with the litany of problems arising from improper use.
Proactive condo boards have rules, policies and procedures for addressing both these issues. The absence of rules or enforcement promotes a less hospitable and unsafe living environment and higher maintenance or repair costs. Toronto Condo News publishes periodic articles about proper use of parking spaces and maintaining of parking areas.
Thank you for your suggestions. We will look at publishing a more focused article on those minor parking area infractions that are discourteous and problematic to communities.
