r/Condo

Hi all,

Just hoping to get some advice on the situation. I’m an owner of a condo townhouse and as of May 4th the heating has been turned off. The temperatures this May are cold and so our condo th is now at 17 for about a week. I have a 10 month daughter and now she’s sneezing and coughing. We have a portable heater which we have placed in her room but the rest of the townhouse is freezing. I’ve emailed the property management representative and got a very dismissive response saying the sunshine should help us. I asked that my email be forwarded to the board but no response. I understand it takes time to turn on the heaters again but it feels so crappy that both the property management and condo board are so dismissive and we are literally freezing while paying huge maintenance fees given our square footage. I want to bring this up at the next meeting (that they haven’t met the bylaws and were dismissive) but what else can I do?

Hello everyone! bought a condo at empire east. We just made a DP amounting to 30k. Just saw reviews and posts from the other buyers. On the other hand, I saw that there is already a LTS from DHSUD and the date of completion based on the DHSUD website is Dec 2029. Should I proceed it or not?

Would you turn up if events are organized in your condo? Wellness day, free activities and sample packets by brands, etc etc. What would make you come down, what would make you stay home?

I see a lot of people say they wish they had understood their HOA or condo rules better before moving in. For those who have dealt with a violation notice, fine, parking issue, pet issue, exterior change, or board/management problem, what do you think new owners usually misunderstand at the beginning?

I wanted to share this so that other condo tenants and owners know what to expect if something like this ever happens.

There was a major water flood in our condo building at 60 Annie Craig Drive. From what we were told/observed, a sprinkler elbow broke on the 10th floor while maintenance-related work/testing was happening around the fire sprinkler system. There was supposed to be a fire sprinkler test the next day.

The 10th floor was heavily flooded, with water reportedly reaching several inches in some areas. Water then spread down through the building and affected the 9th, 8th, 7th, 6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st floors. A large portion of the building was damaged.

The flooding happened on a Thursday. The fire department was on site for several hours helping push water out from the units and common areas. Water had entered many units and affected floors, walls, ceilings, hallways, carpets, and common areas.

The next day, restoration crews were on site. They started cutting drywall approximately 2 feet from the base, removing baseboards, setting up dehumidifiers and fans, and drying the affected areas. Over the next week, the building was full of restoration workers, dust, noise, equipment, and limited elevator access. It was very disruptive for residents.

A few things I learned:

Contact your insurance immediately

If you are a tenant or owner, call your insurance company right away. They will usually send an adjuster or surveyor to inspect your unit and document the damage.

Understand what the condo/building insurance covers

In many condos, the building insurance may cover standard common elements and standard unit items such as certain walls, ceilings, baseboards, etc. However, flooring, appliances, heat pumps, kitchen upgrades, custom work, personal contents, and anything beyond the standard unit definition may be the owner/tenant insurance responsibility.

Ask for the key documents

For your insurance claim, you may need documents from condo management, such as:

Standard Unit Definition

Condo bylaws/declaration

Certificate of Insurance

Incident report

Fire department report, if available

Any official communication from property management about the cause of loss

Mold risk is real

When water enters walls, flooring, and ceilings, fast response is important. In this case, restoration crews started quickly, which matters because mold can become a major issue if drying is delayed.

Owners may have additional living expense coverage

If you are an owner and your unit is not livable, your insurance may cover temporary accommodation such as a hotel or Airbnb, depending on your policy. Tenants should also check their tenant insurance for additional living expense coverage.

Restoration inside your unit may be separate

Even if the building restoration team is working on walls and common areas, your own insurance may need to send a separate restoration company to handle your unit, contents, flooring, packing, protection, removal, and repairs.

Document everything

Take photos and videos immediately. Keep copies of emails from management, insurance, adjusters, and restoration companies. Record dates, times, names, and what was said.

My biggest advice: do not wait for the building or property management to handle everything for you. Contact your insurance right away, request the necessary condo documents, and document the damage as much as possible.

This kind of incident is stressful and confusing, especially when multiple floors are affected, elevators are down, restoration crews are everywhere, and residents are trying to figure out who is responsible for what. Hopefully this helps someone know what steps to take if they ever face a similar condo flood.