CONDO BYLAWS: People bought pets for their children but the bylaw says “no pets”
Tony Gioventu
Province
Dear Condo Smarts:
Our building has a bylaw that says no pets.
Last year for Christmas, several families bought cats or dogs for their children. Now we have three cats and two dogs. It’s not that I don’t like pets, but we, as owners, are constantly dealing with messes in the common areas, and the smell.
We’re supposed to be a building with no pets, but now we have pets and most owners don’t want them. Council said they were OK, but they’re not. So what do we do ?
— Monica in Port Moody
Dear Monica:
The bylaw that says no pets means no pets.
Strata councils often make the wrong assumption that they can exempt owners from bylaws for a variety of reasons.
Your owners now have a complication on their hands and should start with the council enforcing the bylaws and seeking legal counsel on where to go next, especially considering the council gave permission.
If any of the council are the pet owners themselves, they need to remove themselves from council while the bylaw enforcement process is conducted.
This leads to the greater problems with not just Christmas but all the hazards and the hangovers of holidays.
Gift giving for a strata owner can be a curse — something I’ve dubbed “Yes, Virginia there is a Strata Clause” (probably against whatever you’re giving.)
Don’t buy pets, hot tubs, satellite dishes, barbecues or scooters for your beloved unless you know they can have them first.
That new puppy on Christmas Day will be a heartbreaker when the family discovers there are no pets permitted in the strata.
Hot tubs require space that can support the weight, electrical service/gas and a drainage area.
Satellite dishes are often prohibited and, frequently, only certain types of barbecues are permitted. And where will the new Vespa be parked?
What seems a great idea on the surface to most owners is often plagued with perils beneath.
DISASTERS IN THE MAKING
– Deep-frying turkeys (or almost anything, for that matter) on your balconies
– Rewiring the common-area electricals to power your own seasonal lights
– Shovelling heavy snow off flat-roof areas with a sharp blade
– Nailing and screwing lights and ornaments onto the building
– Using real candles on Christmas trees and abandoned candles on the Christmas table
– Burning off the Christmas wrap in fireplaces — especially gas fireplaces
– Serving spiked eggnog to the building owners and their children on Christmas Eve
– Using concrete mix to cover walks when you run out of salt
– Catapulting your spent Christmas tree from the seventh floor on New Year’s Day.
Tony Gioventu is the executive director of the Condominium Home Owners Association (CHOA). Contact CHOA at 604-584-2462 or toll-free 1-877-353-2462, fax 604-515-9643 or email [email protected]
© The Vancouver Province 2006