The Enfield Journal

The Condo Community is Something to Embrace

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 20:56:45 GMT

Despite being the shortest month of the year, February can seem like the longest, most arduous stretch of winter. It’s the month where the chills reach their pinnacle, Wiarton Willie makes his Spring predictions, and Valentine’s Day romance warms our hearts.

Then comes Family Day—a day off and a brief reprieve from the remaining cold stretch ahead of us. The holiday, which for Ontario was first observed in 2008, is an important time to reconnect with those we cherish.

Although we may not hold our neighbours as close as we do our relatives, living within a condominium community follows many of the same, familiar principles of living within an extended family. There is the same expectation of equal collaboration between family members, a requirement to follow the house rules, and the anticipation that each of us will pull our weight in keeping the household running.

The condominium industry in Ontario has bloomed since 1967, when the province’s first condominium development—a 37-unit townhouse community registered as Peel Condominium #1—was registered. As of 2021, there were almost 12,000 condominium communities across the province. That’s a lot of new condo-families!

So, what is the family dynamic within such a community?

For any condominium property, the Head of Household can be considered as the Board of Directors. When joining the Board, new Directors are required to complete ‘Director Training’ through the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO). This the Board’s obligation (through quorum decisions) to oversee the financial health and welfare of the home, and to establish which contracts and contractors (including property management) are established to help take care of the property. The Directors also maintain the ‘House Rules,’ and seek to achieve compliance of the residents with the governing documents of the Corporation; the Declaration, By-Laws and Rules.

As with any family, there is sometimes disruption and people have different ideas about how things should be run. That’s why it is especially important to keep communication lines open so that everyone feels involved. Newsletters, community websites, and timely responses to emails and phone calls are all small things that can help keep everyone connected.

The big family gathering each year is, of course, the Annual General Meeting, when all owners are invited to come together to take care of formal Corporation matters and to discuss concerns and ideas for their living environment. Everyone is encouraged to attend these events.

Just as in a biological family, the structure of the community is designed to maintain the well-being of each member and a harmonious society. Within that comes boundary-setting, guidance and information giving.

Omicron Variant Compliance

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 04:48:09 GMT

In response to the Omicron variant, Ontario announced that as of 12:01 a.m. on January 5, 2022 they would be returning to a modified Step 2 of opening, meaning that many facilities will be closing or operating at reduced capacities.

The Enfield Group Inc. wish to advise that until further notice, all meetings (Board, Owner, Contractor) are to be held virtually without person-to-person contact. There will be no in-person meetings at the sites or at The Enfield Group office. Additionally, since the Government requirements are for all employees to work from home as much as possible, our in-office staff is kept to a minimum number of employees, and on-site hours at our properties have been halted until restrictions are lifted.

The Enfield Group Inc. requires all employees to be fully vaccinated.

A recently published article from Rod Escayola (Lawyer) on CondoAdviser.ca deals with the new regulations and advises the use of QR code posters at entrances to the buildings as useful screening measures for those arriving onsite.

CondoAdviser.ca notes the most prominent changes below:

Overview of changes

• Social gathering and organized public events must be limited to:

• 5 people indoors

• 10 people outdoors

• Indoor sports and recreational fitness amenities (ie. gyms and pools etc.) must be closed.

• Indoor recreational amenities must be closed.

• Short-term rentals are now limited to people in need of housing.

• Employees must work remotely unless the nature of their work requires them to be on site.

• The rest of the measures already in place under Step 3 continue to apply with little changes.

These measures will be effective on January 5, 2022 and are expected to be in place for at least 21 days (or January 26, 2022).

Read the full article here:

http://condoadviser.ca/2022/01/condo-land-returns-to-modified-step-2/condo-law-blog-Ontario .

Taking Stock of 2021: The Year in Review – a message from our President, Greg Fraleigh

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 04:10:24 GMT

The team at Enfield has arrived at the end of this year with a fresh and renewed sense of energy.

As we move into 2022, The Sky Is The Limit for The Enfield Group .

Lyn's Farewell – Happy Retirement!

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 18:09:29 GMT

“Lyn is quick to tell you that she came with the furniture,” says President Greg Fraleigh...

A luncheon was held at the Lord Byron Steak & Seafood House in Waterdown on Wednesday to celebrate Lyn Kendall’s retirement. Lyn has been a dedicated team member of The Enfield Group Inc. for just shy of 25 years, having contributed to the success of the property management team since 1997, when The Enfield Group acquired The Lounsbury Group. During her time with Enfield, she has worked with three generations of the Fraleigh family and knows the business inside and out.

“Lyn is quick to tell you that she came with the furniture,” says President Greg Fraleigh, whose appreciation for her hard work was evident at the farewell lunch. “For me this is quite difficult … this is a family business, and she has been a part of the family since the 90s. She knows more about my company than I do!” he said in his goodbye speech.

Lyn’s longevity with the company is testament to the wealth of knowledge she shared with her fellow employees, her vast experience in accounting, and loyal commitment to the company.

“What we’ve learned from Lyn is more than we could have learned in a textbook. Lyn has given me great guidance and insight,” expressed Officer Manager, Elaine Symington, in her goodbyes.

Her customer service also came with distinction — to the point where it was common for clients to write in to share their appreciation: “We were given only 5 days to get the status certificate by the listing office,” wrote realtors Alison Walsh and Lou Volk in a letter to The Enfield Group office. “Instead of giving us a hard time … Lynn Kendall rose to the challenge. We would like to thank her very much for making our job that much easier. We appreciate how hard and fast she had to work to get that status certificate to us by our deadline.”

Lyn is looking forward to spending time with her grandchildren, enjoying her garden and caring for her husband. While her retirement is an inevitable loss for The Enfield Group, the company appreciates the many devoted years she has given them. She will be very greatly missed.

Elaine closed her farewell with a blessing: “May your troubles be less, may your blessings be more, may nothing but sunshine come through your door.”

Enfield News - November Issue

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 21:10:47 GMT

Enfield News

November Issue

Declaration

For those of you new to living in a condominium community, it can be difficult to understand how your monthly common element fee is determined, and what costs are covered.

A condominium unit is different from a traditional house — you, as the owner, own your unit — but you are also part of a shared ownership of the common elements for which each unit owner pays a proportionate share. For instance, if you live in a high-rise and have access to a swimming pool but don’t go swimming, you are still responsible for paying your proportionate share of the swimming pool. The Declaration and by-laws for your condominium — the documents which govern how the property operates — play a vital role in determining repair and maintenance responsibilities, and how much your unit’s proportionate share is.

What is the Declaration?
As described by the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO), the Corporation’s Declaration is the ‘foundational document of the corporation and includes … the proportion which each unit owner contributes to common expenses and the repair and maintenance responsibilities of owners vs. the condo corporation.’ It is the skeletal structure from which decisions are made, based on the original description of the building.

The Declaration is made up of:
●   The proportions, expressed in percentages, of the common interests allocated to each unit;
●   How much each unit will pay for common expenses, expressed as a percentage;
●   Which parts of the building will be exclusive use common elements, which are often things such as balconies;
●   The responsibilities of owners and the condo corporation to repair and maintain the units and common elements.

Common Fees

How are my common element fees calculated?

Contrary to what many people think, the amount of fees you pay each month is not necessarily determined by the floorplan size of your unit. To understand how your common element fee is calculated, you need to refer to the ‘Schedule “D” Proportionate Percentages,’ of your Corporation’s Declaration. If you own a deeded locker unit or parking space within the condominium, the percentages for these will also be included in your common element fee.

When prepping for a new fiscal year’s budget, your common element fees are calculated using the below formula:

Total Common Element Fees required (Budget) x % interest (from Schedule “D”) ÷ 100 ÷ 12

It is important to understand that the type of condominium property you live in will have an impact on how much you are paying. A ‘Common Element’ corporation unit owner may pay less in fees, simply because the extent of responsibility for the unit owner property is far greater than that of a standard condominium corporation. In a common element condominium, the unit owner is responsible for everything within their Parcel of Tied Land (known as a POTL), and only pay a proportionate share towards the common elements, which in common element condos may just be a shared roadway, street lighting, and landscaping of any common areas.

While the fiscal years for condominiums are staggered throughout the year, many condos have a year-end of December 31st. This is a time for Property Managers and Boards to review and assess their budgeting practices over the previous year, and allot new amounts for the various accounts and categories which make up the budget. The results of the budget are prepared and sent by mail or email to each owner, together with the revised common element fee for the upcoming year.

Except in exceptional circumstances, the amount of the monthly common element fee will increase every year to negotiate unavoidable escalations in operating costs. The last couple of years have been exceptional in terms of forecasting. With more people working from home, utility consumption significantly increased. Since the pandemic and stay-at-home order could not have been predicted, many condominiums will have seen a significant shortfall in their budgeting for these categories in particular.

Leaky Toilet
Ways to Save

A Little Leak is a Lot of Dollars

Does your toilet seem to take forever to refill? Do you hear water running even after the toilet hasn’t been flushed in a while?

You can reduce your water bill up to 10 percent by fixing simple leaks such as worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and other leaking valves.* *Source: EPA Watersense

Water leaks in toilets can be subtle yet very expensive. In fact, the City of Hamilton reports that ‘A small, more common toilet leak can waste up to 547 litres per day, equaling 200,000 litres a year. This adds up to an extra $55 on your monthly water bill. A constantly running toilet can leak 3.78 litres of water per minute, which adds up to 5,450 litres per day and almost 163,500 litres in just 30 days. Not only is that a lot of water, it can add up to an extra $526 on your monthly water bill based on 2019 rates.’

That’s a lot of money down the drain! But the good news is that it’s relatively easy to fix. Toilets are the biggest water usage items in our homes — according to Environment Canada ‘toilets account for 30% of all indoor water use in a typical residence.’ If you notice the water tank taking a long time to fill, or you hear that annoying running water sound, don’t wait to fix it — save money by dealing with it now.

The most common issue found in toilets is the flapper valve, which erodes over time and creates a broken seal.

The City of Hamilton provides the following recommendation for checking toilets for leaks:

EASY LEAKY TOILET FIXES:

If you find a leak, there is an easy way to determine which part is the problem. Draw a line on the tank at the water level and turn off the water supply to the toilet. Wait 30 minutes and then check the tank. If the water level stays the same, the leak is from the float rod and overflow tube. If the water level drops below the line, the problem is from the flapper.

Step 1: Check for float arm problems
To check if the overflow tube and float ball are working properly, first remove the toilet lid from the tank. Flush the toilet, listen and watch the tank mechanism. You should hear the water stop running. If it doesn’t, check the water level to see if it is above the overflow tube. If it is, gently adjust the float arm down and flush again.

Step 2: Check for holes
A pinhole opening in the overflow tube could produce an invisible leak. Check for this by shining a flashlight down the overflow pipe. If you see running water, you have a leak that can be repaired by replacing the overflow tube.

Step 3: Check the chain
If you have to jiggle the handle to stop the toilet from running, it may be a misaligned flapper, a loose handle or an incorrect length of chain. Clean and adjust the chain to ensure it’s not too long or short. Tighten the nut that holds the toilet handle to the tank. If that doesn’t work, the handle may have to be replaced.

Step 4: Check the flapper valve problems
Add a few drops of food colouring, toilet dye strips, or tablets into the toilet tank and check back in 20 minutes. If a leak exists, the bowl will have dye-coloured water. To fix this silent leak the flapper valve should be replaced, cleaned or realigned.

If your home was built before 1994, you may want to invest in a new toilet since older models can use up to five times more water than newer, more energy-efficient models. When purchasing a new toilet, look for the WaterSense® logo. This is proof that the product has been tested and found to be ‘at least 20% more water-efficient than average products in that category.’

Preventing Winter Freeze

As temperatures plummet (and sadly, they plummet fast!) we can take some simple steps to protect our homes from freezing water pipes. For owners of townhomes, it is common for each unit to have an exterior faucet. Once the leaves start to fall from trees and watering lawns is no longer needed, all residents should disconnect any hoses or splitters from the faucet and locate the shut-off valve for the exterior tap.

1.   Begin by removing the hose and/or splitter from your outside faucet(s).
2.   Locate your water shut-off valve(s) which are typically in the basement. Sometimes each outdoor faucet or spigot can be connected to its own water shut-off valve.
3.   Close the water shut-off valve. This is usually done by rotating the handle to the right or in a clockwise direction. Make sure the handle is turned until it cannot turn any further.
4.   Go to the faucet or hose bib outside and open it to let out the remaining water. Leave it open for about a minute to be sure.
5.   Now that the water between the water shut-off valve and the faucet/hose bib is drained, close the faucet or hose bib. Source: plumbwize.ca

Exterior faucets are especially prone to freezing as they are unprotected from the elements and can freeze within six hours if water is left inside on a freezing cold day. Burst pipes are a large, expensive item to repair so make sure you take care of this annual maintenance requirement.

If you have any questions about finding the shut-off valve, please call your Property Manager.

To prevent pipes from freezing inside your home a minimum room temperature of 12oC (55oF) should be maintained where the water services enter your home — even when you are away on vacation.

Before the Frost is ON the Pumpkin

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 20:56:54 GMT

Things to think about before the Frost is ON the Pumpkin ��

Autumn season is here and creating a to-do list can certainly save you any future issues. Here are a few advisable suggestions.

Change your furnace/ air handler filters

Shut off your outside water line and open the outside tap to prevent it from freezing and avoid costly spring repairs

Start switching your wardrobes from summer to fall

Start booking your winter tire changeover

Find your snow ⛄️ brush

Top up your windshield washer fluid

Get your ice melting products early before the stores are sold out

Dig out your snow ⛄️ shovels and or tune up your Snowblower if applicable

On September 22, The Human Rights Commission Announced Their Stance

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 22:51:28 GMT

Greetings One and All

Happy Holidays!

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 03:47:02 GMT

We wish you a wonderful, safe

Happy Holiday Season

and prosperous and healthy New Yea r!

This holiday season we have decided to donate to the CMHA Hamilton Branch Street Team
( cmhahamilton.ca ) who are helping to transition the homeless into safe housing.
#justonehourhamont

Letter from the CMHA Hamilton Branch

Seasons Greetings!

Thank you for taking the time to review this letter today, a donation request from the Canadian Mental Health Association, Hamilton Branch (CMHA Hamilton). This week a long-standing professional property management company within the Hamilton community, The Enfield Group, Inc. generously donated $5000 to the CMHA Street Team, our newest program! This is because Enfield is acutely aware of the current housing crisis and the challenges associated with sustainable housing for individuals with unmanaged psychiatric disabilities. Our hope is that you will also support our important work this year to reduce homelessness.

COVID-19 has brought Hamilton’s housing crisis further to light and the opioid crisis in our city compounds. More than ever, the voices of individuals living with addictions and mental health issues unable to afford housing are clearly articulated in the media. Despite best efforts to find housing before the winter sets in, there are still at least 100 individuals living in tents spread across the city with high acuity needs. Reducing barriers to accessing equitable mental and physical health supports tailored to the unique needs of those living in encampments is critical to enabling them to secure and maintain housing. This need is identified by housing providers, by health and social service providers, and by those with lived experience alike.

In response, CMHA Hamilton created from already stretched resources, the CMHA Street Team. This is an extension of our primary healthcare clinic, which provides accessible primary, mental health and addictions care to individuals experiencing homelessness. Initiated in July 2020, one registered nurse and four peer support workers visit encampments across the city. They provide mental health and addictions support, nursing care, and connect individuals living in tents virtually to physicians, addictions medicine specialists, and psychiatrists to treat and stabilize their health. In addition, the Team facilitates access to housing, supports transitions into housing and ensures continued support to prevent eviction and institutionalization. This is a win for both the individual in need and the housing provider. (See Hamilton Spectator: https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-region/2020/07/16/mental-health-couldnt-be-policed-so-barton-village-opted-for-something-else.html )

This new program has no base funding from the Ministry and is dependent on generous donations in order to continue this essential work. Please consider the CMHA Street Team this holiday season! Feel free to contact me directly with any questions. Any gift toward this life-saving initiative is greatly appreciated.

Sue Phipps (She/Her)

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)