Challenging the board
“What we don’t get is how often winners will do whatever it takes to win.”
—David Denby

It is very important that you understand what you are going to be getting into before you undertake such a struggle.

Why?
The first and most important thing is to have a clear understanding of why you are dissatisfied with the board’s performance and why are you planning to fight the board of directors.

Do you honestly understand your motives? It is revenge? Did you get a couple of parking tickets and you were ordered to keep your stereo down so you want to get even? Did they paint your hallway beige when you wanted it painted green?

Perhaps you want to repeal a by-law or a rule that you do not like. Does the building have a ban on large dogs that you think is unjust?

Are you upset because the board announced a maintenance fee increase or a special assessment and you want to roll it back?

If these are your reasons, battling the board is probably not a good idea.

However, if you are upset that dogs are pooping on the carpets and in the elevators, loud music keeps residents awake at night, people are dropping lit cigarettes and garbage off the balconies and people are smoking dope in the staircases, then you have a good reasons to challenge the board.

If you are upset because the hallway carpets are badly stained, the elevators regularly breakdown, graffiti is not cleaned up and the roof leaks, then you also have good reasons to want the board replaced.

Are you concerned that there are financial irregularities and wasteful spending? Is the board showing favour to the commercial units at the expense of the residential ones? Are the townhouses favoured over the apartment units?

If the reserve fund is under-funded and the corporation is running annual deficits, the board needs to be replaced.

You need to have a clear idea of what the present board is doing that is harmful to the corporation. You need to be clear on what your goals are, what you will do differently and how this will benefit the condominium corporation for now and for the future.

top   contents   chapter   next