Definition : Abuse of right

The juridical personality of the syndicate is distinct from the one of the co-owners and directors. His acts are binding only on himself, besides for the exceptions provided by law. The faults committed by the syndicate have consequences only on its own civil liability and not on the directors. Under these conditions, they are held harmless by the syndicate and assume no responsibility for any costs, expenses, charges or losses they have incurred for the administration of the building and the syndicate. This is the basic principle, but it is important to bring several nuances to it. Indeed, a director must never lose sight of the interest of the community of co-owners.

At a meeting of the board of directors, directors must not make any decision that is biased, or with the intention of harming the co-owners (or any of them) or disregarding their rights. In case of defect, the co-owners (or a director) can now take legal proceedings to oppose decisions taken by the ​Board of directors. Article 1086.2 of the Civil Code of Quebec, which came into force on January 10, 2020, allows the court to set aside or, exceptionally, to correct a decision of the board of directors. The proceedings must be initiated within 90 days of the decision of the board of directors. In order to promote stability of the Board’s decisions, the legislator allows to bring such recourses only in certain circumstances.

  Irregularities noted at a meeting of co-owners do not make the decisions taken non-existent, but voidable. Consequently, the co-owner who intends to invoke the irregularity of a decision must initiate a legal proceeding, in accordance with article 1103 of the Civil Code of Quebec. Wishing to promote the stability of the decisions taken by the assembly, the legislature allows such a remedy to be brought only in certain circumstances. Thus, any co-owner may ask the court to annul or, exceptionally, modify a decision of the meeting of co-owners if it is partial, if it was taken with the intention of harming the co-owners or in disregard of their rights, or if an error occurred in the calculation of votes.  

6 avril 2020- Dans leurs relations avec les copropriétaires, les membres du conseil d’administration doivent agir avec loyauté et équité. Ils doivent s’abstenir de tout geste qui pourrait s’apparenter à un règlement de comptes.

12 octobre 2019 — « La maison d’un homme est son château », dit un vieil adage. Mais lorsque ce château est un appartement détenu en copropriété divise, son propriétaire devrait savoir que les droits collectifs ont préséance sur ses droits individuels. Cela est d’autant plus vrai lorsqu’un conseil d’administration doit prendre d’importantes décisions. Malheureusement, certains copropriétaires n’ont pas en tête cette notion.

9 avril 2019 — Les frais de condo en souffrance peuvent entraîner un imbroglio juridique duquel personne ne ressort gagnant. C’est ce qui est arrivé à un couple de copropriétaires qui, après avoir fait défaut de payer ses frais de condo, a dû faire face à la publication, par son syndicat de copropriétaires, d’une hypothèque légale contre l’unité qu’il a achetée en 2013. Il en a résulté un procès opposant les deux parties.

  I live in a co-ownership where there are a few smokers, one of which is located directly below me. His smoke migrates into my apartment. I am worried of its effects on my health in the medium and long terms, as well as that of my spouse and those of my two children. Question: Can our syndicate compel these smokers to install an air freshener in their apartment?