Definition : Balcony

My upstairs neighbor set up bird feeder on her balcony. However, this attracts a lot of birds that make droppings on my balcony, causes an unpleasant sound noise (blue jays), and my cats who are used to going to the balcony catch the birds and eat them. Also, I fear that in the long term, we will find ourselves having problems with some rodents and / or early breakage due to droppings. For my neighbor, it is out of the question that she removes her feeders, under the pretext that it is to preserve the mental health of her cats and herself. Question: Is there a law or rule in this area, as nothing is mentioned in the declaration of co-ownership on this subject?

Water damage is the most common loss in co-ownerships.The concept of water damage also includes the liability of the syndicate, the co-owner and the tenant, who could be engaged in the event of damage suffered by third parties. The question of who is responsible for this constantly arises. However, it is necessary to know the law applicable to the culprit. Other considerations affect both the insurer of the syndicate and that of the co-owners concerned, in order to determine who will pay what. However, water damage can originate from a private portion, but also from a common portion (roof, façade, terrace, sewage discharge column that crosses the apartments, terrace).  

A source of permanent controversy in co-ownership, cannabis and tobacco smoking arouse passions. However, it is recognized that there is no inalienable right for a co-owner to smoke in the common portions or in a private portion. On the contrary, the common law on abnormal neighbourhood disturbances and the effects of second-hand smoke on the health of people exposed to it advocate prohibition. In this regard, the right to life and to the safety and integrity of the person enshrined in the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms is moving towards an obligation to abstain from smoking in collective dwellings. Under the circumstances, should co-ownership syndicates banish this habit?  This is not an easy question to answer. Easier said than done, some will say. And they are not wrong. Here’s a look at the whole legal issue that defines smoking in co-ownerships.

A co-owner has placed a satellite dish on his balcony, while the declaration of co-ownership prohibits it. Question: What should the board do in this situation?

I live on the 5th floor of an 8-storey building. The co-owner on the 7th storey uses his balcony to let the dog urinate and defecate. Unfortunately, the urine and droppings fall back on our balconies. The situation has been going on for almost two years. We sent him e-mails, but they didn’t solve anything. The syndicate has been aware of this situation for a year and a half but nothing is happening. The last few weeks the situation has worsened, because we receive several times a day drops of urine and it stains the windows and the smell is always present. I have to remove my plants and herbs from the edge of the balcony. This week I made a complaint to the City, which should send the co-owner a letter. Question: If the situation persists, I would like to know what are my rights?

The characteristic of divided co-ownership is to divide the building into various lots that will be the exclusive property of the co-owners (private portions), and for others that will be the property of all the co-owners (common portions). These lots are identified by an individual number, which was assigned during the cadastral operation. Each of the private lots of the co-ownership thus constituted becomes a unique property. The distinction between the common and private portions is essential, particularly from the point of view of maintenance, which is the responsibility of the syndicate of co-owners for the common portions and of the co-owners for the private portions.   

1er novembre 2012 - Beaucoup de récents bâtiments en condominiums ont des sorties d'air sous les balcons.  Dans une chronique antérieure (29 novembre 2010) nous avons expliqué un système de ventilation efficace et usuel en évacuant l'air au toit et en alimentant les logements centralement par de l'air de remplacement préchauffé et parfois climatisé.

Le syndicat, dans le cadre de ses missions, doit autoriser, le cas échéant, tous travaux entrepris par des copropriétaires, que ce soient dans les parties privatives ou les parties communes à usage restreint. Les copropriétaires ne doivent pas oublier qu'en copropriété, certaines règles s'appliquent.