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Definition : Work - Work for improvement of common portions
Work that goes beyond the mere restoration of the common portions of the immovable. It provides the immovable with a benefit that it did not previously enjoy. This is the case, for example, with work intended to modernize the immovable and providing it with elements of additional comfort compared to pre-existing facilities. This work must:
WARNING! Improvement should not be confused with technological innovation. Replacing a 50-year-old element with an equivalent new element may involve technological innovations that are necessary maintenance and not improvement.
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La Régie du bâtiment du Québec a fait l'objet d'un rapport accablant, au début du moins de juin, par le Vérificateur général du Québec. Un des problèmes soulevés touche les licences, que cet organisme délivre à tous les travailleurs de la construction.
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Pour un syndicat, réaliser des travaux dans les parties privatives de son immeuble requiert le suivi d'un protocole, avant de pouvoir y accéder. Mais en revanche, tout copropriétaire doit se montrer coopératif, advenant que des travaux doivent être réalisés dans son condo, afin de préserver l'intégrité et la pérennité du bâtiment.
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Les travaux à faire dans une copropriété doivent être décidé par le CA, ou par l'assemblée des copropriétaires, en fonction de leur nature. Ne pas suivre cette règle pourrait entraîner des conséquences extrêmement fâcheuses.
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Les travaux à faire dans une copropriété peuvent être décidé par le conseil d'administration, alors que d'autres nécessitent un vote par l'assemblée des copropriétaires.
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Works for the alteration, enlargement or improvement of the common portions are subject to a special regime. On the one hand, such work must be the subject of a formal authorization from the meeting of co-owners, by the enhanced majority of article 1097 of the Civil Code of Quebec. On the other hand, this kind of work must be compatible with the destination of the immovable and not infringe the rights of the co-owners over their private portions. This strict framework is directly derived from the legal conception of divided co-ownership, namely: the building must, in principle, be maintained as it is. This is why, for work that goes beyond the simple maintenance or retrofitting to standards of the common portions of the building, it will require the approval of the meeting of co-owners.
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The desire to preserve the safety of people and property can lead both syndicates and co-owners to consider installing surveillance cameras in the building. For many, when a co-ownership faces repeated acts of vandalism or burglary, video surveillance appears to be the only solution, especially since the decrease in the cost of installations and technical progress facilitate its access. However, the question of the legality of such facilities raises several debates in co-ownership. It should be noted that surveillance cameras are used in many buildings, although they do not please everyone, including the occupants of the building who claim the right to privacy.
However, are surveillance cameras in a co-ownership legal? And if so, is there a procedure to follow?
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As in common portions, work can be carried out in common portions for restricted use, such as building a terrace upon which a co-owner would have exclusive use or transforming a balcony into an additional room attached to an apartment. If such cases, the co-owners must keep in mind that article 1063 of the Civil Code of Québec governs the use they can make of the common portions for restricted use. This article stipulates that: "Each co-owner has the disposal of his fraction; he has free use and enjoyment of his private portion and the common portions, provided he complies with the by-laws of the immovable and does not impair the rights of the other co-owners or the destination of the immovable. "
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The work to be done in the common portions is subject to rules of which it is useful to know all the ins and outs. The syndicate of co-owners acts in this matter through its two bodies, the board of directors and the meeting of the co-owners. It is up to the board of directors to analyze the scope and budget of the work, and to organize, when required by law, a meeting of co-owners (annual meeting or special meeting.) which will aim to vote by majority the final decision. The majorities to be obtained in a vote will not necessarily be the same, depending on the type of work.
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The Meeting of the co-owners is one of the two decision-making bodies that governs a co-ownership.The major decisions that can potentially concern each member of the co-ownership are in principle taken in assembly. Whether for the work of alteration or improvement of the common portions, the election of the members of the board of directors or the meeting officers, it is up to the co-owners to decide. To ensure the proper functioning of the co-ownership, this body must act impartially in the interest of the community of co-owners and the preservation of the immovable. It must not adopt any decision with the intention to injure the co-owners or some of them or in contempt of their rights.
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The rules for voting in meeting of co-owners vary depending on the importance of the decision to be made. They require a complex calculations in order to determine whether a the required majority has been reached. To do so, you must make sure that the register of co-owners is up to date, and that the compilation of votes is done according to the relative value specific to each fraction. This reduces the risk of contestation of an adopted resolution. That said, some decisions have extremely important consequences for all co-owners so the requirements in terms of majorities are then higher. For this reason, the law essentially imposes four levels of majority: absolute, enhanced, double.
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