Are you a strata council member or strata management company trying to deal with a difficult strata owner? Perhaps you’ve sent out countless warning letters, but just aren’t getting anywhere?

Or maybe you’re an owner is a strata lot that just got nailed with a massive fine from the strata management company, and you’re not sure if it’s justified or not?

Maximum strata bylaw infraction fine

Well, the Strata Property Act allows for a maximum fine of $200 for the contravention of a bylaw, and $50 for the contravention of a rule. This fine can be issued no more than once every 7 days. This is assuming that your strata corporation has adopted these maximum fine bylaws. Typically, the standard bylaws only have fines of $50 for the contravention of a bylaw, and $10 for the contravention of a rule. Obviously, these tiny fines won’t hold too much weight these days.

There are a few exceptions to this, however.

Exceptions to the maximum $200 strata fine

1. There is a special exemption for rental restriction bylaws, allowing the strata corporation to levy a fine of $500 to a maximum of once every 7 days.

2. The strata corporation can fine owners up to $1000 for short-term rental bylaw infractions on a daily basis! This brand new amendment to the Strata Property Act is expected to come into full force this November 30, 2018.

How can the strata management company collect the fines?

It’s all well and good to fine an owner, but all too often the strata owner doesn’t feel that it’s necessary to pay his or her fines. Now what?

Here are the 4 ways that strata management companies can collect fines;

1. Suing the strata owner in court

2. Coming to a mutual agreement through arbitration

3. Taking the matter to the civil resolution tribunal

4. Refusing to produce a Form F: Certificate of Payment when the strata owner goes to sell his or her unit

Need some help enforcing fines, and tweaking your bylaws? Contact our strata management company to see how we can help!