THE MOST IMPORTANT
The best indicator of our performance is the feedback of our customers, have a look at what they say,
I am writing to recommend the services of Brookfield Residential Services Ltd.
I have been a resident of 551 The West Mall for 15 years and am currently serving as the President of the Board of Directors of York Condominium Corporation #26. I have served in various capacities on the Board for over 10 years and accordingly, have had the opportunity to experience various forms of Property Management.
When I first joined the Board YCC 26 had a privately employed Property Manager and while this may appear to provide a more economical solution it can definitely have its shortcomings. A Corporation has to be very confident in a private Manager’s abilities but also has to deal with their absence for vacations or illness. Eventually. YCC 26 determined it would be better served by securing the services of a professional Management Company.
YCC 26 researched a variety of companies and decided to hire Brookfield based on their record and a number of stellar references. As the largest Property management company in Canada, their experience and experience are their most valuable assets. We have utilized Brookfield’s vast knowledge of the industry on many occasions and have enjoyed the buying power that comes with having many Brookfield recommended major contractors to choose from. It is comforting to know that no matter what issue we face, we have Brookfield’s extensive stable of buildings to utilize as a resource to see how it may have been handled in the past. Combine this with their legal and financial assistance programs and an individual corporation can make more educated decisions that will positively impact the future of their building.
While Brookfield the company is the anchor, it still comes down to individual Property Managers and like any relationship this has to be developed and refined. We tried three different Property Managers before settling on our current PM, Bill Colucci, This is not to say that the three previous managers were not capable but every manager has their own style and that style has to mesh with a buildings’ Board of Directors unique requirements. This is where a company such as Brookfield truly shines as they have a large stable of qualified personnel and are willing to work with a Board to ensure that they have a good fit.
YCC 26 is over 40 years old and therefore obviously has different demands than a newer building. Mr. Colucci brings a wealth of experience which, coupled with Brookfield’s guidance, has managed to successfully guide our building through a tumultuous time. As an older building we recently had a number of issues to deal with. In the past five years, we have completed the following major projects: balcony slabs and railings, windows, balcony doors and garage and are currently working on major plumbing and elevator upgrade projects. Obviously, to undergo such large projects we have had to implement a long term Special Assessment, but we have also managed to sustain fair Condominium Fees while maintaining a balanced budget and a healthy Reserve Fund. This is again, in great part due to the support of Brookfield.
Condo Boards are made up of volunteers who do not necessarily have the applicable experience to deal with all of the various projects they are forced to handle. It is Brookfield’s experience that enables us to handle such projects with confidence. It is also comforting to know that when our PM is away for whatever reason we can be confident that we will be provided with a competent replacement for whatever length of time is required.
In closing, I would strongly recommend Brookfield Residential Services Ltd. to any Board who is seeking excellent Property Management services. Please advise if you have any further questions.
Sincerely.
Robert Uhrig
President, YCC 26
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Brookfield for sending us a Godsend named Alana Phelps as Property Manager for our building “The Riviera” on Queens Quay.W. When Alana first arrived to take over as Property Manager she had the difficult task of managing a new security staff hired around the same time. She also had to acquainte herself with the many contractors not to mention over 1000 residents living in our two towered building making sure everyone follows the rules, by-laws and declaration. I have tremendous faith in Alana’s management skills, as she is very knowledgeable and efficient in all aspects of the day-to-day operations of running a large corporation, which could be very challenging at times. Alana has definitely exceeded all expectations with her dedication, willingness and professionalism along with her time and energy as well. It takes a special kind of person with great customer service skills at handling the many difficult residents, as she remains calm and professional at all times which includes myself at times. Alana has demonstrated her dedication and takes pride in her work and is always willing to stay late some days to finish some extra work or meet with a concerned resident if needed. Alana has an open door policy to greet us with a warm hello and bright smile after a long day at work and always asks how our day was or will ask what is new if she doesn’t see you for a while with her welcoming ways. Alana is a source of inspiration as she is a great listener with very caring, compassionate ways to any sensitive concern including health matters and always offers words of encouragement and reassurance to lift up spirits and offers great advice with a positive approach. You could always count on Alana for her support when needed as she remembers the little things that matter and I feel that she goes above and beyond her job performance. When complex matters need to be addressed then Alana will take the time to explain in a clear and understanding manner for us to comprehend. Alana has good insight and experience in many aspects of being a Property Manager which she has demonstrated and I feel we are very fortunate and grateful to you and Brookfield for allowing us to have her work here to give us a safe wonderful place to call home.
In closing I would like to say Alana is our greatest asset and it is a pleasure and privilege to know her and I am proud to even call her a friend. Oh yes we would love to keep her forever. On a personal level please accept my sincere thank you for enriching our home environment.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Brookfield for sending us a Godsend named Lorraine Storey as Office Administrator for our building “The Riviera” on Queens Quay.W. Lorraine first started to cover for vacations etc. and has decided to stay and bless us with her dedication and professionalism. I find Lorraine to be very experienced and efficient dealing with the day-to-day operations of running a Property Management office. Lorraine will often stay late to finish up any little project that needs attention, which shows great willingness and dedication and takes pride in her position. Lorraine has great customer service skills and can handle the most difficult resident or complex situation that arises and she makes sure that all of us are obeying the rules, by-laws and declaration set out by the corporation. Lorraine talks very calmly and professionally and explains things to make a negative situation into a positive one, as she is a great problem solver. Lorraine is a very compassionate and caring individual and is always is very welcoming after a long day at work to listen to any concerns that arise. The “open door” policy that is there makes her a universal favourite and she will lift up any spirit with her bright smile and kind words. She gives reassurance and support when needed and goes above and beyond her job performance. I feel very fortunate and grateful to you and Brookfield for allowing us to have Lorraine work here to give us a safe wonderful place to call home.
In closing I would like to say Lorraine is our greatest asset to the management office and it is a pleasure and privilege to know her and even call her a friend. Oh yes we love to keep her forever. On a personal level please accept my sincere thank you for enriching our home environment.
Thank you.
Sandra Taylor Resident at TSCC 1536
Good Morning Murray and Micky,
Just a quick note on behalf of the MTCC XXXX board of directors.The budget process and content that you walked us through last night was impeccable. When we spoke with John Oakes in April about the possibility of Brookfield coming to manage our home, we talked about importance, to the board, of restoring confidence, particularly in the area of financial management.
Prior to Brookfield’s engagement, the board had to run a shadow system to ensure, as much as possible, the integrity of our financial management and reporting. The board president was maintaining a separate spreadsheet for the general ledger. He was scanning and storing all invoices and cheques electronically and reconciling them with the statements and his spreadsheet. We spent innumerable hours analyzing individual account lines where there was missing information and/or incorrect postings. More recently, we received a higher than usual number of complaints from our contractors about not being paid and receiving no response when they called to enquire.
It was exhausting and demoralizing. As business professionals, we are used to and expect a higher standard and we felt as though, despite our best efforts, we were in the dark.Well, last night that standard of professionalism became a reality at 1 XXXX Park and the light shone in. The hard work that you and Micky Stanoi put into the detailed review of our contracts and accounts took the guesswork out of our budgeting. Everything was connected to a traceable, justifiable and measurable number. And most importantly to each of us on the board, you have virtually eliminated all the surprises and frustration associated the unplanned expenses (i.e., City waste levy) that plagued us this past year. We know how much effort went into what you presented and reviewed with us last night. We want to express our gratitude in the best way we know how, which is to say, for the first time “we can defend our budget with confidence”. Well done and thank you.And this is in addition to the great work that has been done on the building over the past month to get everything in shape. Micky, you are amazing.
President
on behalf of the MTCC XXXX Board of Directors
As a Board we collectively agree that both Teresa and Brookfield are effective in their respective role as property manager and property management firm.
We are very pleased to date with Teresa's performance. She is diligent and has a demonstrated pride in her performance as an employee. The residents of the building have taken well to her. We especially want to take note of Teresa's ability to handle difficult situations. She maintained her composure and attended to the matter in a professional and effective manner. Teresa's continued vigilance and efforts to work with the cleaners, has led to a noted improvement in the appearance of our building. The position of property manager is fairly demanding and requires a great deal of patience. Teresa's interpersonal skills and professional demeanour has allowed her to address her job responsibilities effectively while keeping a friendly and welcoming outlook. It is always a pleasure interacting with Teresa.
We are equally pleased with Brookfield as a firm. Their depth and established protocols have been beneficial to the operation of our corporation.
Kings Court Board
Brookfield Residential Services Ltd. has been the management company of our building, Halton Condominium Corporation 396 for the past two years. The corporation is extremely pleased with the professional way the building is being managed. Brookfield Residential Services Ltd. is a very well organized company from Head Office to the individual managers of each site and we feel very pleased to have the managed our building.
President, HCC 396
Over the past several years our condominium has been managed by Brookfield. We have found the company flexible and responsive to our special concerns. Its size enables it to negotiate advantageous procurement discounts and make itself and the concerns of its condominiums heard in the political sphere.
It is, however, the individual manager that in the end counts. In our case, the Brookfield staff has been proactive and taken an interest in the neighbourhood to promote the lifestyle of our residents. The sharing of experience and knowledge among the Brookfield family has also been of benefit in achieving well-managed facility at minimum cost.
President, MTCC 1165
During my time on the Board of Directors, serving both as a Director and President, Brookfield Management Services has provided guidance, direction and solid dependable expertise to our corporation, MTCC 1231. Brookfield and specifically Leo Alvarez, our property manager, has clearly demonstrated, time and time again, that he can operate under pressure and deal promptly and efficiently with any emergency. Mr. Alvarez has gone above and beyond his scope of work by willingly contributing much time and effort to our corporation. Brookfield continues to manage our corporation in an exceedingly professional manner and is, in my opinion, the essence of the definition of professionalism, reliability, honesty and integrity.
President, MTCC 1231
We are writing in regards to our satisfaction with the current Management Company in our facility. We have been a client of Brookfield Residential Services for 10 years and are pleased to say that through this time we have found Brookfield to be a reliable, flexible and a knowledgeable company. They represent a strong and professional presence in which our Owners and Residents find to be reassuring and have great confidence in Andrew, Laura and Crystal. The Management is found to be responsive, reliable and adaptable to not only the needs of the Board of Directors but also the Residents/Owners. Our realistic needs are adhered to and taken care of in a professional and timely manner."
President, MTCC 1039
On behalf of the MTCC989 BOD and the unit owners I would like to thank you for a smooth, well prepared and organized AGM. This was the best AGM we have had in recent memory. These words and sentiments are shared and repeated by many unit owners since our AGM. Rudy, a very special thank goes to you for doing an outstanding job of chairing the meeting. Yasmeen, thank you for debriefing Rudy and stepping in with well prepared Q/A answers and points of information. Both of you impressed everyone in the room. Warm Regards,
President, MTCC 989
I am contacting to say “Thank You” on behalf of the Board of Directors and the Owners for attending our AGM in May. Your presence and advice at the meeting is appreciated. Also another “Thank You” for initiating a Hydro Agreement that would have saved our Corporation and others that are with Brookfield a considerable amount of funds had the Provincial Government not capped the hydro rate…
President, The Regatta
Just wanted to drop you a short note to express our sincere thanks for your continued support and help over the last year. We appreciate your attendance and advice at our recent Annual General Meeting. Further I would be remiss in not mentioning the many other occasions that the Board has called upon you for some expert advice and on number occasions your advice has helped us as a Board make our deliberations on major issues somewhat easier…Brookfield has an excellent team…and we hope to have many more years of a harmonious relationship…
President, Bronte Harbour Club
I have been following closely your correspondence and lobbying of the Provincial Government concerning submetering as it relates to condominiums. I can recall attending a CCI course with sub-metering as a topic and leaving the session suspicious that it was a bad option for my building. As described in your most recent letter of Aug 7 2007, my condominium falls in the category of those unable to achieve enough energy savings to recover the administration costs of a sub-meter program. Therefore I am truly grateful that ACMO/CCI and Brookfield have maintained a strong position on this issue and provided our board with the ability to evaluate the cost benefit scenario and reach a decision free of legislated bias. As I'm sure you know, we are pursing an aggressive energy conservation program, which will produce significant savings.
President, Parkway Place
I just wanted to comment on how impressed I have been by the dedication and caring shown by our Property Manager for our well-being over the past many hours during the “Power Failure”.
I saw her making ‘rounds’ outside, with a borrowed flashlight at 11:30 p.m. on Thursday evening. She slept over in one of the guest suites. She handled the situation remarkably; having no toiletries or food here. She has been there to make announcements to reassure the residents and to offer guidance to the. She has been all over the building; in the Mechanical Room, in the garage, in the pool area and on the grounds, etc. She came to work Thursday and did not leave the building until well after 6:00 p.m. Friday.
Owner
I want to take this opportunity to praise your dedication and hard work in maintaining a first class property. I realize it is not an easy task for the committee and the property management to work together to maintain such a high quality of service and living condition, but you have done so flawlessly! In my opinion, the committee along with the property management team has created a very secure, comfortable and enjoyable place to live!
Owner
My congratulations and compliments to the Board directors and Brookfield on the marked improvements I've seen in the short 4 months that Brookfield took over property management. The improvements I've seen include: a newsletter of what's going on and what's happening in the building, Property Manager and her staff are always available, reported problems are acted on and taken care of, the corridor areas, stairwells, garage and locker room are cleaned and vacuumed regularly, the building looks and feels cleaner day in and day out, emergency contact numbers are posted in the elevators should the residents require help, light bulbs are replaced promptly and finally this year the budget was well presented and put together. All the expenditures items were comparable, that is, apple to apple, over the same accounting period, unlike last year. The budget breakdown items were the most numerous and complete I've seen. There was nothing in the budget that wasn't accounted for.
Owner
My family has greatly benefited from the services rendered by your staff at the site. In particlular, I would like to acknowledge the excellent property management services provided by the manager, the effiicent administration services provide by the Administrator and the unfailing superintenent services provided by the super. I have been to many condo facilities and witnessed poor or sub-standard services at these locations. Nothing can be compared with what I see and enjoy in our condo building. Please convey my heart-felt appreciation to these abvoe-mentioned employees for their wonderful services.
Owner |