Strata Management

FirstService Residential is Metro Vancouver's leading strata management company, proudly managing more than 56,000 units across the Lower Mainland. FirstService Residential BC has a combined history of more than 75 years serving strata properties across Metro Vancouver and BC's Interior, and is proudly Canadian-owned and operated.
Our team will help guide you through the complexities of strata properties by providing expert advice on everything from cost-sharing, easements, and air space parcels to sections, types, and new building warranty.
 
On average, our Strata Agents manage fewer buildings per manager compared to the industry. Our local team maintains the highest NPS customer satisfaction rating in North America amongst strata clients.
 
Every community that we serve is supported by a team of strata experts, in addition to your dedicated Strata Manager. This support team includes:

• Regional Directors to supervise operations;
• Full-time associates for Insurance & Risk Management;
• A dedicated Accountant to manage your financials;
• Specialists for new building warranties, cost-sharing and easement experts;
• Financial professionals to create exclusive banking and insurance options;
• Technology specialists to develop a custom web portal for your strata;
• 24/7 customer service representatives providing round the clock support;
• A New Projects Team to manage your onboarding as a new client, and more!

 
We serve buildings of all types and ages across Metro Vancouver, and we look forward to hearing from you. Our commitment to you is to make a difference each day to improve the value of your investment and your residents' lifestyle. Learn more about our strata management services below.
 
We care about the same things you do.
We care about your community's structural and aesthetic reputation because we know of the impact on your property values.
We'll make sure your community pool and fitness room are properly maintained, so you can enjoy your amenities!
We will prepare your budget and provide guidance when your council needs it.
We deliver the exceptional service you would expect from the nation's leading strata council management company, no matter what kind of community you live in.

Every community we serve is supported by a team of strata experts, in addition to your dedicated strata manager.

No matter your role in the neighbourhood you call home, you can count on FirstService Residential to be there when you need us. That's our promise to you.

Services We Offer

FirstService Residential provides a full-service solution to manage the unique needs of your community. Learn more about the services we offer:

• Strata Management
• New Development Services
• Property Services (i.e.: Caretaking, Janitorial, Concierge & Building Manager)
• Investor Unit Management
• Rental Apartment Management

At FirstService Residential, our job is simple: to make your life easier.  We provide the tools and resources to effectively manage your strata community. Our team will help guide you through the complexities of strata properties by providing expert advice on everything from cost sharing, easements, and air space Parcels, to sections, types, and new building warranties.
 
Additionally, we are proud to provide the following value-added services to every strata corporation we serve:


Financial Management Services
We want to help your neighbourhood strata council maintain its financial stability. Our team of accountants and financial experts is here to do just that. We’ll manage your budget, oversee payment of strata council fees and conduct financial reviews to give your strata council members peace of mind. In addition to a dedicated strata accountant, you also have access to teams of experts who work in accounts payable, accounts receivable and financial statements.

Technology at Your Fingertips
Let our FirstService Residential Connect™ software help you create an information hub for strata council members, homeowners and your management team. Our proprietary system allows your residents to access everything from strata council meeting minutes to maintenance work orders. Your strata council members will also appreciate being able to log in to FirstService Residential Connect™ from anywhere, using their smartphones or tablets.

Customer Care Centre
Our 24/7 Customer Care Centre tries to make sure everyone involved in your community comes away from their FirstService Residential experience with a smile. Our Customer Care Centre associates are trained to assist residents with any questions or issues they may have and strive for first call resolution.

Property Services
To better service residents, FirstService Residential is the only management company to now provide a full suite of property Services exclusively to the strata corporations we manage. This includes: building manager, caretaking, janitorial, and concierge services.

How do we do it?

Our strata services team includes experienced hospitality professionals, who have served at the world’s top hotels and resorts, including the Shangri La, Fairmont, Marriott & Delta Hotels, and other boutique hotels. Here’s how we make a difference:

• Professional Associates & Training – FirstService Residential hires, trains, and retains the industry’s top associates. Our in-house recruiters carefully select the right team members for the job. We provide associates with access to “FirstService University”, an exclusive online training portal that allows associates to receive training on everything from WorkSafeBC courses and Basic Security Training (BST), to fire panels and water shutoffs. With room for advancements and competitive compensation, we retain the right staff who will make a difference at your property. Our Strata Managers work with an average of 8.5 buildings per Strata Manager, compared to the industry average of 12 to 15. Our excellent customer service and depth of resources have resulted in 100% retention of all new clients. As part of our promise to deliver exceptional service, we invest in our associates' continual education and training, so you see less turnover and can build great relationships with your strata managers.

• Communication Performance – Our clients have found that having the site staff and Strata Manager on the same team is the most effective way of improving Communications. Your Strata Council and Strata Manager no longer have to rely on third parties to address building issues in a timely manner. Now, your building staff will be trained to serve residents while also identifying and addressing strata-related issues, such as emergencies and bylaw enforcement.

• Building Safety & Security – Your site staff act as the first point of contact in dealing with building emergencies, such as responding to leaks by accessing the building’s water shutoff.

• Standard Operating Procedures – Every property receives its own detailed manual of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The SOPs that we create help to create a consistent service offering from your site staff. They cover everything from the location of mechanical equipment and emergency response policies, to bylaw enforcement and professional conduct.

• Site Visits by Area Managers – Your sited associates are directly supervised by our experienced Area Managers. Your dedicated Area Manager will be on-site every several days to ensure daily tasks are being completed, and service expectations are being met. You will get to know you Area Manager who is available to assist you and collect feedback from your strata council to continually improve the service that we provide.

• Front Desk Services – For those stratas with concierge service, our team is experienced providing a host of services, including: receiving residents’ dry-cleaning, package-tracking, maintaining a “lost-and-found” box, providing information to residents about the neighbourhood and amenities, arranging amenity bookings, and performing additional “valet” type services requested by the strata corporation.

• Technology – Your site staff will be trained and ready to use FirstService Residential Connect™, the same proprietary software utilized by your strata council and Strata Manager in managing the property. Now your site staff will be able to input amenity bookings, track packages, and update owner information directly.

Strata Unit or House Rental Management

Savvy owners know they can safely put their home in our hands. Both international and Canadian investors rely on FirstService Residential to keep their rental properties occupied, well-maintained and producing income.

Our proven experience in rental management, in-depth knowledge of the western Canadian market, non-resident taxation and extensive range of professional services have made us leaders in our field. All FirstService Residential professionals are licensed and trained – and we will manage your property as we would our own.

• Tenants – FirstService Residential BC will ensure rentals are to quality tenants by having references verified, employment and credit checked. Leases negotiated, rents collected promptly and suites inspected upon move in/move out. We also represent owner in any arbitration or matters before the Residential Tenancy Branch.

• Advertising – Effective print and web advertising, market surveys, and marketing strategies.

• Financials – Prepare budgets, monthly reporting of income and expenses.

• Repairs and Maintenance – Obtain competitively priced repair and maintenance work through preferred contractor rates and bulk purchasing discounts.

• Insurance – Secure specially priced insurance package for condo units with a comprehensive coverage to protect your investment.

• Emergency Service –Provide 24-hour emergency contact and response service for all tenants.

• Optional Tax Preparation for Non-Resident Owners – FirstService Residential assists Non-Residents (NR) with meeting Canadian tax requirements. We act as an NR6 agent for tax remittance and can coordinate the preparation of annual tax returns.

• Holiday Suite Management – For owners who have purchased a unit for occasional business or personal use, or who are in the process of listing their units for sale, let us manage your short-term or holiday rental.

• Chinese-speaking staff – Our multilingual team will make you feel comfortable that you can communicate directly with our team.

Investor Unit Management

In addition to our strata management services, FirstService Residential BC offers a number of rental management and investor client services to assist in managing your real estate investment. Both Canadian and international investors rely on FirstService Residential BC Rental to keep their rental properties occupied, well-maintained and producing income.
 
We have the highest internal customer satisfaction rating in North America for rental management and investor client services. We provide investors with the same local expertise that we offer our strata corporation clients, but aimed at helping you get the most from your investment.
 
When you are ready to rent your property, we will inspect it to recommend repairs and improvements to boost its curb appeal and desirability to tenants. We will list it, find a qualified tenant, negotiate the lease, collect the rent and handle all of the maintenance and emergency issues that may come up. We will coordinate inspections to make sure that your property is being used lawfully. As an investor client, you have access to our dedicated professionals, including licensed rental management agents and accountants who will provide a monthly financial statement for the property. We will also ensure compliance with the Residential Tenancy Act, and all Canadian tax requirements, for both residents and non-residents. You didn’t invest in rental property to have work hard maintaining it! Let us handle the hard work so you can enjoy the benefits of owning it.
 

Developer Services

We are proud to work with many leading development professionals in British Columbia on purpose-built rental and Strata Corporation projects. We are a trusted resource that provides guidance and assists developers in creating bylaws tailored to their project, providing all management budgets, and advising on building staff (including managers and concierges). We will proactively work with your architects, surveyors, sales teams and attorneys to ensure they have the most current information and understand the impact on future operations. We are proud of our dedicated community development team that is solely focused on providing excellent pre-sale/pre-build information. We successfully onboard the new projects through our reliable start-up team, educating and facilitating warranty through our warranty team, managing risk and initial placement with our insurance team and finally, we ensure excellent communication between operations and your customer care team. We are the leader in new development and continue to raise our service level to provide unmatched service.