themarc
Senior Member
Do they really enforce the September (heating)/May (A/C) deadlines or is it "just" a guideline for landlords and condo corps?
|
|
|
- Thread starter themarc
- Start date
doug
Active Member
The Toronto Bylaw office told me that they cannot enforce these bylaws in condos, because they are private property.
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
Rental apartments in Toronto must supply heat, by law, from September 15th to May 15th. I believe condos do too but they are not covered under the Landlord Tenant Act so I think a City of Toronto Building Inspector would have to investigate a complaint in a condominium.
James
Senior Member
According to the City of Toronto municipal code chapter 497 article I, the landlord must maintain the room temperature at 21-deg C between September 15th and June 1st of the following year. According to the code, it can be enforced.
Link to excerpt of the code from the City of Toronto's website: www.toronto.ca/legdocs/municode/1184_497.pdf
Link to excerpt of the code from the City of Toronto's website: www.toronto.ca/legdocs/municode/1184_497.pdf
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
Your right James, thank you & I stand corrected on the dates for delivery of heat in Toronto.
themarc
Senior Member
See I am fine with heat. My unit in RoCP2 didn't go below 75 degrees all winter AND WE LEFT THE HEAT OFF!
I can't wait for the AC to come on!
I can't wait for the AC to come on!
James
Senior Member
Would the units at Residences of College Park not use fan coil units which would have individually controlled thermostats with a manual switchover to A/C?
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
There are heat pumps in both the south and north tower suites so if your not getting cooling there's something wrong with the unit(s).
themarc
Senior Member
Can you clarify this - because they actually do announce when the A/C and Heat are being turned off/on each year.
The south tower has filter/coil maintenance scheduled for the last week of May grrrrr.
Maybe the upper floors that don't have balconies have the full on option - our A/C only ever works once the building has announced the change over.
We do have our own thermostat but even in the summer time sometimes the AC won't be as effective on a day to day basis (which is weird).
I think the whole design of the building makes it one great big heat sink IMO.
doug
Active Member
....or the building isn't supplying chilled coolant to the heat pumps yet.
themarc
Senior Member
I wouldn't think that all those systems were interconnected - I'm fantasizing that there is a secret switch in my unit that turns the cooling on. Hmmm...
Tuscani01
Senior Member
Just because they use a fan coil does not mean you can have AC whenever you want. If its a 2 pipe system, the building controls the AC and heat. Heat gets turned on in the fall, and AC in the spring. (Though some buildings do have a small electric heater built in that allows you to control heat a bit... though because it is electric, it will cost you more to operate than waiting for the building to switch to heat) You have control of the temperature in your unit, but only up until the point where the seasons begin to cross. At that point, you have to control the temperature by opening windows.
A 4 pipe system allows you to control both heating and AC on your own, however many condo's only have 2 pipe systems. (Quantum, The Met, Luna Vista among 3 of the buildings I have lived in that work this way)
A 4 pipe system allows you to control both heating and AC on your own, however many condo's only have 2 pipe systems. (Quantum, The Met, Luna Vista among 3 of the buildings I have lived in that work this way)
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
Thanks for the clarification on that Tuscani01, I thought a heat pump was a heat pump!
It's all somewhat misleading when suites are advertised with "Individual climate control of centralized heating and air-conditioning in each suite provides for residents' personal comfort year-round" (that's a quote from The Residences of College Park phase 1 & 2), especially with so many buildings going with floor to ceiling windows. Those facing south and/or east/west in the spring and fall when the A/C is off can't be happy campers - or worse, a den or sunroom in between a bedroom or living room that makes it even harder to circulate air without being able to control the temperature in the unit year 'round.
It's all somewhat misleading when suites are advertised with "Individual climate control of centralized heating and air-conditioning in each suite provides for residents' personal comfort year-round" (that's a quote from The Residences of College Park phase 1 & 2), especially with so many buildings going with floor to ceiling windows. Those facing south and/or east/west in the spring and fall when the A/C is off can't be happy campers - or worse, a den or sunroom in between a bedroom or living room that makes it even harder to circulate air without being able to control the temperature in the unit year 'round.
Tuscani01
Senior Member
Definitely is misleading, and its something that almost nobody looks into when buying a unit. (I know I didn't, and many people here in CityPlace complain about it too) Luckily though, property management is pretty good here at Luna and has been turning the heat on at the perfect time, and the AC on at just the right time. (AC just came on today!)
Luckily the NDP have introduced a new bill with more protection for condo buyers that will ensure that developers provide exactly what they tell you that you will be getting. Hopefully the bill passes this time. (Its the 4th time it has been introduce, it made it past second reading yesterday!)
Last edited:
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
I read about that in the Star last week, hopefully it gets through, condo owners need much better protections.
I live in a building built in 1973 and I have year-round climate control! I have 2 units (one serves the living room and a bedroom, the other serves the master bedroom) that are built in which provide heat or A/C year-round. I like it dark, cool and quiet when I sleep so I can't open a window (with Jarvis Street below) so I've had the A/C on in my bedroom at night probably a dozen times already. I had the exact same units when I lived in the Plaza II apartments at Yonge & Bloor (like this building, it was also built by Bramalea Ltd.) and I know that the Manulife apartments have these units too. They are electric units so presumably they aren't great on electricity, but my hydro is grandfathered so thankfully it's included in my rent.