How to Choose a Property Manager in Ottawa: 10 Questions to Ask

1. What does the management fee include, and what costs extra?

Fees are usually a monthly percentage of the rent, sometimes with a separate fee for finding a tenant. Ask for every charge in writing: leasing, lease renewals, inspections, markups on repairs, attending a tribunal hearing and ending the contract. Compare the total cost over a year, not just the monthly rate.

2. How will you set the rent and advertise the property?

Ask which comparable homes they would use, where they advertise, who takes the photos and who shows the home. A rent set slightly too high can cost more in empty months than it gains.

3. How do you screen tenants?

Ask which checks they run: credit, employment and income, references from previous landlords. Also ask how they stay within Ontario's Human Rights Code, which limits the criteria a landlord can use.

4. How are repairs handled, and up to what amount without my approval?

Ask how tenants report problems, how quickly the company responds, and whether its contractors are licensed and insured. Agree on a spending limit for repairs the manager can approve without asking you, and how you will be asked for anything above it.

5. What happens in an emergency at night or on a weekend?

A burst pipe or a furnace failure in January cannot wait until Monday. Ask who answers and what they do.

6. When is rent paid to me, and what reports will I receive?

Ask how rent is collected, when it reaches your account, and for a sample monthly statement. A good statement shows rent received, every expense with its invoice, and the amount paid to you. An annual summary makes your tax return easier.

7. Do you know the rules in both provinces?

If you own in Gatineau or Chelsea as well as Ottawa, the company must know Quebec's rules, which differ on leases, deposits and rent increases. See our Quebec guide.

8. How do you handle the City of Ottawa's requirements?

Ottawa requires landlords to give tenants an information document, answer service requests within set times and keep records of them, and owners must file a Vacant Unit Tax declaration each year. Ask who does each of these.

9. Who represents me if there is a dispute?

Ask whether the company prepares notices and applications for the Landlord and Tenant Board or the Tribunal administratif du logement, who attends hearings, and what that costs.

10. How does the contract end?

Ask about the notice period, any fee for ending the contract, and what you receive at the end: the lease, deposit records, keys and the history of repairs.

Also check

• Reviews from owners and tenants, and references you can call.
• Who will be your contact person, and how they prefer to communicate.
• How many properties each manager looks after.

We are glad to answer each of these questions for your property. Contact us or read more about our services.