FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
General
Why choose Dorset Realty?
Dorset Realty Group brings decades of experience and a commitment to excellence in strata, residential, and commercial property management, along with leasing and sales services, and education facility management. We prioritize personalized service, proactive maintenance, and effective communication to ensure the highest satisfaction for property owners and residents alike.
How do I make a Move-in or Move-out booking?
To make a move booking, please email your property manager, and they will be able to check the availability for you. Prior to booking the move, please review your building bylaws and rules.
What are your office address and opening hours?
Our office address is #230 – 10451 Shellbridge Way, Richmond BC, V6X 2W8. We are open Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM (except statutory holidays).
I have reached out to the Property Manager but haven’t got any responses, can someone help me with the issue?
The best way to contact your Property Manager is through email. If you haven’t already sent them an email, please email them. If you have already emailed them but haven’t received a response, please send a follow-up email to them.
What if I want to drop off some documents or cheques to your office after hours?
Please mail them to our office address #230 – 10451 Shellbridge Way, Richmond BC, V6X 2W8.
I mailed cheques to your office, could you confirm if you have received them?
Please contact the Accounts Receivable of your property. If you are unsure who’s in charge of your property, please call our office at 604-270-1711 or email general@dorsetrealty.com.
I want to update the owner’s information such as phone number/email address.
Please email your Property Manager directly with your new information.
Can I have the personal phone number of the Property Managers?
Unfortunately, we do not give out Property Managers’ personal phone numbers. Please email them directly or call our office at 604-270-1711 and reach them by their extension number.
Do you accept cash?
We do accept cash; however, we do not provide change. Please ensure you provide the exact amount for payment.
Do I get a receipt if I drop a cheque at your office?
Unfortunately, we do not issue receipts for checks.
Alternatively, you could take a photo when you drop the checks off at our office for your personal record, or you could photocopy a copy and bring it with you to the office. Our reception can then stamp and date it for you.
Calls from the Telus Security company or other Security companies to report the fire alarm or other alarm signal is on.
Please obtain the details and report them to your property manager.
I am interested in your job opening; how can I apply for it?
Please send your resume to careers@dorsetrealty.com.
How do I locate my building Strata Plan?
Please visit BC Assessment (https://www.bcassessment.ca/) to find your strata plan. Enter your address in the ‘Find your property assessment’ section, then scroll down to ‘Legal description and parcel ID’ to locate a combination of three letters and two to four numbers (e.g., BCS 0000 / EPS 0000 / NWS 0000 / VR 0000).
How are after office hours emergency handled?
We have an after-hours service that handles emergency calls. Please call 604-270-1711 for assistance after hours.
What insurance do I need?
Owner – Occupied
As a homeowner, having “Home Insurance” is required.
Residential Rental Properties – Landlords
In addition to your “Home Insurance”, a “Rental Property Insurance” is recommended.
Residential Rental Properties – Tenants
As a tenant, having “Tenant Insurance” is recommended.
Commercial – Landlords
As a landlord of a commercial property, having “Commercial General Liability Insurance” and “Commercial Property Insurance” is recommended.
Commercial – Tenants
As a tenant of a commercial property, it is recommended to have “Commercial General Liability Insurance” and “Commercial Property Insurance.” Depending on the type of business, additional insurance may be required. For businesses involving transportation or regular vehicle usage to and from the property, Commercial Landlords may request Commercial tenants to list them as additional insured parties under “Commercial Auto Insurance.”
I would like to enquire about my rent/strata fees/maintenance fees/outstanding balance/PAD set up.
Please contact the Accounts Receivable of your property. If you are unsure who’s in charge of your property, please call our office at 604-270-1711 or send an email to general@dorsetrealty.com.
RentCafé
What is the RentCafé portal?
RentCafé is a portal where you can obtain important documents, including meeting minutes, strata insurance, strata rules and bylaws, and view your strata fees and any outstanding amounts.
Please note that not all properties under Dorset’s management have access to RentCafé. If you are unsure, please contact your Property Manager or call our office at 604-270-1711 or email general@dorsetrealty.com.
How could I register for the RentCafé portal?
Please call our office at 604-270-1711 or email general@dorsetrealty.com and provide your property address and the email address you would like to use for registration.
I need some assistance as I am encountering some problems with the RentCafé portal.
Please email general@dorsetrealty.com with your property address and screenshots of the issue.
Why didn’t I receive any notifications from RentCafé?
There is a great chance you turned off the email notifications for your account. Please log into your portal account and turn on the email notifications. You may also call our office at 604-270-1711 or email general@dorsetrealty.com and ask our staff to confirm that you are on the email audience list.
Can I register on the RentCafé portal with more than one email address? / Can I receive notifications on more than one email address?
Unfortunately, only one email address could be used to register for the RentCafé portal.
There is more than one owner for our unit, can we all sign up for the RentCafé portal?
Unfortunately, only one account can be set up per unit.
How does the RentCafé portal work if I own more than one unit?
You may register different units using different email addresses. Alternatively, if you choose to register multiple units with the same email address, you will log into all portal accounts using the same login credentials (email address and password).
Residential and Commercial Strata Properties
How do I report a noise complaint and what happens next?
Please email your building manager, concierge, or caretaker with your unit number and contact information, along with details about the unit responsible for the noise (if known), the date of the incident, and any relevant information. If on-site staff is not available or if the issue is recurrent, kindly email your property manager. Your property manager will draft a bylaw violation notice to be sent to the residents responsible for the noise, requesting a response within 21 days.
How do I pay my monthly strata fee?
Owners have the option to pay their monthly strata fee via Pre-Authorized Debit Payment, by Cheque, or in Cash.
Pre-Authorized Debit Payment Option
Please fill out and return the attached ‘PRE-AUTHORIZED DEBIT (PAD) AGREEMENT – STRATA FEE‘ form.
Cheque Option
Cheque payments must be mailed or dropped off at our office.
Please make the cheque payable to “Dorset Realty Group ITF [Building code], [Building name]”.
To find out your Building code, please email your designated property manager.
On the memo line of your cheque, please ensure to include your full address and specify what the cheque is for (e.g., Unit #230 – 10451 Shellbridge Way, Richmond, B.C. V6X 2W8 – January 2024 Strata Fee).
Cash Option
Cash payments must be made in person at our office.
Please ensure you provide the exact amount, as we do not give change.
I want to request a new fob/keys.
Please contact our Property Manager directly with your property information such as address, unit, name and how many fobs/keys you need.
What happens next when I submit a maintenance request?
When maintenance requests are reported for the common area, the property manager will gather several quotes and present them to the strata council during their next meeting. In the case of maintenance required within a unit, it is the responsibility of the owner (or the rental agent) or tenant to arrange for repairs, unless the building is still covered under Home Warranty Insurance, in which case such issues should be reported directly to the developer. For more information about whether your building is still covered under Home Warranty Insurance, please visit https://www.bchousing.org/licensing-consumer-services/new-homes/home-warranty-insurance-new-homes.
Do I need approval to renovate my unit in a strata?
Yes, for any floor renovation and/or structural renovation, approval must be obtained from the Strata Council prior to the work commencing. Failure to obtain such approval may result in the owner incurring expenses to revert it back to its original state and/or may face possible bylaw fines.
What does the Strata Corporation’s Insurance Policy cover?
The policy covers the buildings common facilities and any insurable improvements owned by the Strata Corporation to their replacement value against fire and against other perils as are usually the subject of insurance in respect of similar properties. Very often the Strata’s policy will also include liability coverage, errors and omissions coverage for Council and management, glass coverage for all units and common Property, flood, earthquake, and boiler and machinery insurance.
I received an account arrears letter and I have questions about my account.
Please contact the Accounts Receivable of your property. If you are unsure who’s in charge of your property, please call our office at 604-270-1711 or send an email to general@dorsetrealty.com.
I would like to access the meeting minutes/forms/insurance documents of our strata/property.
Please contact the Property Manager of your property. If you don’t have their contact details, please call our office at 604-270-1711 or email general@dorsetrealty.com.
I have ordered some forms on eStrataHub, but I haven’t received them yet.
Please check with the related Property Manager regarding the order status. If you are unsure who’s in charge of the property, please call our office at 604-270-1711 or email general@dorsetrealty.com.
Why did my strata fee increase?
Several factors may trigger a strata fee increase to ensure the strata corporation has enough funds to cover operating costs, future projects, and inflation.
Why is my strata fee higher than last month? / Why am I being charged more this month?
If there is a strata fee increase, owners will be responsible for paying any retroactive fees. These fees are calculated based on the fiscal year-end and the number of months needed to catch up. For example, if your strata corporation’s year-end is December 31st and it is currently March, you would need to pay the catch-up fees for January, February, and March. This fee is calculated by subtracting the old strata fee from the new one and multiplying the difference by the number of months needed to catch up.
What is a special levy for?
A special levy is intended to cover unexpected expenses or fund major repairs or improvements that are not covered by the regular strata fees.
Residential and Commercial Rental Properties
How do I pay my monthly rent?
Tenants have the option to pay their monthly rent via Direct Deposit (EFT), TenantPay (Online payment), or Cheques/postdated cheques.
When can I get my damage deposit back?
The landlord has 15 days upon receiving the tenant’s forwarding address to return the deposit(s). If damage is found during the inspection with both the landlord (or the rental agent) and tenant present, a written agreement must be signed regarding the deduction from the tenant damage deposit. For more details on the current regulations, please visit https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/residential-tenancies/ending-a-tenancy/returning-deposits.
Are there any vacancies for rent now?
To check for commercial vacancies, please click here: https://dorsetrealty.com/commercial/
To check for residential vacancies, please click here: https://dorsetrealty.com/residential/
Alternatively, you can call our office at 604-270-1711 or send an email to general@dorsetrealty.com and provide the property address you’re interested in. Your request will then be forwarded to the Property Manager.
I have a property for rent/lease.
Please send your inquiry details to general@dorsetrealty.com or submit a request on our website (https://dorsetrealty.com/request-proposal/).
How much is my parking fee?
Please email your designated property manager to determine your parking fee. If you are unsure who your property manager is, please email general@dorsetrealty.com including your full address.
Vendors
I am a vendor, where should I send my invoices to?
Please send invoices as pdf attachments to invoices@dorsetrealty.com. Please make sure that the invoice number, the invoice date and the correct service address are on the invoice.
I am a potential vendor who can provide services at some of your service locations. Who should I contact?
Please send an email to general@dorsetrealty.com.
I am a vendor and I have not yet received payment for an invoice. What is the current status of the payment?
Please call our office at 604-270-1711 or send an email to general@dorsetrealty.com and ask to be connected to our Accounts Payable department. Please provide your invoice number, vendor name and service address.
I am a vendor, how do I set up Direct Deposit (EFT)?
Please fill out and return the attached ‘DIRECT DEPOSIT (EFT) AUTHORIZATION FORM‘.
