FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
General
Why choose Dorset Realty?
Dorset Realty Group has decades of experience in strata, residential, and commercial property management, leasing, sales, and education facility management. We focus on personalized service, proactive maintenance, and clear communication to ensure the highest satisfaction for property owners and residents.
How do I make a Move-in or Move-out booking?
To book a move, please email your property manager to check availability. Before booking, make sure to review your building’s 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 by email. If you have emailed but haven’t received a response, please send a follow-up.
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?
We do not issue receipts for checks. You can take a photo of the check when you drop it off at our office for your records, or you can photocopy it and bring the copy with you. Our reception can 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?
You may have turned off email notifications for your account. Please log into your portal and enable them. You can also call our office at 604-270-1711 or email general@dorsetrealty.com to confirm that you’re 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 can register different units with different email addresses. If you register multiple units with the same email, you’ll use the same login credentials (email and password) for all accounts.
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, contact information, and details about the noise (including the unit responsible, if known) and the date of the incident. If on-site staff is unavailable or the issue is recurring, email your property manager. They will draft a bylaw violation notice to send 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?
For common area maintenance requests, the property manager will gather quotes and present them to the strata council at their next meeting. For maintenance within a unit, it’s the owner (or rental agent) or tenant’s responsibility to arrange repairs, unless the building is still under Home Warranty Insurance. In that case, report issues directly to the developer. For information on Home Warranty Insurance coverage, 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, you must get approval from the Strata Council before starting any floor or structural renovations. Failing to do so may result in costs to revert the changes and potential bylaw fines.
What does the Strata Corporation’s Insurance Policy cover?
The policy covers the common facilities and insurable improvements owned by the Strata Corporation at their replacement value against fire and other typical risks. It often includes liability coverage, errors and omissions coverage for the Council and management, glass coverage for all units and common property, as well as 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 must pay any retroactive fees. These fees are based on the fiscal year-end and the months needed to catch up. For example, if your year-end is December 31 and it’s currently March, you’ll need to pay catch-up fees for January, February, and March. To calculate the fee, subtract the old strata fee from the new one and multiply the difference by the number of months 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 after receiving the tenant’s forwarding address to return the deposit(s). If damage is found during the inspection with both the landlord (or rental agent) and tenant present, they must sign a written agreement about any deductions from the tenant’s damage deposit. For more details on 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‘.
