A Guide to Condo Etiquette

Common courtesy isn’t necessarily common knowledge

Messiness, unpleasant odours, loud music, generalized disregard for fellow residents—all of it can make a condominium an unpleasant place to live. But there are other matters of etiquette that may be less obvious to new condo dwellers.

Here are a few points to keep in mind so your condo stays an enriched and enjoyable place to live.

Noise is everyone’s problem

Despite best efforts to ensure noise doesn’t travel between suites, barking dogs, rambunctious kids, and loud music can usually be heard in the halls outside your door. Take care to ensure that if you’re hanging pictures or shelves, that drilling doesn’t occur after hours. Also, take it easy on your floors. Your downstairs neighbours will appreciate it.

Smokers be warned

Smoking in common stairwells is illegal and can land you a fine of several thousand dollars. When disposing of smokes outside, remember that flicking cigarette butts off balconies can not only burn holes in your neighbours’ patio furniture, but it’s a serious fire hazard. If caught, you’re also subject to a hefty fine. When you put out your smokes, make sure they’re out.

Mind your pets’ manners

We understand accidents happen, but if they happen in an elevator, stairwell, or common area, it’s still your responsibility. Please make sure you clean it up. Get your pets in the habit of relieving themselves in the designated spots rather than the planters right outside the entrance or the greenspace where kids play.

Also, make sure they’re leashed in the condo and on the condo property unless it’s a designated off-leash area. Even if they are perfectly well-behaved (and we know a lot of them are!) unleashed pets can make some of your neighbours uncomfortable.

Scents travel

We know your cooking probably smells wonderful, but some of your neighbours may be sensitive to it. If you’re deep frying, pan searing, stewing, or cooking strong smelling food, be mindful that the scents may waft into common spaces or adjacent units. Run your fan or, if the weather permits, open a window.

Take out the trash properly

Please follow your building’s rules for disposing of trash. That means sorting your recycling, flattening your boxes, and not leaving bags by the garbage chute. If it can’t go down the chute because it’ll shatter or it’s too big, take it down to the garbage room.

Treat the whole place like home, not just your suite

No piece of advice is a substitute for this. The condo’s common areas are an extension of your home and so it follows that the most pleasant condo communities are those where condo owners share a collective sense of pride.

In addition to respecting the points of etiquette above, consider investing $3 in an air freshener to leave by your floor’s garbage chute, for example. Extend basic kindnesses to your neighbours. Greet them in the hallways, offer to help them out if they’re struggling with groceries, give them a heads up if you’re doing renovations. Little gestures like this go a long way.

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