Member Update June 26, 2020
Share your experience — complete the WEBForms survey
We continue to focus on advocating for improvements to the Canadian Real Estate Association’s (CREA) new WEBForms platform.
With market activity picking up, we’re hearing more of your feedback on this national service.
To convey your experience and suggestions in a more accurate and comprehensive way, real estate boards across the province have partnered to conduct a WEBForms survey of BC REALTORS®.
Your input will give us deeper data to measure and document, in your own words, your views on the new WEBForms that we can share with CREA.
Click here to begin the survey.
Please take the time to share your feedback. The survey should take between 5-10 minutes to complete.
Stay current on the latest strata insurance and rental restrictions developments
Much is happening within the strata and rental markets.
Earlier this week, the provincial government introduced a bill to amend the Strata Property Act and Financial Institutions Act. The government wants to make the strata insurance industry more transparent, close depreciation report loopholes, and end referral fees paid to property managers, while giving strata councils more tools to deal with insurance.
These changes came after the BC Financial Services Authority’s (BCFSA) research, released last week, found that strata insurance premiums in BC have risen by approximately 40 per cent, with deductibles seeing triple digit increases over last year, according to the June 16th interim report.
These increases are having a widespread impact on BC – nearly one in three British Columbians live in a strata property.
Click here for more details on this issue.
The provincial government also announced plans this week to extend its rental supplement program and moratorium on rent increases, while relaxing some of the rules around the eviction ban.
The province will allow evictions for reasons other than unpaid rent, starting later this month. This will include the ability to evict tenants when taking possession of a home, subject to a notice period that'll be worked out in the legislature.
The province also stated the ban on rent increases will remain in effect. There’s no end date for the ban at this time.
Click here for more details on this issue.
Take in our latest virtual events on strata and rental issues
We’re delivering virtual events for members to gain more insight into these issues. Our latest event, Strata Insurance Update, attracted over 500 members and featured an expert panel with:
- Tony Gioventu of the Condominium Home Owners Association;
- Frank Chong of the BC Financial Services Authority;
- Rob de Pruis of the Western Insurance Bureau; and
- Danielle Russell of CapriCMW.
Watch a recording of the event here.
Registration opens next week for our next virtual event, Working with Landlords and Tenants, which happens Thursday, July 9 at 10 a.m.
This event features LandlordBC’s Director of Operations Hunter Boucher and LandlordBC’s Director of Member Engagement Kimberly Coates. You’ll learn more about selling and purchasing tenanted properties during the COVID-19 pandemic and get advice you can share with your clients.
Watch for the registration email in your inbox.
No change yet to Council, WorkSafeBC and your profession’s temporary recommendations on open houses
Our province entered Phase 3 of the provincial government's restart plan on Wednesday. While this is an encouraging sign of progress in the battle against COVID-19, the Real Estate Council of BC (Council), WorkSafeBC and your Board continue to recommend that REALTORS® not hold open houses for the time being.
To reiterate this, Council added a new banner to their website. You can read their statement here.
REBGV, along with BCREA, are in close contact with Council and the provincial government to determine the timing for relaxing this temporary recommendation.
We’ll communicate with you the moment this recommendation changes.
Risk to reputation
Beyond the issue of public safety, the reputation of our profession could be affected by members acting contrary to the advice of public health officials.
“We’re all judged by the actions of a few, as we learned to our dismay in 2016. Please, let’s not have a repeat performance,” said Ethics Guy® Kim Spencer.
Help support the Sheikh family in their hour of need
Last weekend, REBGV member and father of four Kashif Sheikh tragically lost his life while attempting to rescue his daughter after she slipped into a waterfall near Kelowna.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help raise funds to help his young family through this devastating time. Please give if you can.
We offer our sincere condolences to the Sheikh family.