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| History |
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Over 40 years ago a small group of 14 apartment owners got together in a basement suite of one of the owners to discuss the issues affecting them as owners of rental property. It was at this meeting that the owners agreed they could only be successful at "promoting the interests and conserving the rights of apartment owners" if they acted jointly.
The society was registered in 1964 to meet that challenge. Our services now reach out to rental property owners and managers throughout BC.
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| Our
Operation |
We have a volunteer board of 15 directors who collectively have 200 years of experience in the rental housing industry. The office consists of six energetic staff: the Chief Operating Officer, the Member Services Coordinator, three Member Services Representatives, and an Office Assistant.
General membership meetings are held twice a year. The annual general meeting is held in March and the semi annual general meeting is held in October.
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| Who
Joins the Organization? |
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We have a roster of approximately 1,200 regular members who collectively own and manage 100,000 residential rental units throughout BC. Members that enjoy membership in our Association include owners and property managers with holdings ranging from one rental suite to those who own or manage thousands of suites.
Aside from regular members we also have associate members.
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Read through our benefits below, and if you'd like to know more about our membership categories, qualifications and dues, click here.
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Member assistance
Members tell us the most valuable part of membership is the assistance they receive from staff. Whether it is simply an exchange of information, an explanation of rights and responsibilities under the Act or help with procedures - this is truly a great benefit.
Tenancy forms & supplies
Members have exclusive use of our professionally drafted tenancy applications, agreements and condition inspection reports. We have vacancy signs, receipt books and copies of the Residential Tenancy Act, Regulations and Policy Guidelines. Approximately 30 types of forms are available to help make your job easier.
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The
Apartment Investor |
The
power of information
The Apartment Investor magazine is our means of communicating to our members. It's a quarterly publication packed with everything you need to know to stay up-to-date, including:
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Legislative
changes affecting the rental industry |
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Notices of important
meetings and events |
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Helpful hints
for effective property administration, management and sales |
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Informative
industry articles |
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Vacancy and
rental rates |
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Case studies from dispute resolutions to help you understand how the process works and how decisions are made |
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Survey results
which help you make business decisions |
We also inform our members through regular newsletters, email and fax broadcasts to keep everyone up-to-date on industry related news.
Government lobbying
This is our most important benefit - lobbying for our members with one strong, well-respected voice. BCAOMA develops and maintains key relationships and monitors municipal and provincial government officials who are critical in ensuring the success of the rental housing industry. BCAOMA is recognized as the largest provincial association that advocates for rental property owners in BC.
Through our active involvement in the Canadian Federation of Apartment Associations (CFAA), we have input into issues facing rental property owners at the federal level. Our membership with the CFAA also provides support to our provincial and municipal lobbying efforts as we draw from the experiences and models of other provinces in their dealings with similar issues.
Media relations
BCAOMA networks with key media contacts to ensure that the perspective of the rental property owners is presented fairly and accurately.
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Education
We host industry related meetings and seminars on a regular basis. We focus on important topics to assist you in making important decisions to secure a good return on your investment. Topics have included maintaining your property, attracting and keeping good tenants and understanding the provincial and municipal laws around apartment ownership.
VIP Rewards Program
We have over 150 approved trades and suppliers who support the BCAOMA and its members. By showing your VIP BCAOMA Membership Card, you can take advantage of significant discounts and added benefits exclusive to BCAOMA members. You also receive a Recommended Trades and Suppliers Handbook to provide you with service and contact information at your fingertips.
Group Gas Purchase Program
The BCAOMA Gas Purchase Program has been a very popular program for members over the last two years with close to 20 per cent enrolled. The program offers guaranteed fixed prices for members as an alternative to the variable rate members are paying on the Terasen bill. The added benefit is that it allows members to create more accurate budgets, as they know what their gas costs will be for the duration of the contract.
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Credit
Checks
The screening process for locating good tenants has become so important with the rise of marijuana grow operations and other problems in the community. BCAOMA, in partnership with TVS Tenant Verification Service Inc., provides a credit check service seven days a week which gives you valuable information on a prospective tenants complete credit history. Also included is information on outstanding debts to past owners provided from a delinquent tenant list. Click here to register online with TVS. Note: make certain to advise TVS of your BCAOMA membership number in order to receive a 50% discount.
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Advertise your vacancies
BCAOMA members benefit from discount offers to advertise vacancies with the largest, and most connected online rental databases in BC. These complete web-based rental listing services are designed to make it easier, and more cost effective for members to market their rental properties directly to prospective tenants, locally and abroad. Click here for the full details on advertising through BCAOMA partner sites!
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We offer the perfect opportunity for suppliers of goods and services to network with 1,200 potential clients within the rental industry. As an associate member you can attend and participate in trade shows and general meetings and you will have the opportunity to sponsor many of our events and publications throughout the year. Depending on your level of sponsorship, your organization will receive prominent recognition at each sponsored event.
Your company name will be listed in our Recommended Trades and Suppliers Handbook, our directory of associate members, which is distributed to our membership. You will also have an opportunity to offer VIP Rewards, provide educational articles for our publications, and to participate on the Associate Member Committee. Click here to find out about our membership categories, qualifications and dues.
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