FirstService Residential BC Review

Me and my partner have been living in a building where Jose is managing. Since we first met Jose, he welcome us in with an open heart and lots of joy. That s the energy Jose has. He s always helping us with any issue we might have and he has done such a great job managing this building, which is not a easy task. We ll always be grateful. Thanks Jose

One star? That s such a good rating.
Bought a commercial space run by this company in Richmond, and noticed the A/C(cooling fans) is down after we rent it out. Our tenants ask for help, all they get is Ignores. So we had to call in, and the manager, Francois Beauchemin was very nice by telling us to READ THE BYLAWS repeatedly, and says he is the STRATA MANAGER NOT BUILDING MANAGER, IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG YOU FIX IT, ITS ON YOU. What a nice guy when you ask for help. I wonder, if a manger in the building can t provide you any sort of help, just keep telling you read BYLAWS and avoid any involvement, why we still needs him in the building? What is first service? I will spend some time to read the bylaws even though I think you ain t worth a dime. If I find something related to your service. Guess I will see you in court Francois-who-wouldn t-spend-anytime-to-investigate-his-work related- Properties

Rafael is professional and detailed oriented. He response to any queries in timely manner. We are lucky to have Rafael as our building manager. We are 100% satisfied with the quality service he provided.

Always a good experience with FirstService. Excellent customer service.

I like the fact that I can see my unit account balance anytime just by registering with their Connect system. I haven't seen that feature in any other management companies. Overall good experience.

FirstService Residential has done a really good job with managing the building where I live. I've had only positive experiences. In particular, I've been impressed with my building manager Dawson Costa. He is incredibly quick to respond to service requests, is a clear communicator, and really effective at his job.

Our building manager, Rafael Ramos, is outstanding! He's incredibly responsive, friendly, and respectful. He really goes above and beyond to make sure the needs of the residents are taken care of, no matter how big or small the issue is.

Our Building Manager Rafael Ramos has always been great to us! He is very responsive on all our emails and concerns. And always very polite and welcoming when we see him around the building! Hope he is our building manager for along time!

My experiences with the Building Manager Rafael Ramos at The Gardens has been nothing but wonderful. He is a diligent man who is committed to his work. I look forward to seeing more of him for the years to come.

I like the way Rafael Ramos is taking care of the complex, he is always courteous and willing to help the residents. - Thank you Firstservice.

FirstService Residential wrote my billing address wrong.
I set up pre-approved payment plan and have been paying every month.
There was a payment before the first month but they could not reach me since they wrote my address wrong, its supposed to be 14th ave, not 41st ave.
After 3 months of undeliverable mail, the strata manager, Francois Beauchemin decides to call and let me know. After they change my address, I receive the first successfully delivered statement, and to my surprise, 2 months of late fine fees.

I reached out to Francois, explaining to him that it's their mistake to write down my address wrong and couldn't successfully send me a statement. He replied and told me it's my responsibility to make sure that THEY have the RIGHT address.
I reply so it's my fault that you guys wrote my address wrong.
He replies that them writing down my address wrong is irrelevant to the fact that it's my duty to pay my fees by the first of every month even though it's obvious every month was paid on the first after that because I set up pre approved.
Don't think it'll make a difference having a Strata Manager or not with this company, all this company wants to do is take your money and when they see an opportunity to take more if they can keep quiet, they will instead of doing their job.

Follow up: Thanks for your apology. I've emailed your address. I'd rather not call, as it's a waste of time so far TBH and be sent to run in circles. Don't need your explanation, just assist instead. We'll see where this goes.

Follow up #2: As expected so far, waste of time. I emailed Max and took my time to write a long email to explain to him what happened. No help after being responded that someone will look into it. Maybe these fake generic helpful responses here to bad google reviews are just a front to show that they have people working on your problems.

Worst residential/property management ever.
You will get a call back (and that's if you ever get one) from the manager/staff after calling them about five times.
I don't know why our building uses this management.

Since Faye and Guy have taken over managing the building in the last several months it feels like home again! Things that had been ignored for years are now being attended to. We no longer see garbage lingering on the stairs for days. The laundry room is now clean enough to actually do laundry in. Notices are promptly posted when there is anything that residents need to know about. Faye responds promptly to any communications. There are no more random strangers AirBNB-ing other people's apartments. I can hardly believe it is the same building. These two know how to think big picture and make good decisions that will preserve the value of the owners' investment while also keeping it as a great place to live for residents. You can do both and these two are in the process of proving it. Thanks Faye and Guy for all you do!

Jose is a great building manager... he's kind, attentive, and always quick to respond. You can count on him to keeps the building in immaculate shape (and always decked out in seasonally-appropriate decorations). He makes the place feels more like a home, and not just another dank, depressing, and overpriced Vancouver apartment.

At the request of tenants who do not use the Internet, I express their sincere gratitude to First Service Residential and the Building Manager for professional management and the creation of a favorable happy residence.

Rafael maintain the Gym nicely. During covid time he keeps things clean. Good environment. Good place to live.

Not impressed with recording keeping (accounting). Organization is getting too big to be almost a monopoly in the strata market.

I have lived at there property on Oxford street for a year now , my building manager Andrea Markham has always been very helpful to me and dealt with any maintenance needed . Overall it s been a good year .

My partner and I have lived in our Vancouver West End apartment for almost 3 years now. Jose our property manager has been the most wonderful presence in the building since the very beginning. He was so welcoming when we first arrived, and very helpful with all of our questions and concerns. We love his commitment to the holidays and the decorations he puts up in the lobby, and our building is kept clean and safe, always. We love running into him while he s here in our building so that we can catch up with him, and he has made living in our building such a great place to be. He even planted a rose bush gifted to my partner and I in the garden just outside our window where we could see it!! He is so thoughtful and great at what he does.

FirstService Residential has provided our building with excellent, highly efficient, and welcoming concierges. On evenings and weekends, I feel safe knowing that our building is staffed with 24/7 concierges who care about the building just as much as the owners do.

I've rented from FS for 6 years now and I'm very happy with the company. From the person to show you the suites available to rent (Sheldon is so friendly and personable), to the office staff, and then my wonderful building manager Jose V! He's at the building regularly, keeping it clean, cared for and on top of maintenance. He takes time to get to know the tenants so it helps create a cohesive, happy living space. And always with a smile!

I have lived in West End appartement for more than ten years with FirstService Residencials management. Jose is my property manager. He is one of the best manager I ever have. He cleans and vacuums our apartment weekly and daily. He decorates entrance seasonally and treat us with candies for Halloween!! Whenever I need some help and repair in the unit, he responses me quickly and fixes issues and helps me out. I feel living in his appartient safe and comfortable. I really appreciate his personal touch for this appartement.

FirstService management at the place I currently live is much better than my previous place (forgot the name already). The mangers at FirstService are response quick and helpful, solves my problem within hours. Thank you Ricky, nicest manager I know of.

He is to good at his work very kind person so friendly man and hard working person
Mr. Rafael Ramos is amazing person
Very good management well experienced
Keep it up Rafael

Lived in a building they have building manager and cleaning team there. Very well managed and trained. Already considering moving back to the building managed by them.

A well managed and maintained building with proactive maintenance.
Good community vibe in the building.
Would be good to have card activated laundry machines in the future.

The WORST property management company in the lower mainland. How could all these negative reviews lie? Response times are horrible. Our property manager Markus Schmidt is useless.

I appreciate the quick and professional follow up by the Senior Strata Management.

Very impressive.

Friendly service and on-time response for strata owner's request.

I am the outgoing President of BCS1180 and was previously Treasurer. I have dealt with FSR (specifically Francois Beauchemin) for over 4 years now and have always found him and his colleagues to be well prepared, prompt, professional and congenial. Our building has recently had many interesting challenges and opportunities but Francois and FSR have always been there to help and guide us. We continue to be a well run strata and I am thankful for their role in this. Tnx CBG

An excellent company to work with! Had a great experience working with Kris and others within the management team. Keep up the good work!

My partner and I are quite pleased with First Service Residential. Big thanks to out building managers Ilia and Anila for doing a great job and being very responsive and helpful.

Excellent, I have rented my apartment from this company, they have always helped, they have solved everything quickly, I am very happy with the service of the company, good price, good staff, good house, great everything, just I wish the old cabinets of the apartment were replaced for us, the old cabinets are very old. I would like to thank "Jay Cho" in particular, he is very kind and helpful.

Mission View Estates...excellent management by Leah.Living here since last year ...no problems at all.Leah and the management is so cooperating.

Working directly with this Property Management, they show are great sense of customer service and attention to detail. They are very professional and well mannered. Only good things to say about working with them.

Our building manger Haider really gets the job done. This place would burn to the ground without him.

Chris Gronning is very personable and does his best to solve problems as soon as possible.

Rafael the Building Manager is more than welcoming! So responsive when I inquired move in details, fast in booking elevator etc. Loved him and my new home!

Hello, I don't know about the tab Good value as i don't see the bill lol.
However good quality, professional and responsive yes to all that, thank you First Service, thank you Rafael and thank you Richard.

Elena at Malaspina Manor ensures our building is well maintained and is quick to respond to any queries or issues, she is very helpful and friendly

Excellent work. Rafael Ramos our building manager is a hard-working man that goes above and beyond for his job and I look forward to having him around as our building manager for many years to come.

I m living in this building for over 7 years and so happy with the management and everything! Hard worker specially Dear Sheldon and Dear Wayne who are the best and take care of everything in this building! Thanks a lot and wish the best !!

They keep getting more business and managing more buildings! Good for them! They also keep their expenses low by apparently not hiring more staff to account for the increased workload! Good for their bottom line!

What can you expect as a client or a professional trying to work with them?

1. A solely e-mail based relationship with 24-48 response turn around time;
2. Phone numbers that are there purely for show -- no one will answer and no one will respond to voice mails; and
3. An overall terrible experience.

If this sounds like your kind of company, go right for it!

Emails are addressed promptly for the most part. Sharlene Brunuro (manager of the company) REFUSES to answer any of my emails and I have sent two now regarding my parking stall of my condominium. I don't appreciate that.

FSR - TOTALLY USELESS! THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THEY WORK FOR THE OWNERS OF THE STRATA CORPORATION - An American Company who bought two of the largest Vancouver condo managers: Crosby & Vancouver Condominium Services, and haven't got a clue about strata corporations in Canada and know nothing about the Strata Property Act. When asked to outline their role within the strata corporation at an AGM, their rep looked around dazed and said: 'bookkeeper'; expensive bookkeeper; internal sr mgmt no better - negative value - cause trouble & unnecessary expenses to the strata owners; actually call strata's 'HOAs'; they might also call our universal healthcare HMOs! They 'do not walk the talk'! A recent example of FSR response after no hot water in my kitchen for over a year: Mar 1-17 "Hi Diana, Thanks for reaching out. From reading your email below and speaking with Steven, you have a situation with your in-suite water. Please note that Steven, as the Strata Manager for the building, must take direction from the Strata Council. Strata Managers are not authorized to proceed without instruction of Council. As a result, they have to discuss matters with the council to obtain instructions.
I understand that the mechanical contractor has previously been onsite and identified that the issue is an in-suite problem with the faucets. Council and Steve have discussed the matter further and it has been agreed to have the mechanical contractor revisit the building to confirm that the system is working correctly. They have not received any other complaints similar to yours regarding the water.Thank you, JACLYN JEFFREY Regional Director"'Reaching out"; I wasn't reaching out, I was complaining about a problem that FSR should have had fixed long ago. Regional Director of what - idiots! Feb 27-17 "Jaclyn, I have tried several times to return your call (message left Thursday February 23 2017) and been unsuccessful -voicemail; no mood to play voicemail tag for weeks or years! Steven Loo continues to defer or delegate his property mgmt duties & responsibilities to Council Chair/Members! Why? .... why would he respond to the unresolved hot water issue? This is a property mgmt responsibility - what is our Council Chair, supposed to do with this? He is not our property manager, he is not able to investigate the problem and I continue to be shocked by cold water showers without explanation; no hot water in my kitchen while Steven Loo sits on his ass and says: "Thanks (Strata Chair's first name)" signed STEVEN LOO Strata Manager! WOW - is this what FSR calls prop.mgmt or as you call it "Strata Manager" (a title without substance is of little value); he lies, denies it; doesn't follow through to resolve problems; professes to know everything about everything and then simply closes the file or issue regardless of resolution; I made numerous requests for our property mgmt agreement in 2010; Steven finally responded >3 years later. There is little point in talking to you until you familiarize yourselves with some history - a 2011 lengthy & threatening unwarranted letter - this was my introduction to my new home and the incompetence of Steven Loo - likely the impetus for the hostile relationship I have had with him since and his reference to me with council and other owners as "that old woman who bought 201"!). I personally do not care that Steven's culture may dictate his misogynistic attitude; I do not walk ten paces behind any man and I am quite competent to deal with strata representatives - I always start out respectfully whether warranted or not, but when my concerns are dismissed by those who are working for me (FSR is not my landlord - perhaps Steven needs to be reminded that he and FSR work for, and at the pleasure, of the strata corporation owners) and I continue to encounter ignorant, incompetent fools, I treat them accordingly, in the only manner they appear to understand! The Strata Property Act provides that a strata lot owner can seek corrective action and/or restitution through the courts if necessary."

I ve lived in a FirstServices building for about a year and the whole experience has been great. The building manager, Andrea, is always super helpful and really made me feel welcome!

Our building manager Jose is the hardest working man ever! Always comes and clean the apartment. He will always help you when something breaks or need him to do something.
I will give this place 5 stars. Very comfortable and family friendly place to live.

Hi,

I would love to put in a good review about FirstService Residential and my Building Manager Dawson Costa. FirstService has managed my building for a few years now and have done a great job! Last year we recieved Dawson as our building manager and he has done amazing work. Dawson is knowledgable, polite, professional, and quick to respond to all building maintence. It is clear Dawson enjoys helping others and takes great pride in his craft. His work ethic and cheerful attitude make me feel safe, welcome, and at home. Thank you so much for all of your hard work!

Thank you,

RH

I recently had a viewing for City View apartment and Shaun was a great help. super informative, professional and friendly. thank you so much.

Moe is a great area manager, always willing to help and with a positive attitude all the time!

I own and operate KC Cleaning and Restoration Services, for the past few years we have been servicing The Gardens in Richmond. The building manager Rafael Ramos has always been fantastic to work with. Hes very easy to work with and all of our technicians appreciate working with him!

We had an excellent experience finding our place with FirstService. Ahmed Ramadan helped us find the Perfect place. He was thorough, friendly and knew exactly what I was looking for. The rest of the staff made our walkthrough and move in simple and straightforward. Everything went very well.

Sheldon North has been our manager for 1 year. And in that year we've got threats of eviction for no reason, towed vehicles without warning, and blamed for a bed bug infestation that originated on a lower floor.

They're horrible at communication with tenants. And for the record. We always pay our rent on time.

Thanks first. You've really put us second.

We got some drainage problems over the long weekend, and Adeline stayed on top of it all despite me contacting her during the holiday and after hours (because of the severity of the issue).

The problem has been resolved, and I m really grateful for them.

Rafael Ramos was very helpful and courteous. I will work with him in the future.

Horrible service! With this many bad reviews something should be done to put these people out of business.

Been living at the Gardens for almost 6 years now. If my memory serves me right, the Strata Council decided to switched to First Service Property Management just under 2 years after building was moved in. Since then, I ve noticed building deficiencies are being dealt with quickly and strict enforcement of Strata By-Laws and such are adhere to. Our building manager, Rafael Ramos is doing such an excellent job in running the day-to-day affairs of a multi-condominium complex. He is very accommodating despite his busy schedules, and tries his best to resolve any issues in a timely manner. Keep up the good work!

The management team of Faye and Guy have gone above and beyond to be accommodating to me and my family. During these COVID times they have taken the extra steps to keep the building safe and clean, and have reached out numerous time to see if they can help in any way. Having lived in many buildings in Vancouver and having experienced many management teams, I can honesty say they are the most professional and attentive I have ever had the pleasure to meet.

I live in the Dorchester in North Vancouver, which is managed by Shaun Nichol from First Service Residential and if we ever have a problem, he's there right away to help us solve it. He's been very kind and professional with every interaction.

No accountability with the property managers. bills that are 4 times higher than they should be were imposed on the home owners. Why have a property manager if they are not managing the costs. This is what they are paid to do. Pending court proceedings are coming.

As a contractor working in the rental and strata section with First Service Residential since it's conception in Vancouver B.C., I am highly impressed with the professionality of the company, especially with the excellent communication skills and high level of care I have personally experienced with Senior Property & Strata manager Sheldon North. His attention to detail and highly skilled management abilities make working with Sheldon an ease and pleasure for contractors & clients alike.

Excellent Property Management Company to deal. The Property Manager's understand how and when to deal with issues as they arise.

Our concierge, Shalini Singh, is excellent, professional, always cheerful and helpful and has been doing an extra special job keeping us all safe during Covid.

I live in the Elizabeth manor in surrey from 2005 and I had not seen such good care taking of the building since the first service residential manager took over. the manager Maria is wonderful, she quickly answers phone calls and always tries her best to fix any problems I had. she is friendly, helpful, and overall has a good attitude. I'm glad that Maria is the manager here because I feel comfortable at home because i know i can rely on her.

As a fairly new Strata Council for a brand new townhouse development in Port Coquitlam, the Council has been faced with many teething problems at these early stages. Our FSR Strata Manager,Michella Grippo, is always very responsive and pro--active in assisting the Council to resolve various issues, with both professionalism and enthusiasm. FSR is also able to provide expertise and logistical support in all areas of property management. The Council is very pleased to have engaged FSR in managing the complex.

I am in the amenity gym right now with Rafael and I want to thanks firstservice service for the high standards.
Thank you

my Wife and I have lived at missionview in Kelowna for over 17 years now.
we love our Property Manager Leah she treats us great and is friendly and fair.She has worked hard to make sure this is a clean quiet safe Building and has fixed the huge issue with people parking in our Visitor Parking who dont belong Her Making it So much nicer when Our Guest come to visit.They can now actually have a spot to park in.
If it wasnt for leah and her hard work I dont think we would have stayed here as long as we have.Hope for Many More Years with her.
thanks
Chris

Requests are dealt with promptly and efficiently in a polite manner.

Please don't use this company. I can't EVEN begin to explain my frustration with this company. If you can see from the other reviews - YOU CAN CLEARLY UNDERSTAND THEY ARE NOT DOING THEIR JOBS PROPERLY.

FirstService Residential has been our management company since our building was completed in December, 2017. The personnel we have worked with have all been professional and supportive, and have made our start up phase extremely smooth, keeping Council and all residents properly informed throughout.

Our Property Manager has been outstanding, and has provided Council with the guidance and support necessary, ensuring that issues are properly researched in a timely manner so that informed decisions have been possible. She and FirstService Residential have set a solid groundwork for all owners and future Councils in going forward.

I selected 1 star only because there was no lesser option. Arrogant manager and sleepy office neglecting several emails warning them about existing and ongoing problems since months.

These guys never fix anything and if they do, they take at least 6 months to a year but they do such a piss poor job. I've dealt with this unprofessional "company" in different capacities over the years and this is by far the worst property management company I've ever dealt with. They take no pride in their properties and they let outsiders dump their garbage and other waste on their properties because they're too damn lazy to fix a the parking gate. FirstService Residential? More like LastService Residential. Idiots work here.

Shalini Singh at the Beverley has been very helpful with our move in last month
She manages this time with Covid, keeping residents safe and informed
We have had other concierges over the years and Shalini is by far the best one for us
Jeff & Sue Derby

I ve been living in the Oxford Manor for about at year now and the changes made from when I first moved in until now are amazing. The time and effort put in by the building manager (Andrea) is incomparable to any other building management I ve rented from. I ve watched the building go from a run down 70 s/80 s style apartment to a fresh clean building. Andrea takes her job seriously and shows up for the tenants. The moving in process was easy and when it comes down to what needs to get done, Andrea does it as quickly as she can. Andrea is 10 outa 10.

This is the true professionalism and reality of dealing with FSR property managing concierge staff at pacific point, after one year of being harassed by this psycho i finally got him on video displaying his true self. Disgraceful!

First Service has been a pleasure to work with. Their staff are knowledgeable and proactive when issues arise, and are always available to meet and discuss ways of getting the job done as efficiently and productively as possible.

I m very satisfied with FirstService Residential. They provide great service with professionalism. Specially Jose who takes very good care of the building where we live guaranteeing it s always clean, safe and that all tenants are satisfied. I recommend them!! Special thanks to Jose that makes such a beautiful job. We are all so lucky to have you!!

I am the treasurer for our strata corporation and am very happy with the service received from FSR, especially with respect to accounting services. I like the fact that a website is created for our strata that allows all owners to review minutes and other documents such as engineer's reports online, and that email notices are sent when new documents are available. As well as being a convenience, this has greatly reduced our photcopy and postage costs.

Reason for the 5 stars? Our awesome Building Manager, Richard! Friendliest and most attentive Manager we ve had so far. Always takes the time to say hi and ask how you are doing. Always available and reachable whenever you need assistance.

My wife and I are living in one of the apartments in North Vancouver which is being managed by First service residential. Shaun Nichol is helping us with our inquiries in our building. He cares a lot and follows up quickly. Recently I had few things going on in my unit and when I phoned him he took care of the issues immediately. We are so happy for having him with us and wish him all the best and success in his job and life.

Wayne at Pacific Cove Apts is one of the best apartment building managers that I've ever had over the years, both in Toronto and Vancouver. He is professional in every aspect of running and maintaining the building and grounds. There is always adequate notice of upcoming disruptions ie window and rug cleanings, water shut off(s) due to repairs etc.... Wayne and his assistant Robert keep the building's public spaces clean, the gardens looking beautiful, and our lobby always decorated tastefully which includes fresh flowers every week. Wayne understands and works hard to create a sense of community in the building with social gatherings (with the help of others) held in the building's lobby at various holiday times. Although there are always building improvements to be made, Wayne and Robert, paired with FirstService are transforming a 'tired' apartment building into a place where I am happy and proud to be a tenant.

Great company to work for. Awesome, collaborative, and supportive work environment!

Rafael the building manager has been great. He is always quick to answer and very helpful! Appreciate having someone who geniunely cares.

I have recently received an incredible assistant from Shaun Nichol. Every time we needed assistance he was there to give us a great support. Very professional, organized and Very responsible. Moreover he showed a great quality service. I highly recommend him.

Thank you

Tiago Goetzke

As a tenant at the The Dorchester i can say I'm completely happy with our building manager Shaun Nichol. Always very helpful,friendly and very fast to respond and takes care of any problems or concerns you may have immediately. For an older building the building was kept in great shape and the building has greatly benefited being under management of Shaun nichol. Without a doubt the best building manager I've delt with

As a building manager Rafael, here at the gardens in richmond, is a hard working and a dedicated guy, with a very helpful hands. He is very proffessional, responsive, trustworthy and excellency in service. This kudos goes to Mr Rafael for his hard work and dedication. Thank you so much for your hard work Rafael. Thank you first service for appointing Rafael as a manager for the gardens.

Terrible experience with this company thus far. Would give zero stars if I could. My partner and I have tried to create an account 3 times so far with no success. Have mailed in an application form, given one to our property manager in person and filled one out online directly on the website and still no access. I had to call in 3 separate times because the "customer service" reps couldn't find my "community name". You would think that giving the address and property manager name would be sufficient information. Not sure what other information I can provide them to help them do their job properly. So unbelievably frustrating. It's been 2 years living at our property and still no access to our strata information.

Rafael is very good. He helped me solve the problem and contacted the company selling the oven. I am very happy to meet him.

I have lived in West End apartment for one year and the experience was incredible. Our manager Miro helped us a lot since we arrived and he made everything easier for us. We recommend that.

Good attention to detail and timely actions when needed!

We work with and service many FSR managed properties across the Lower Mainland. Their teams are always professional, proactive and responsive.

Living at Mission View Eatates in Kelowna has been pleasant experince.Manager Leah and Shane are friendly and have been doing great job with tenant concerns and repairs.

The Beverly we are proud to have Shalini greet us daily with a smile and positive attitude.

My strata plan was serviced by FSR, Strata Manger- Shawn SS. Smith was very professional and helpful. He responded to my emails and set up caretaker service immediately. In addition, he provided smoke alarm manufacturer links to me, to try to help me resolve issues.
I appreciate all his help and support.

We live at the Beverley where our management is First Service Residential. Our Conceirge Shalini is outstanding. Ever since her first day she has been a pleasure to be around. She is professional and so helpful in anyway she can. She has spent countless hours trying to keep our building clean and safe especially because of Covid. Shalini goes above and beyond her job to make the Beverley a wonderful place to live. We believe she is a great representative of First Service Residential and a tremendous benefit to the Beverley!
Sande and Wally.