quality-assurance - Canadian CRB Program

What residents need to know about the Canadian CRB Program

Aug 5, 2022

The Canadian CRB Program (CRBP) is officially launching across Canada creating a presence nationwide. From east to west and north to south, the 🍁 CRB Program is making a difference and setting an example of environmental leadership in the apartment industry.

What is the Canadian CRB Program anyway?

The Canadian CRB Program provides residents with a quality-assurance alternative that renters can count on when choosing a rental apartment home.

The program represents a community of property managers that are committed to providing well-run, professionally-managed and well-maintained apartment communities across Canada.

CRB-approved buildings are in strict compliance with 52 standards of practice that ensure a high-level of quality service for renters. In addition, CRBP buildings are also Living Green Together™ environmentally certified. This ensures a building is operating in an environmentally responsible manner, and residents are encouraged to do their part to maintain safe, healthy, and green apartment communities together.

As a Canadian CRB Program resident, you can expect:

1. Rent With Confidence™ knowing that you have selected an apartment home that is well-run, professionally-managed and well-maintained… providing renters with peace-of-mind.

2. CRB supports its members and educates residents about how Living Green Together™ can make a difference in their apartment community – from saving energy, to waste diversion and water conservation.

3. From our residents to our members, CRB represents unity and diversity in our apartment communities. “We care from here-to-here” – cultivating a community across Canada

Imagine apartment-living exactly how it should be – Why rent anywhere else than in a Canadian Certified Rental Building!

CRB-approved buildings provide the “best-of-the-best” in apartment living

Mar 15, 2021

The search for an apartment home can often be overwhelming and stressful. There are so many factors to consider beyond location and the cost of rent. The Certified Rental Building™ (CRB) program now makes that process easier for GTA renters. We work with professional property managers, across Ontario, to provide renters with the “Best-of-the-Best” in apartment living.

By choosing to live in a CRB-approved™ apartment building, you benefit from a higher level of professional property management. For an apartment property to be deemed CRB certified, participating property managers must adhere to over 53 Standards of Practice. Third-party auditors ensure integrity and professionalism of the CRB program, by conducting regular audits of all properties. CRB buildings are also environmentally focused, and Living GREEN Together™ certified. This ensures an apartment building is operating in an environmentally responsible manner, and that residents are encouraged to maintain a safe, healthy, and green apartment community. Choose the best in apartment living — a Certified Rental Building™

Certified Rental Building™ Program – a win-win scenario

Dec 1, 2019

We understand what an important decision it is to choose an apartment building, and we believe people should be able to expect certain standards of quality and service when they rent.

That’s why the Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario(FRPO) created the Certified Rental Building Program™ (CRBP), the first of its kind in North America.

Among our goals is to promote a healthy, competitive rental housing industry that benefits both landlords and tenants. Part of this win-win scenario is the opportunity for those seeking rental accommodations to know when they are choosing an apartment building that meets those standards.

This Program didn’t happen overnight. We understand renter concerns and thought that the time had come to establish a benchmark “quality-assurance program” which would make it easy for tenants to identify well-run, well-managed multi-residential apartment buildings. After all, an apartment is the renter’s home, and quality of life is as important for tenants as it is for home owners.

Think of the CRBP as the proverbial “good house-keeping” seal of approval for apartment buildings “something you can count on” to help you find a rental apartment building that adheres to the Certified Rental Building Program and make your rental decision easier and ultimately, makes your day-to-day life safer and more pleasant.

The CRBP logo posted at multi-residential apartment buildings across Ontario lets you know that the property manager and staff practice over 36 established apartment building management and customer service standards. It shows you they care about the quality of the building and of the service they provide to tenants. The CRBP empowers apartment shoppers with a tool that will help lead them toward greater satisfaction with their rental decision.

The Program requires property managers and owners to have solid business practices and processes in place. It promotes professionalism in the industry across the province, as well as a renewed respect for just how important a well-run building is to the well being of those who live within it.

To be certified, applicants must complete the apartment rental housing training and education component of the program, including a test at the end. This covers a multitude of topics, from knowledge of the Human Rights Code, to fire and building code compliance, staff training policies, proper safety procedures, information and privacy law compliance and much more. Even things like keeping elevators, heating and cooling equipment well-maintained are part of the Program. There are also annual site inspections that enhance the enforcement of the program requirements.

Respect is a two-way street, and certainly, renters are expected to abide by the building rules that help to keep all tenants safe and comfortable. The landlord or property manager is also responsible for upholding the rules for that same reason.

When all is said and done, renting in Ontario is typically less expensive than owning. Renters should not have to sacrifice quality and/or service when it comes to their residences. The CRBP helps to ensure that they have a solid, well-maintained building to call home.

Certification makes a difference – The proof is in the feedback!

Dec 1, 2019

In June of 2008, the Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO) launched the first-ever tenant-focused quality-assurance program that promotes property management best practices when it comes to operating apartment buildings and providing good quality service to tenants.

From the feedback received over the past three-and-a-half years, we were spot-on in our intentions, with the Certified Rental Building Program (CRBP), to provide Ontario renters with an apartment quality-assurance tool that would assist them to find an apartment home with good quality service standards in well-managed, well-run, professionally managed apartment buildings.

The numbers tell the story of how Ontario rental-housing consumers are seeing first hand the benefits and value in finding a quality rental home that meets CRBP Standards of Practice.

Last year, prospective renters clicked on the program’s website (www.crb.program.org) over 21,000 times and conducted over 52,000 individual searches for a rental-property of their choosing. After only eight months, in 2012, that website has been visited over 35,000 times and is on track to double the number of renter inquiries in 2012.

There is yet another glowing example witnessed in J.D. Power’s 2011 Canadian Resident Survey results:

• Over 74 per cent, of renters surveyed, cite building certification as “somewhat” or “extremely” important in their decision to rent;

• Over 26 per cent are aware of the CRB program administered by FRPO or one in four prospective renters cited the CRB program as a part of their decision criteria in choosing a rental home

• Finally over 80 per cent indicated “definitely” or “probably” will recommend their building to others if it was certified.

Customer service standards are a major component of the CRBP, ensuring that property management staffs, in “certified” buildings, provide all tenants with efficient, safe living conditions and courteous, respectful service. Renee Bourgon, Director of Marketing and Communications at Minto Properties states that “The FRPO Certified Rental Building Program re-enforces and supports our objectives to apply high standards of resident services across the entire portfolio of our buildings.

This consistency across Certified buildings in Ontario produces positive results that are not lost on prospective renters and existing tenants. Among the comments we have received are the following:

• “The FRPO Certified Building Program gave us the confidence to know we were moving into a well run building, before we actually made an appointment to check it out.

• The Certified building program is known for looking after the details of what a tenant should expect from a landlord.

• The FRPO Certified Building Program is like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for all Ontario Rental properties, and we like it.

• When we were looking for a new apartment, we knew to narrow our focus to FRPO CRB Buildings only.

• We are careful about who we rent from, so we would only choose a building that was FRPO Certified.

• If you want to take the guessing out of what company offers the best run buildings, look for the CRB Sign in the ads.

As an industry association, FRPO’s objective is to promote a balanced and healthy housing market with a vital rental-housing industry, choice for consumers, adequate government assistance for low-income households, and effective private sector solutions to rental-housing needs. The CRBP is just one example of how we meet the diverse needs of our members and continue to help those seeking rental accommodations to make their best choice.

When Renting: Safety Above All

Jul 2, 2019

One of the most basic things a consumer should expect when renting an apartment is that the building provides a relatively safe place to call home. This includes that the landlord and/or property manager responsible for their building adheres to provincial fire and building codes.

Property managers whose buildings earn certification through the Certified Rental Building Program (CRBP) pledge to uphold the program’s Standards of Practice. Building safety is an important part of that commitment. For all CRB Property Managers, safety matters!

The Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO) launched the CRBP as part of its mandate to advocate for quality rental housing. There are more than 50 different Standards of Practice that a building and Property Manager must clearly be able to demonstrate before they can be certified in the Program.

By law, as well as through the Standards, CRB property managers must have an up-to-date fire safety plan for each certified rental building. This plan outlines the building specific systems and procedures for addressing and dealing with emergencies. CRB’s must maintain and update monthly, a list of residents who may need assistance with evacuation in an emergency. They must also, maintain documentation that has been signed off within the last year verifying an annual inspection by a local fire protection contractor. They must maintain their Fire Log Book that documents regular (i.e. monthly) tests of each building’s fire safety systems. They must also ensure Fire Drills are held on a quarterly basis.

Other CRB Standards that can affect the safety of a building include rigorous adherence to regular building cleaning schedules, effective communications with tenants when building repairs are necessary, properly maintained elevators, well-maintained heating and cooling equipment, annual suite inspections and an ongoing education program for staff.

Ontario residents are also protected by the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997 (FPPA). The Ontario Fire Code is a regulation under the FPPA. Just a few of the many elements addressed in the Code are access to and number of building exits and fire escapes, the safe installation of mechanical, electrical and plumbing infrastructure, elevators, stairwell, fire and smoke alarms.

Renters who choose a CRBP building have the peace of mind of knowing that J.D. Power and Associates which serves as the Auditor for the program, has verified that all buildings granted “Certified Rental Building” status have successfully demonstrated compliance and adherence with Programs Standards of Practice including those that address fire safety.

BUT, fire safety is also the responsibility of individual renters.

No program or organization can monitor what goes on inside every apartment. Building owners and property managers need to count on their tenants’ vigilance when it comes to avoiding fire mishaps. For example, leaving burning candles unattended is one of the most common causes of house and apartment fires. Smoking carelessly and forgetting about food cooking on the stove are others. Taking care goes beyond tenants protecting themselves, to keeping the building safer for all the residents, and helping to protect the building which they call home.

If you want to learn more about Ontario Fire Code, visit http://www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca/english/firemarshal/ofmlanding/ofm_main.html through which you can access safety pamphlets created specifically for tenants of apartment buildings. And if you are not aware of the fire safety features in your building, make sure to ask your property owner/manager.

When you rent in a CRBP building, you can be assured that the owner and/or property manager understand and pledge to uphold the legal and moral aspects of operating rental accommodations. This includes their commitment to fire safety.

Customer service essential for renters

Jun 17, 2019

Accessible customer service is important to quality of life for tenants. At the Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO), we feel strongly about customer service and the critical role it plays in the day-to-day life of tenants.

Providing topnotch customer service to all renters is one of the fundamental elements of the Certified Rental Building Program (CRBP), which was created by FRPO to help ensure a high quality of life for all tenants in certified buildings. Part of this service commitment is to respect each and every person, may they be tenants with or without disabilities.

What does respect mean? While there are many definitions, in practical terms respect can mean:

Valuing each tenant;
Acting with integrity and in a conscientious way with all customers;
Considering the needs and rights of all tenants and embracing differences and similarities;
Treating all with politeness, kindness, understanding, and professional courtesy.

Respect is at the core of delivering accessible customer service. It is also a key principle that runs throughout training for CRBP members on ways and means of delivering accessible customer service.

Those who complete the CRBP Accessible Customer Service training receive tips, tools and resources on how to deliver accessible customer service. The instruction includes topics such as the use of appropriate language and the importance of using suitable words when communicating with and about tenants with disabilities. It also includes how to respond to the service needs of tenants with different types of disabilities in sensitive and respectful ways.

However, the Accessible Customer Service course goes beyond providing a host of common sense tips. The training focuses on the importance of understanding, recognizing and acknowledging the differing needs of all tenants and then finding practical and responsive ways to respond to these differences.

According to Deborah Cohen, from PSN, Performance Solutions Network who has been delivering Accessible Customer Service training on behalf of FRPO to CRBP members, “The best way to provide respectful service is to recognize all tenants as individuals; each unique – each with differing needs. Delivering quality, accessible service is based on our ability to acknowledge these differences and to respond to these differing needs, equally. Delivering quality accessible customer service really is about seeing the person not the disability.”

The golden rule “treat others how you would like them to treat you” has particular relevance to delivering accessible customer service. In fact, it forms the foundation upon which landlords and apartment building management should build their relationship with all tenants.

Through the CRBP, we make participants aware of the thoughtful and helpful ways they can make living in a certified rental building more accessible and inclusive for all tenants including tenants with disabilities.

Delivering accessible customer service makes good common sense. Delivering accessible customer service is a matter of respect.