A manager you know
The plan is for a clear point of contact who gets to know the property and its people. Regular property visits and plain-language conversations would help council make informed decisions.
Taking shape in Burnaby
A local vision for strata management.
Deer Lake Property Management is being built around a simple idea: communities deserve a manager who knows their building, follows through and makes time for the people who live there. Our plans start with a small portfolio near Deer Lake in Burnaby.
- An owner’s perspective on community life
- A focus on clear communication and follow-through
- Based right here in Burnaby
Russell KentishFounder · Strata owner
Meet the founder
Hello, I'm Russell. Your Burnaby neighbour.
I live in Burnaby, own a home at Heather Crest and serve as president of our strata council. I know the care and volunteer time that go into looking after a shared home.
Serving on Council has given me an owner's perspective on maintenance, decisions and communication. It has shaped the business I want to build: local, approachable and attentive to the people who call each property home.
I'm shaping Deer Lake around a deliberately small local portfolio, with time to know each community well. While preparations continue, I welcome questions, ideas and introductions from neighbours.
Russell
Our planned approach
Personal attention. Practical follow-through.
A strata is a community of neighbours. We are developing a small-portfolio model around three benefits, with practices to be agreed within an approved service scope.
Reliable follow-through
Planned practices include tracked requests with a named person responsible and a next step, contractor follow-up, and monthly updates showing what is complete, open or awaiting a council decision.
Records that preserve continuity
We plan to keep decisions, minutes, contracts, financial records and project history organised and accessible to council, with appropriate access controls. Documented procedures and handovers would preserve knowledge when responsibilities change.
Close to home
Deer Lake and the neighbourhoods around it.
Our initial planned focus is Deer Lake and surrounding Burnaby neighbourhoods.
Keeping properties nearby would support familiarity with each community, practical site visits and consistent attention. Walking a property, meeting a contractor or checking a maintenance concern in person would be easier to fit into a manageable local portfolio.
Our plans
Support for council and the shared home.
These are areas we intend to develop before launch. Any future service would depend on licensing, brokerage arrangements and an agreed scope.
Council support
- Meetings and decisionsPlanned support for agendas, minutes, action lists, AGMs and SGMs.
- Governance and communicationClear notices, bylaw correspondence and a documented record of council decisions.
Property care
- Maintenance and projectsPlanned coordination of quotes, access, work checks and follow-up, informed by the depreciation report and budget.
- Urgent issuesDefined responsibilities and agreed contact procedures would be established before launch.
Financial administration
- Manager-led bookkeepingPlanned invoice checks, transaction recording, reconciliations and monthly financial reporting, with documented approvals and independent review.
- Specialist supportAccounting support for setup, year-end and exceptions; coordination with qualified legal, engineering and insurance professionals when needed.
Planned financial safeguards
Clear responsibilities. Visible decisions.
The planned model combines manager-led bookkeeping with documented payment approvals, independent financial review and specialist accounting support.
- 1Manager-led bookkeeping
Check and record
The manager would check invoices against quotes and completed work, record transactions, reconcile accounts and prepare monthly reports.
- 2Documented authority
Approve payments
Payment approvals and supporting documents would be retained, with council oversight and payment authority defined in the approved arrangements.
- 3Independent financial review
Review the records
A reviewer independent of the person preparing the books would check reports, reconciliations and supporting records. The role and review frequency would be agreed.
- 4Specialist accounting support
Resolve exceptions
Qualified accounting support would assist with setup, year-end and unusual or complex matters beyond routine bookkeeping.
Final financial arrangements, including account and trust requirements, access, approval authority and review responsibilities, remain subject to appropriate brokerage and professional review. They would be agreed for each strata; proposed arrangements for Heather Crest are not a confirmed model for future clients.
For strata councils
Established communities. Engaged councils.
Our initial plans centre on established townhouse and low-rise residential strata communities, with councils willing to participate in decisions and work together on priorities.
- Townhouse communities caring for shared roofs, grounds and common property.
- Low-rise communities planning routine maintenance and upkeep of shared spaces.
- Engaged councils that value clear responsibilities, financial oversight and practical planning.
Let's connect
Have a question? Say hello.
Questions about Deer Lake, feedback on our plans or a local introduction? Russell welcomes a conversation.
hello@deerlakepropertymanagement.ca
A friendly face.
A sense of home.