Oakwood Property Management Ltd. - Victoria, British Columbia

Regan C.

Never in my life would I think that I would review a property management firm. Why would I? It wasn’t until my current building was sold to a different firm did I realize how much I appreciated the team at Oakwood! Where other firms may treat their tenants like they’re just numbers in an Excel spreadsheet - there only at the whims of the building owners to, hoping to shake out the most amount of rent possible regardless of state of repair or size of the suites - Oakwood made me feel like a real living breathing human being. They made myself and my family feel like valued members of the building we’re in. They helped foster community, they were easy to contact and easy to deal with. I truly, deeply wish that my building was still being operated by Oakwood Properties, and I know I’m not alone. I would rate them higher than 5 stars if I could.

Lisette C.

We were tenants of a property managed by Oakwood. They were so caring and communicative. Through the pandemic the property managers even created opportunities for unemployed tenants to do work around the property (painting, etc) for rent reductions. We were presented with gifts of gratitude from them more than once for showing care for the property. They were quick to respond to any concerns…Our building is now run by new property managers, and we sure miss Oakwood!

Brenda U.

Oakwood managed our condominium property for 8 years and the entire experience was completely positive. Carol selected excellent tenants and her strong knowledge of the Residential Tenancy Act was willingly shared to ensure that we always did the right thing. She has good relationships with various trades and was always able to get necessary work done at the property in a timely manner. I think a smaller property management company like Oakwood is able to provide a more personalized service and I highly recommend Carol and her team.

Bruce

Oakwood has been property manager at my strata for a little over two years. As Treasurer, I coordinated the search for a new manager. I’d heard rave reviews about Oakwood, so I got in touch with Carol, who allowed me to speak with three of her existing clients. They too spoke highly of Oakwood. As it turned out, not only were Oakwood’s fees lower than our previous property manager, their service was much better. Carol is amazingly accessible. She even answers emailed questions on weekends. Due to her extensive experience in the industry, she offers in-depth knowledge of the Strata Property Act, managing owner relations, sourcing suppliers, managing projects, budgeting, chairing meetings, and much more. In addition, Lisa handles financials, expense remuneration and payment of suppliers promptly, with a smile. Carol and her team have made it much easier for our volunteer strata council to act knowledgeably and responsibly. Thanks to Oakwood we’ve been able to navigate many challenges and create positive outcomes. If your strata is looking for a property manager, I would definitely recommend Oakwood!

Kathy J.

Carol and the rest of the team at Oakwood Property Management have provided service above and beyond to us since we bought our apartment building 6 years ago. Carol transformed our building into a space that created community and caring between the tenants. She is exactly what you want in a property manager: no nonsense, but fair, and looks after your building like it is her own. We highly recommend Carol and the team at Oakwood Property Management.

Nikki N.

I used Carol at Oakwood Property to manage the rental on our house in Victoria. I found her to be very good. She thoroughly screened our potential tenants and chose a very good family. Our house was in a very good condition at the end of the tenancy. If you have an upscale property and want it well managed, I would recommend Oakwood Properties.

Darryl S.

Being a property manager can be a difficult and, at times, thankless job. You have to deal with such a wide range of people at such different times in their lives. Attempting to build positive working relationships with this truly varied population while maintaining the best interests of the property owners can be a truly difficult task. It is my understanding that some/many renters can be indifferent about others property.

Despite these challenging circumstances Carol Dobell From Oakwood Properties has been a real joy to work with. Carol has consistently been friendly, courteous and professional. She is extremely well informed and has done an exceptional job of balancing her obligation to her clients and managing her relationship with me as a tenant. I've rented many properties during my life and find Carol to be among the very best I've ever dealt with. I would recommend her without hesitation or reservation to any property owner seeking property management services.

Darryl Stickel PhD

Sarah D.

I don't know if I'll get "Pleasant Carol" or "Reactive Carol" when I need to contact her. This came about after some mistakes Carol made (which we don't think we intentional on her end, she just dropped the ball and it had very unfortunate consequences).
Her inability to speak about mistakes she's made causes conflict and tension that she's unable to move past, and it ended up affecting the property and ultimately its ability to generate income. I don't want to attack her character, however it seems that's the problem because when she's in a good mood, she's able to do her job well and be professional.

Replying to Oakwoods response to the above review: Thank you Carol for giving an example of how you refuse to take accountability for anything. My in-person feedback was met with rage and hostility, so I'm not surprised my online feedback was met with denial and hypocrisy (I know the response is from Carol).
I understand why you wouldn't want to admit anything publicly, but please.. just take the feedback. I hope now that other clients and tenants can watch for this side of you, and you'll be on your best behaviour (or hire someone else who can).
Take care, and best of luck.