The Mega **Management Company** thread

Erinpml

Dear Reader,

We would like to introduce ourselves. We are a new Managing Agent company for apartment blocks and housing estates throughout Dublin. We run a very satisfactory service for all our residents. We have recently taken over some developments which have suffered due to lack of proper management and pure neglect. We have had to clean up other agents mess! We have realised from our experience that many residents are unhappy and frustrated with the management of their property. This is usually due to lack of communication and services not followed through. It seems to be the board of directors who are constantly caught in the crossfire and the residents are left to suffer the consequences.

If you have found yourself in this predicament, we at Erin Property Management would like to have the opportunity to put together a proposal - One that works in your best interests. We offer a very competitive and comprehensive service. We use efficient and reliable service people and find that by listening to your requirements we can offer you a budget that you may be happier with. Please feel free to contact us on 01 2157211.

Victor

Erinpml wrote:

Dear Reader,

We would like to introduce ourselves. We are a new Managing Agent company for apartment blocks and housing estates throughout Dublin. We run a very satisfactory service for all our residents. We have recently taken over some developments which have suffered due to lack of proper management and pure neglect. We have had to clean up other agents mess! We have realised from our experience that many residents are unhappy and frustrated with the management of their property. This is usually due to lack of communication and services not followed through. It seems to be the board of directors who are constantly caught in the crossfire and the residents are left to suffer the consequences.

If you have found yourself in this predicament, we at Erin Property Management would like to have the opportunity to put together a proposal - One that works in your best interests. We offer a very competitive and comprehensive service. We use efficient and reliable service people and find that by listening to your requirements we can offer you a budget that you may be happier with. Please feel free to contact us on 01 2157211.

Can you contact adverts@boards.ie

l0st

I purchased an apartment at the start of June and I was told that my management company fees were due by the estate agent. I have never been contacted by the management company and therefor not been charged the fee.

When people purchase apartments do they contact the management company or do they wait for the company to approach them and then pay up?

ondafly

Hi Folks,

Not sure if this is the right section but here goes ! At my apartment complex, there is a main gate, which opens with a "remote" i.e. for cars. Approximately 6 apartments are built around the gate. As luck would have it, I'm one of the 6, and I've been living there for nearly 18 months without any problems.

2 weeks ago, the main gate started making extremely loud noises each and every time it opened and closed. The noise goes through the whole apartment, but is particularly bad at night. I complained to the Management company 2 weeks ago about the noise, and they said they would send out the Gate maintenance company to take a look. They didn't arrive until last Thursday, they apparently oiled the rams for the gate - and that the gate was not making any noise when they finished, they suggested the rams needed to be changed, at €1000 each, of which the Management company are refusing to pay. I've inspected the gate, and the noise is actually coming from the hinges at the top of the gate - the gates are approx. 12 to 15 feet tall, with the hinges that make the noise, all the way up the top !

I've practically begged the Management company to sort the problem, but they tell me there isn't one. I also attempted to climb the gate with some WD40 in my hand, but unfortunately it was too difficult and dangerous (I don't have a ladder).

I got to speak with another resident, who is having the same problem as me - she has complained and complained and complained, but still no joy.

The AGM for the complex is coming up soon, and I've put my name forward to become a director - but in the meantime, what else can I do other than sending yet another email to the management company.

ondafly

Your solicitor sends the documents from the sale of the apartment to the Management company - to prove to them you own the apartment.

Whereas my Management company managed to mislay the letters from my solicitor, they also managed to not send me a receipt for the management fee i paid last january. They've managed pretty well :eek:

Get yourself onto the board of directors at your next AGM !

beller b

Go back out to the gate & locate the photo cells.They are 2 boxes approx 1 " square facing each other.Open the gates and cover ne of these with tape.The gates will remain open.Keep doing it untill the management company get it sorted.They wil also have the added pressure of everyone else ringing them saying the gates are not working

ondafly

I appreciate the idea but I would rather not do that. On too many occasions cars have been broken into in the carpark - my previous car being one of them, 2500 euro worth of damage, due to scumbags being able to just walk in and on many occasions I've been the one whos pulls of the sticky tape over the sensors to stop it happening.

I sent them yet another mail, and another of other owners are doing like wise. Is there any law regarding noise levels ? Its louder than a church bell, which is across the road.

beller b

From experience I know Management Company's will always refuse to spend money at first.Enough pressure from the residents usually changes this...

fred funk }{

Get a ladder and give them a good old oiling. thats what i'd do anyway.

rooferPete

Hi,

If the noise is annoying enough people and you are happy the hinges are the problem why not call someone with a ladder and have the top hinges greased ?

The group can pay the person called out and deduct the amount from the annual maintenance charge from their bill.

.

rooferPete

Hi,

If you purchased in June this year I think your Solicitor would have requested proof (receipts) showing the property was free of all incumbranes (debts).

For house purchases this includes bin charges, water charges even old ones that may be outstanding, so the management fee may have been covered by the vendor.

Ask your Solicitor if you are worried about a double bill next year

.

RentRight.ie

If you don't have access to a ladder I suggest you tape a small paint brush which has been dipped in oil to a handle and use it to get the oil onto the hinge.

RentRight.ie

In most instances the the management fee is collected in one installment at the beginning of the year so if you are lucky the previous owner may have paid the management fee for all of this year.

If however a second installment is due and the previous owner had the property rented out, the management company would most probably have sent the invoice to their home address and it is unlikely they will forward it to your property. I am pretty sure though that if the management fee remains unpaid another invoice will be issued to your address by the management company before the end of the year.

Victor

Make a compalint against the management company.

http://www.oasis.gov.ie/environment/noise_regulations.html?PHPSESSID=e4dbe4e316e22daaad1daeeda8ef9e42

ondafly

Went and solved the problem last night myself. Got a large can of penetrating oil and the range on it was fantastic, I was able to stand at the bottom of the gate and point and shoot. Only took a few drops of the oil and the noise was gone.

Suffice to say I am incredibly unhappy with the service from the management company - it has taken 3 weeks for them, to even agree to send someone out. I knew what was wrong, but felt it best not to "tamper" with anything, in case I got myself in trouble. I will be bringing this all up at the AGM.

As a side note, I always wondered how we got spam mail in our letter boxes ?? our complex is completely private, unless you tailgate a car or person into it. While spraying the hinge, a man and woman approached me, muttering that they thought the code was 9417, I just laughed and said, I don't thinkso (we don't have codes into the complex, its a key only entrance) , he asked me to let him in - I responded what apartment do you live in ? "I don't live here, I want to delivery these..." It was a bag of spam mail. Told him Thanks but no thanks.

beller b

Good man! What I have started doing is keep them untill one comes with a reply address,put then in an A4 envolope & post it off....Don't put a stamp on it either, let thempay when its delivered...

The_Conductor

I'd suggest you pop a bill onto the management company for the oil you bought to solve the gate problem......
I know its not a lot of money- but it would be making a point.

LegacyUser

smccarrick wrote:

I'd suggest you pop a bill onto the management company for the oil you bought to solve the gate problem......
I know its not a lot of money- but it would be making a point.

I don't agree with that. I'd bring it up at the AGM. They would have grounds to sue you for tampering should anything happen with those gates. I mean anything hinge-wize!

Borzoi

RentRight.ie wrote:

In most instances the the management fee is collected in one installment at the beginning of the year so if you are lucky the previous owner may have paid the management fee for all of this year.
.

Yes, they fee will been paid by the vendor, but in most cases they (and their solicitor) will expect the buyer to buy out the 'unused' portion of the annual fee.

When these fees are typically in the €800 to €1500 range, a 6 month rebate is not to be sniffed at.

Borzoi

RentRight.ie wrote:

In most instances the the management fee is collected in one installment at the beginning of the year so if you are lucky the previous owner may have paid the management fee for all of this year.
.

Yes, they fee will been paid by the vendor, but in most cases they (and their solicitor) will expect the buyer to buy out the 'unused' portion of the annual fee.

When these fees are typically in the €800 to €1500 range, a 6 month rebate is not to be sniffed at.

resassoc

I get scared when I read some of the suggestions that are posted on this site. A constant "one size fits all" solution to Management Companies is to:

a. sack the directors
b. get yourself appointed a director

Anyone group thinking of sacking a director ought think very carefully before doing so. There are very specific requirements under company law which must be followed including the circulation of a resolution to remove a director well in advance of the agm/egm. Secondly, sacking a director only terminates his/her directorship and not a contract of employment. A director could be entitled to sue for breach of contract. Does anyone ever investigate this before taking the dramatic step?

Getting yourself appointed a director might sound great but have you got directors insurance? If for example an automatic gate crushes someone are you prepared to defend a case for corporate manslaughter or defend a case brought by the health and safety authority? Do you know that the books have been kept up to date or could you become a party to a fraud on the shareholders? Are you aware of Directors duties both under the companies acts and also common law duties???

Fools rush in where angels fear to thread and the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Declan
www.resassoc.com
www.tramyard.com

resassoc

I get scared when I read some of the suggestions that are posted on this site. A constant "one size fits all" solution to Management Companies is to:

a. sack the directors
b. get yourself appointed a director

Anyone group thinking of sacking a director ought think very carefully before doing so. There are very specific requirements under company law which must be followed including the circulation of a resolution to remove a director well in advance of the agm/egm. Secondly, sacking a director only terminates his/her directorship and not a contract of employment. A director could be entitled to sue for breach of contract. Does anyone ever investigate this before taking the dramatic step?

Getting yourself appointed a director might sound great but have you got directors insurance? If for example an automatic gate crushes someone are you prepared to defend a case for corporate manslaughter or defend a case brought by the health and safety authority? Do you know that the books have been kept up to date or could you become a party to a fraud on the shareholders? Are you aware of Directors duties both under the companies acts and also common law duties???

Why not form a good Residents Association and sit down with the management agents and inspect the books. See where money can be saved and spent. Formulate a budget. Control a budget. In my expierence this really works!

Fools rush in where angels fear to thread and the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Declan
www.resassoc.com
www.tramyard.com

ondafly

Thanks for your post RE: details on becoming a director. But I'm pretty sure on this thread, there is no mention of shafting the directors. I think you are failing to see the problem here - its not the directors (who are owners just like me), its the property management company hired by them, who is the problem.

"Fools sometimes give wise men counsel."

inchydoney

2 bed apartment
Agent: KPM
Management Co.: Kingfisher
Fee has increase from 1400 to 1800 - a 30 % jump

Complex is kept very well.
Services do include lifts, gym, gardens etc

Waste management alone is 70k - they offer no recycling servie, just bin everything which is unbelievable for such high density accomodation.

inchydoney

2 bed apartment
Agent: KPM
Management Co.: Kingfisher
Fee has increase from 1400 to 1800 - a 30 % jump

Complex is kept very well.
Services do include lifts, gym, gardens etc

Waste management alone is 70k - they offer no recycling service, just bin everything which is unbelievable for such high density accomodation.

badbrian

inchydoney wrote:

- they offer no recycling service, just bin everything which is unbelievable for such high density accomodation.

Actually I can understand this somewhat. We have a small complex with a couple of green bins. I note that they haven't been taken away on occasion because people repeatedly put bottles and plastic bags in. And often the recyclable stuff is in the plastic bags (Give me strength!).
So I genuinely feel that long term in order to cater for the few the only solution will be to bin EVERYTHING. Not ideal but what choice is there?

Liam Lough

Ardent wrote:

One year on and the management fee has jumped from 1198 to 1630. They're actually looking for 1790 from me (bin charges are not included in the management fee).

Fairly f**king livid I am right now. Missed the residents meetings arranged earlier in the year regarding this increase, wish I hadn't now. In overthrowing mood.

Contact me by phone and our company will provide a better service and 400 euro cheaper - guarenteed. We are honest country brokers based in Mullingar and what we say we actually do. Our company is 12 months in business and I will come and talk to your resident committee or give you a proposal so that you will have faith in society and realise that there are still honorable people in modern Ireland. We are taking over lots of disaster complexes in Leinster managed by KPM and others who talk ****e and take the money and run.

Yhank You


Liam Lough.

Victor

Liam Lough wrote:

Contact me by phone and our company will provide a better service and 400 euro cheaper - guarenteed. We are honest country brokers based in Mullingar and what we say we actually do. Our company is 12 months in business and I will come and talk to your resident committee or give you a proposal so that you will have faith in society and realise that there are still honorable people in modern Ireland. We are taking over lots of disaster complexes in Leinster managed by KPM and others who talk ****e and take the money and run.

Yhank You


Liam Lough.

Can you contact adverts@boards.ie

bachelor

Between 2000 and 2004 our service charge rose 91%.
In Sept 2004 at the AGM a new board of owners was elected to the obvious distress of the managing agent who spent the next 4 months obstructing, campaigning to remove and ignoring the new board. The agent refused to show the new board the company accounts and after threatened legal action including a complaint to the ODCE they resigned in January 2005.
Since then a new agent has been appointed, service providers appointed on the basis of sealed tenders, significant investment made in security, maintenance and upkeep. Monthly meetings are held between the board and the agent to review expenditure and ensure value for money.
Our service charge for the coming year will be 30% less than the previous year and this has been achieved by providing better services and improved quality of life for residents.
12 years after construction the builder had still not conveyed the public areas or finished snag lists, including the provision of basic fire fighting equipment. These issues have been resolved by the new board.
There remains a huge number of issues relating to the management of the complex in the past that will need to be resolved, probably by litigation but the rip-off has been stopped!

RainyDay

bachelor wrote:

Between 2000 and 2004 our service charge rose 91%.
In Sept 2004 at the AGM a new board of owners was elected to the obvious distress of the managing agent who spent the next 4 months obstructing, campaigning to remove and ignoring the new board. The agent refused to show the new board the company accounts and after threatened legal action including a complaint to the ODCE they resigned in January 2005.
Since then a new agent has been appointed, service providers appointed on the basis of sealed tenders, significant investment made in security, maintenance and upkeep. Monthly meetings are held between the board and the agent to review expenditure and ensure value for money.
Our service charge for the coming year will be 30% less than the previous year and this has been achieved by providing better services and improved quality of life for residents.
12 years after construction the builder had still not conveyed the public areas or finished snag lists, including the provision of basic fire fighting equipment. These issues have been resolved by the new board.
There remains a huge number of issues relating to the management of the complex in the past that will need to be resolved, probably by litigation but the rip-off has been stopped!

Many congratulations - Sounds like you got a great result. This would make a great case study, if you were able to write it up in more detail - I'd bet some of the papers would be interested.