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DCC buy block in development

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  • 30-07-2008 9:54pm
    #1
    emty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 385 ✭✭


    Hi,
    Just wonder if anyone has been in a similar situation and can offer some advice.I bought my apt in a new development in D.8 three years ago on the understanding that 20% of the units would be used for affordable housing.Well that never happened and one of the blocks was left empty.Now it seems that DCC have bought the block and have started to move in tenents,not people who are buying the apts.Anyway, the managing agent(who was installed by the developer) is proving harder to contact than usual(didn't think that was possible!)and my question is,how do I go about contacting DCC to find out what is going on,
    thanks a lot


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    #2
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,298 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    I think you need to talk to the Housing Department.

    What sort of information do you need?


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    #3
    emty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 385 ✭✭emty


    Well,I would like to know if what I have stated is true and what it will mean for the development in terms of who is going to pay for the maintainance on these apts and how it is going to be run.


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    #4
    DublinDilbert
    Registered Users Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭DublinDilbert


    emty wrote: »
    Well,I would like to know if what I have stated is true and what it will mean for the development in terms of who is going to pay for the maintainance on these apts and how it is going to be run.

    That's an interesting situation, and one that probably won't be uncommon in the coming months/years. Technically DCC are owners, so should have to pay a maintance fee each year to the management company for every apartment they own.

    I guess it all depends on how DCC "bought" the block, as most apartment owners are buying a 999 year lease on the internal space. If they bought the entire block, including the land it stands on, it could happen that they are no-longer under the remit of the management company at all.

    Also i can't see DCC paying a large maintenance fee per year, as they would be able to offer services such as waste disposal for free...


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    #5
    antoinolachtnai
    Registered Users Posts: 9,776 ✭✭✭antoinolachtnai


    How can DCC dispose of waste for free? Throw it over a wall?

    I would say that DCC would be reluctant to get involved in estate management if there any alternative. But I could be wrong.

    I think this could be a good thing for the running of your development. The problem with management companies and agents is that usually, no single owner is strong enough to take them on. DCC could take the role of a strong tenant who will keep the management company and agent in line.

    You really need to talk to the housing department or failing that your local councillor to find out what's going on.


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    #6
    Ste.phen
    Registered Users Posts: 2,808 ✭✭✭Ste.phen


    Isn't it more likely that DCC will act in the best interests of DCC?
    (Which would include keeping the place maintained to the bare minimum, rather than to the desires of the other owners?)


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    #7
    markpb
    Registered Users Posts: 9,257 ✭✭✭markpb


    At least one part of the housing authority in DCC has a very vested interest in seeing apartment blocks (in general) succeed in Dublin so we don't end up with abandoned tenements again. If the same people are involved, I'd say they would take good care of any apartments they own.


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    #8
    How Strange
    Registered Users Posts: 6,339 ✭✭✭How Strange


    emty wrote: »
    Well,I would like to know if what I have stated is true and what it will mean for the development in terms of who is going to pay for the maintainance on these apts and how it is going to be run.
    OP, in my previous life as a Property Manager I had some experience of this. Three blocks out of 24 were owned by a social housing association. They rented the houses out to tenants.

    The arrangement worked out in that case was that the housing association paid for all internal common areas i.e. repairs, replacing lights etc. We continued to look after the external common areas i.e. landscaping, external lighting. They paid us a service charge based an agreed percentage per unit for external grounds maintenance and refuse collection. It worked out very well, the contact in the housing association was friendly, efficient and always ensured that we were paid on time.
    If there were any issues or problems regarding the tenants of the units then I would liaise with him.

    I'd imagine a similar agreement has been made between your MC and DCC regarding splitting the charges into external maintenance (done by your MA) and internal (they will look after). The developer would have worked out these percentages on sale of the units.


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    #9
    gazzer
    Registered Users Posts: 4,056 ✭✭✭gazzer


    OP. I used to live in mixed development of houses and apartments that were private, affordable and council. Anybody who was renting an apartment in the estate from the council had to pay their rent PLUS a fee for the management fee. It was the same fee as any of the private/affordable management fees were only instead of paying it yearly the council tenants paid it weekly.


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