Mgmt Co. problems

elliecon

Hi,

Does anyone know or have any suggestions as to what I can do about a mgmt. co. that is an absolute joke?

I am having 2 problems at the moment. The first one is my boyfriend lost his keys for our apartment a couple of months ago and since then I have been trying to get information from the mgmt. co. as to how I go about organising getting another set of keys as the 2 of us are working off the one set at the moment and it's proving very awkward. The mgmt. co. has informed me that the key company they were using has gone bust and they are having trouble getting a new company set up to take over. Surely though this should have been a priority when it happened. I got this story 2 months ago and still they are saying they are "still looking into it".
The 2nd problem I have is that I have received my bill for my mgmt. charges but no back-up whatsoever as to what these charges are made up of. I have requested this from the mgmt. co. numerous times and still no sign of it yet. I am happy to pay my charges but I'm not going to pay them if I don't know exactly what I'm paying for.
I have rang the mgmt. co. numerous times, left messages, spoke to the contact and sent a letter of complaint but still no joy. Is there anyone else I can complain to or is there anything else I can do? Any suggestions would be a great help.

Paulw

Is it not possible for you to get keys cut? Are they special secure keys? If so, I would imagine that it's not a common thing for them to get new keys cut.

With your management fees, normally at the company AGM the fees for the year are explained. In our management company, we don't send out a detailed breakdown of the planned budget for the new year, only the invoice for the fees.

You can always request a copy of the accounts for the previous year, and see how the money is spent. You should have received a copy anyway, at/before your company AGM.

If you have issues, you can always write (registered letter is best) to the directors of the management company (names/addresses available through CRO website).

Best of luck.

elliecon

Obviously they are the secure keys we need otherwise we would be able to get them cut ourselves. It is pretty common actually for them to have to get them cut as they informed me that they usually have spare sets in the office but they had so many people asking for spare keys lately, and they had no key cutting company to direct people to, that they had to give them all out.

It is the last budget and minutes of the AGM I am waiting on to serve as back-up to my mgmt. fee bill but as I said I have requested them numerous times and received nothing. I only bought the apt. 6 months ago so I wasn't around for the last AGM which is why I need the back-up.

Thanks for your help.

BC

First of all, you are probably dealing with the management agent not the management company. You are the management company. The managing agent is someone employed by the company to do the day to day running of a development.

On the keys issue - is it keys into the block as opposed to keys into the actual apartment? Sounds a bit odd if its keys to the apartment, most people I know change the locks when they move in and so have their own keys. Keys to the block is a different story. It does sound unreasonable that you have to wait so long. Maybe write to them and formally ask for a response on when you will have a replacement key.

In relation to the fees - the last AGM would have detailed the budget for the year and the estimate of costs. That is just a budget. If things change, it may have to change but you should be able to request a copy of it. If people have not paid their fees then it may not be possible to provide all the services in the budget so you need to try and find out all of that from the agent.

elliecon

Yes it is the block keys. I have written to them already, over a week ago, but heard no reply.

Again I have requested a copy of the budget already, that is my problem, I have been in contact with them about these issues numerous times but they are just ignoring my requests.

What I really want to know is is there anyone I can make a formal complaint to as they are just ignoring all my requests.

Thanks for your help.

Paulw

elliecon wrote: »

What I really want to know is is there anyone I can make a formal complaint to as they are just ignoring all my requests.

You can make a formal complaint to the directors of the management company, about the lack of action from the management agent.

The directors should respond and also deal with the issue.

pinkypinky

I suggest buying Robert Gogan's book on apartment living in Ireland - it's a concise but detailed read on what to expect and well worth the €15 it costs. I was in a similar position to you a couple of years ago when I bought and now I am director of the mngt company. We initially just formed a residents committee and changed agents. Active involvement is really the only way to make sure you're getting value for your money.

Paulw

pinkypinky wrote: »

I was in a similar position to you a couple of years ago when I bought and now I am director of the mngt company. We initially just formed a residents committee and changed agents. Active involvement is really the only way to make sure you're getting value for your money.

Have to agree there. We did the same - formed resident's association, elected ourselves as directors, replaced management agent and now I'm a director of the management company (for the last 3 years now).

Getting actively involved is the only way to get things done.

PIMPHO

pinkypinky wrote: »

I suggest buying Robert Gogan's book on apartment living in Ireland - it's a concise but detailed read on what to expect and well worth the €15 it costs. I was in a similar position to you a couple of years ago when I bought and now I am director of the mngt company. We initially just formed a residents committee and changed agents. Active involvement is really the only way to make sure you're getting value for your money.

Can I ask what management agent you changed from and to? We are thinking of changing ours but haven't been able to find any good reviews on any reputable mgt agents?

Thanks

PIMPHO

Paulw wrote: »

Have to agree there. We did the same - formed resident's association, elected ourselves as directors, replaced management agent and now I'm a director of the management company (for the last 3 years now).

Getting actively involved is the only way to get things done.

Can I ask what management agent you changed from and to? We are thinking of changing ours but haven't been able to find any good reviews on any reputable mgt agents?

Thanks

Paulw

PM sent with info.