Advice sought

Stephen P

I live in a block of apartments on the top (3rd) floor. There are four apartments on the floor, 2 apartments are on each side of the landing through doors. There's not one bulb working on the floor. The place is pitch black at night and is a potential hazard on the stairs if a fire broke out. The management agent said there's a wiring problem and the the fittings need to be replaced. This is going on for about 8 months. Who could I go to to get action done? I own the apartment so there's no landlord involved. I've been onto the management agent again this week and they said there would be contractor on site yesterday but there wasn't.

I'd appreciate any advice anyone can give me.

triskellion

All you can do is stay after them, and I suppose remind them the AGM is coming up & their contract will be reviewed in light of their performance.

Victor

If you really want to push it, fire officer in the local council.

How old is the building?

Treehouse72

Victor wrote: »

If you really want to push it, fire officer in the local council.

Not only is this a solution to the problem of nobody listening, it is correct wrt the more substantive issue: dark halls are a real and genuine safety risk and for it not to have been sorted in 8 months is mind-boggling.

Honestly, I would threaten the management company. Play hard ball. Tell them that unless this is sorted within a week you'll be reporting the situation to every authority conceivable.

mathepac

As an apartment owner, you are a member of the management company. Raise the issue directly with the directors of your management company, the employers of the managing agent, in writing requesting immediate action.

Hopefully there are no issues in relation to unpaid management fees or other budgetary deficits that would prevent the managing agent taking the appropriate action to repair / replace the faulty wiring.

Raising it with the local authority is ridiculous and futile as it sounds like this is a private development.

Stephen P

Thanks for the replies and advice.

@Victor - the development is 7 years old. I'm going to contact the directors of the management company, which are the builders as it hasn't been handed over yet.

@mathepac - I was told that there is problems with funding, that's what the major delay is. This problem is in existence for a couple of years. Over time each bulb has blown and now they're all gone. They replaced the bulbs knowing that the root cause was the wiring which they should have addressed. They keep putting it on the long finger instead of tackling it. We had an AGM this time last year so I'm hoping they will call another one soon.

Treehouse72

Stephen P wrote: »

Thanks for the replies and advice.

@Victor - the development is 7 years old. I'm going to contact the directors of the management company, which are the builders as it hasn't been handed over yet.

@mathepac - I was told that there is problems with funding, that's what the major delay is. This problem is in existence for a couple of years. Over time each bulb has blown and now they're all gone. They replaced the bulbs knowing that the root cause was the wiring which they should have addressed. They keep putting it on the long finger instead of tackling it. We had an AGM this time last year so I'm hoping they will call another one soon.

But statutory safety authorities won't give a toss about whether there's a funding shortfall - if the dark hall represents, say, a fire hazard, they will insist it's fixed.