Using electronic media for communication

Joe222

Re apartment management companies

Is it ok for the owners to use the likes of Viber to communicate and make decisions or does every decision have to be voted on at a sit down meeting?

Thanks

Denny_Crane

It depends on the decision, but most decisions of any importance should be voted on at the AGM.

Whether to use Paddy the Plumber or Jimmy the Plumber can probably be hashed out on viber.

Paulw

Many decisions are just made by the directors, in conjunction with the management agent.

Other than that, big decisions are made and voted on at the company AGM.

Many decisions don't need the approval of members, but only of the directors, but they may decide to get feedback from members, via email or other media. This shouldn't be as a substitute for the company AGM.

In saying that, I would guess that you would get more response via email or other electronic media, than you would get for people to attend an AGM.

I wonder is there any law stating that you can't use such media? I doubt there is.

April 73

When I was a director, we had sit down minuted meetings every so often, but many decisions were taken over group emails. It's not a bad idea to keep a record though, which you'd have in email trails.

Tigerandahalf

April 73 wrote: »

When I was a director, we had sit down minuted meetings every so often, but many decisions were taken over group emails. It's not a bad idea to keep a record though, which you'd have in email trails.

But wouldn't you have the exact same with Viber etc? An electronic record. Someone simply says yes and a decision can be made. Same as email but much more effective.

Joe222

Paulw wrote: »

Many decisions are just made by the directors, in conjunction with the management agent.

Other than that, big decisions are made and voted on at the company AGM.

Many decisions don't need the approval of members, but only of the directors, but they may decide to get feedback from members, via email or other media. This shouldn't be as a substitute for the company AGM.

In saying that, I would guess that you would get more response via email or other electronic media, than you would get for people to attend an AGM.

I wonder is there any law stating that you can't use such media? I doubt there is.

What decisions can be made by the directors only?
I thought you needed a majority vote to carry any decisions and that you had to give a certain amount of notice.

April 73

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

But wouldn't you have the exact same with Viber etc? An electronic record. Someone simply says yes and a decision can be made. Same as email but much more effective.

In a Whats App group people can delete their own messages which could affect records. I don't know about Viber.

April 73

Joe222 wrote: »

What decisions can be made by the directors only?
I thought you needed a majority vote to carry any decisions and that you had to give a certain amount of notice.

Budgets & big decisions are made at an AGM usually & by votes by the membership.
Directors are elected to look after the day to day running of the company & they do take smaller decisions themselves as a group. It would be impossible to operate if every single decision had to be made at an AGM.

Paulw

Joe222 wrote: »

What decisions can be made by the directors only?
I thought you needed a majority vote to carry any decisions and that you had to give a certain amount of notice.

Most day to day decisions are made by the directors only. The directors also decide on the budget for each year, but their decision must be approved by vote at an AGM. The general spending and what happens is just decided by directors.

That's why you elect directors in the first place.

caviardreams

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

But wouldn't you have the exact same with Viber etc? An electronic record. Someone simply says yes and a decision can be made. Same as email but much more effective.

Also not everyone has a smartphone. I think email would be the only valid option tbh - no apps required and email addresses are generally permanent and not dependent on a company still being in existence in 5 years time to access old record etc.

newacc2015

I think it is very much dependent on the management company and the members relationship. If it is an apartment block of a dozen or so apartments I think it is grand. If it is 100 or so where 99% are BTL where no one cares about the state of the place, then viber is not the best.

I think if it is something like getting the windows cleaned then the directors should make an executive decision. If it is spending €20k on getting the place painted, it should go to the AGM.

IMO digital communication has made it easier for people not to think rationally. Instead of making an executive decision, you might end up with the most basic decisions going to a vote on viber