Mgmt Fee increase

[Emma7]

Hi all,

I was just speaking to David (another new account manager) in ODPM regarding the issues in the belfry hall (landscaping etc) He is very unhelpful, and yes i was a bit pissed off when i spoke to him but he is so inexperienced. I deal with management companies every day and he has no clue how to approach situations with customers, but never mind, they are no good in there anyway.
I was told we are being charged a 6% increase on our management fees and i cannot believe it. I understand inflation and all that shit but seriously WHAT ARE THEY BEING PAID FOR..... Nothing has been done. The only thing i see happening when it should is the cleaning, lighting and the bin collections other than that NOTHING!!!!!!!
We are being charged for a caretaker who must be F$^&*"g invisable coz i can't see him. Landscaping (what bloody landscaping) I've seen better landscaping on a caravan site. I know this is not their fault but it is their job to fix it no matter what.

Really sorry for the rant but i was wondering if anyone would like to meet up and thrash this out. Maybe members of the management committee could get a meeting going so we can sort this problem out. We do not have to use ODPM as our management company, i'm sure they are all as bad as each other though.

Thanks

Emma

 

[Ella]

Hi Emma,

I was wondering when we'd get the next bill for management fees!!! 6% sounds very high, I was speaking with some friends who are on a residents commitee for another development (this development is about 7 years old!!), I understand that for the last 4 years there have been no increases, but this year Wyse management looked at 5% increase, the residents commitee negociated this down to 3% hike in fees!!! However, there has been a caretaker there since the start, their landscaping has won awards and was finished at a very early stage etc.....I cannot see how I'm getting any value for money in belfy hall!!!

My windows were not cleaned and when I phoned to tell ODPM, I was advised that I contacted them too late....I also queried about getting the balcony glass panels cleaned (on outside of panels) and was told that this was not part of the job the wondow cleaners were paid to do!!! I have to admit that David did organise to get my windows cleaned but only cos I kicked up!!!

On the whole, I fail to see how/why a 6% hike is necessary cos I can't see where the money already received has been used??? I think it all goes to the developer as they haven't handed over to us residents yet....Does the developer tells ODPM how much we need to pay in management fees????

 

[Hart]

So I guess this means €1500 becomes €1590 (6%) and gets rounded up to €1600? That is outrageous for management company fees. Is it going to increase every year at this rate? I thought the first year at €1300 was high and didn't envision it increasing for a long time thereafter. I know a girl living in a duplex in the Belfry Estate for four years now and her fees haven’t increased once.

On another note and I appreciate I may be pulled up on this by some but I must agree that David is unbelievably inexperienced and downright obnoxious with it. Any debate or disagreement results in him whining like a child in playschool accompanied by accusations of you being mean to him and he did use that word. I won’t get too into it but when I had a query recently, he told me to start dealing with apartment living in Dublin.

 

[Carly]

Sack them

Very frustrated about the hike in fees... its crazy. My windows have not been cleaned ONCE in a year and a half & im on the 3rd floor!

A friend of mine who lives in Sandyford- wont mention the development- well ODPM were intially the management company up there... they did such a bad job that the residents committee got together & sacked them. They now have a new management company who apparently do a fantastic job....

this is always an option????

 

[Emma7]

I am glad i am not the only resident with the views you all mentioned.
I really think we need to do something about it as its a total disgrace.

ODPM are totally unprofessional (David especially).
I was told the mgmt fees are from 01st July - i did say that i received no notification yet and i was told letters are being printed at the moment. When i asked how long we have to pay i was told 30 days or else sign up to a quarterly direct debit payment scheme.
I really wouldnt mind paying the fees if i knew that work is being done that is in the budget.
I was e-mailed over the budget for this year and the breakdown of the new fees so if anyone would like this PM me your e-mail address and i will forward it to you.
Also has anyone else thought about meeting up and get this sorted, there is no point in us ranting and not following through with the complaints.

Emma

 

[Ella]

I was just wondering about an AGM??? I thought ODPM must call one and that discussion re expenditure (ie what was actually spent in last year, amount remaining in sinking fund etc..) can be open and transparent to all residents?????

 

[Emma7]

Hi Ella,

I have a copy of the Financial Statements for the Belfry Hall Management Company for 18 months ended 30 June 2007. No financial reports have been filed for this financial year yet. But they should be filed soon.

Regarding AGM's they will not call one of these until they have the financial statements completed, and speaking from expierence it could take up to 3-4 months for these statements and reports to be filed.

I will keep an eye out for these financial statements but there was a surplus in the 2007 accounts so i am sure there is an even bigger one in the 2008 accounts as nothing has been done so i have no idea where the money is going.

Emma

P.S. If anyone wants a copy of these statements let me know and i can pop you in a copy of them.

 

[partygirl]

Management Fees

Hi Guys

I spoke with David in ODPM two weeks and I found him very unhelpful and rude.

I was told that there would be a 6% increase in Management fees for this year and I asked if we were going to get a refund for the gardening and the care taker as nothing had been done on this. He said no this would go into the sinking fund.

I also asked about what way they did there account i.e. do they have a separate account for each block and he said that they only had one account for the 4 blocks. I can’t understand this as some blocks may need more things doing to it then others which is totally unreasonable. He told me that I should go and read some book!!! I told him to piss off hahahaha

I really think that we should have a meeting and look at sacking ODPM and hiring another management company with a good track record.

Like others I wouldn’t mind paying the fees if we were getting what we paid for. Although a 15% increase from 06-07 and then a further 6% increase in 2008 is ridiculous if you ask me

How about we meet in Browns Barn at the end of the month?

Sorry for the rant but i think we really need to start moving on this.

 

[Emma7]

Hi,

The end of the month sounds great to me for meeting to discuss sacking the management company.
But we need to get onto the Belfry Managemenet Committee and get them involved - don't want to upset anyone.
Afterall they are the ones who speak on our behalf.

 

[Hart]

I agree regarding a meeting. As I understand it, ODPM cannot be "sacked" nor can we go to tender for another management company until the complex is officially handed over to us. Again, I believe this will not happen until Laragan's sell the final apartment which they seem in no rush to do. This is almost certainly because of the benefits they are garnering from the sister communications company - Digigate but I also wonder if some deal has been struck with ODPM.

I may not have all my facts correct above but I too feel it is paramount that we meet as I think we really may need legal advice on said issues. I understand a residents committee has been appointed and in relation to that, I would be most grateful if we could be kept updated with ANY developments in ANY regard by that committee. It might be a good idea for them to post here or in our letter boxes, a quarterly update.

 

[Caddywhack]

Hi Guys,

The Management Company committee met with the managing agents last month in the apartment of one of the committee. An AGM is being organised for the 13th July. Before that meeting the committee will be forwarding documentation relating to the breakdown of the finances. Unfortunately, the has been a lot of outgoing costs in relation to vandalism, broken front doors, the fly tipping in the bin areas etc which has resulted in the increase. This will not be an annual increase. We should expect bedding down problems in any development. Savings have been made on last year in certain areas like electricity, so the increase could have been higher.

The committee are planning on meeting again shortly to discuss some outstanding issues with ODPM. If people have any issues they should post them in the postboxes located in the foyers of each block of our development.

 

[DDD]

odpm fees

hi just received a letter that i have to pay 2200 euro for management fees. im in belfry hall im in total shock, they havent cleaned my windows since i moved in a year and a half ago, i rang them a few wks ago and they said they would see what they could do but heard nothing. the landscaping is weeds and today again the carpark is like a lake i had to wade through water to get to my car. i this this is unacceptable, im going to ring my solicitor and see were i stand on this. all i can see them doing is hovering. why should we pay for window cleaners and then have to keep an eye out to make sure they have been done!!! if we pay fees it just should be done, sorry about the rant but if we all stick together and refuse to pay until all is done we might just get somewere..

 

[Carly]

Mgnt fees

Hi DDD,

How come your mgnt fee was €2,200? Please dont tell me they have increased it to that???

 

[M&S]

ODPM are shams!

i dont recall EVER signing a contract with ODPM so therefore i am of the understanding that i dont have to pay them!!!!!!

i love how my simple mind works!!!!!

on the phone to ODPM at the mo giving abuse to the poor customer service rep!!!!!!! ah well, im annoyed so i have to rant at someone!!!!!!

oh and my main question was "what are we paying Budget B when thats amenities, ie the retail units when ANYONE from the Public can walk in and use them (when they finally get round to opening them)!!!!!????"

 

[Jen C]

M&S - Unfortunately when you purchased your apartment you therefore signed up as a member of management company, ODPM being the managment agents appointed by the developer, Laragan.

Read the book " A guide to apartment living in Ireland", for more information, €9.99.

In regards to the other fee being mentioned of €2200 this is obviously arrears being charged.

Before the AGM it would have been wise to organise a meeting with residents in order to assess whether we should tendor for another management agent and sack ODPM.

Jen

 

[DDD]

managment fee

i got a letter a good few months ago saying i owed 600 but when i rang to pay was told to leave it. now i get this letter for 2200. is anyone else goin to pay this i think its outragious they do nothing and im refusing to pay till the gardens are finished and the underground lake is gone!!!!!!! its so discusting its smelling up the apartment blocks and i nearly need wellies to get to my car, my shoes and trousers are wrecked from it . i dont want to leave my car on top cause of all the damage done in the past to the cars..so really why should we put up with it when they are not doin their job.we have an agreement with them and they are not keeping to their side. my windows are discusting and i live on the 3rd floor so not much i can do. maybe if we sign a partition and sent it in to them. i would love to get rid of them. im fuming this is our homes and im sure we all have better things to be worring about then our management company and the job they are not doing.

 

[M&S]

The same thing happened to me. i was lumped with an invoice in Feb for €192.50. i had already overpaid for my 6 months ownership of the apt so irang ODPM giving out and they too told me to ignore it. then on my statement this week that sum was still outstanding. i rang ODPM ranting once again and i was told that the builders were to pay that on my behalf! so i told her to clear it from my account ASAP.