Can Mgt Co rule that children are not allowed play in gated apartment complex.

L

Luigi

Guest
Hi there

I'm new to this forum but I've heard great reviews about the site. I was hoping someone could advise me please.

I live in a gated apartment complex and my 4 year old daughter asked if she could cycle along on her new bicycle that she got for her birthday over the weekend. Being a lovely day I took her along the cobbled path in the common garden area. Within a few minutes I received a complaint that children are not allowed to play in the vast common area at all and I was told my child had to immediately refrain from playing there.

I called the management company immediately and I was told that it is true - children cannot play in the large common area at all.

I find this unbelievable. Could it possibly be true? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.
 
What do your house rules say about this? You probably called the management agent rather than the company (all owners are part of the company, and the company contracts an agent to run the development).
 
Hi Anni1 - thank you very much for your feedback. I actually did see that thread but thought it may be a bit different as it was a common area outside of a house rather than a very private gated complex where I live. Thanks once again.

Purpeller - I've noted from previous threads I was reading that there is a distinct difference between a prop mgt co and agent. I will do more research on this tomorrow. Thanks once again.
 
Luigi - you don't live in Stillorgan by any chance? My apartment complex has the same ridiculous rules which were set up by the management company and shows how important it is to have proper representation of the committe. In my case there are a few older residents who dislike children running and playing around and enjoy telling them off - we actually have signs in the common areas saying children are not allowed to play. The same company also traps foxes - but don't get me started on that. The agent just acts and does as the management company instructs unfortunately.
 
When you bought your property you would have been given a list of Management Company rules eg No satellite dishes, no washing being hung on balconies etc. If this rule wasn't included I don't see how it can be imposed after you have moved in and signed a lease.
 
She's not 'playing' though, is she? - she's just riding her bike.
Are older people allowed to ride their bikes there? If so, then there is a case for age discrimination.

This rule was probably originally made up to stop teenagers from kicking balls against property etc.
 
This attitude is typical of many of the cranks that live in apartment complexes. They are invariably single with no grasp of familiy life. If apartments are bing sold to families you can expect that children will want to play outside You will really have to check out the rules on this and endeavour to get them changed if you can.
 
What a stupid sweeping post. Either it was a rule and she should have familiarised herself with the rules before buying, or it's not a rule and she can ignore it. It's nothing to do with people being 'cranks'.
 
Stopping a 4 year old from cycling under parental supervision is very much to do with people being cranks.
 
I don't agree with that rule Complainer, but I don't think people who want rules that were signed up to be adhered to are 'cranks'. Also, implying that cranks are all single people living in apartments is the kind of childish stereotypingthat puts people off making legitimate complaints. It was the tone of Yorrick's post that was silly and sweeping.
 
Luigi ignore the cranks complaining. As another poster has said, cycling is not playing. Hard to believe someone would actually make an issue of a 4 year old cycling on a path under parental supervision - takes all sorts!
 
Completely agree with complainer.

Why should allowing a child to cycle while under parental supervision be against the 'rules'? It's not as if they are out together vandalising the place.

Playing has become a crime in the world of the apartment dwellers then, has it? It's a sad day if it has. Sure the child that's playing there today will probably be paying it off for the rest of their lives along with the rest of the borrowed money that the state never mind the estate owes. Sure let them enjoy it now rather than penning them into a one bed apartment like a prisioner in a cell. They'll be a prisioner to debt soon enough!
 
As a single person living in an apartment with no grasp of family life, I would say that someone is being over zealous in their interpretation of this rule. It obviously means that kids are not to be kicking balls or jumping around on skate boards in the common garden area. I would get back on to the management company and explain that your child was cycling along beside you in the common area and ask if this is covered by the 'rule'. If it's not (and it shouldn't be) I would explain that this regulation is being misunderstood and could they issue a clarification to every one as you're being hassled about it. If it is covered, it seems ridiculous.
 
Case of a child who fell off the roof of a bin bay while out 'playing' cost the insurance company a significant settlement and will cost all of the owners in an increased block policy premium.

There are cranks/ complainers in apartment complexes and there are also useless parents who leave the children unsupervised in dangerous surroundings or worse still 'supervise' the children while they cause risk or damage.

If you could trust groups of people to be reasonable, there would be no problem but it is the extremist on both sides that ruin it for the masses.
 
I agree. There's a happy middle ground where people should feel free to complain about genuine issues and breaches of management rules without being called 'cranks' but should also realise that there has to be give and take in an apartment complex and complaining about every petty thing is unfair. Likewise, parents need to be responsible regarding their children's behaviour (without having to keep them locked inside all day) and not jump to their defence against every complaint and some of them should be a little less quick to look for someone to blame and sue when there's been an accident.
I also think in a lot of cases (although not this one) people don't bother to read management co rules, sign the lease and then get highly indignant when they realise they can't do this or that and decide 'ah shure feck it. I'll ignore it'. But anyway I started another thread about that.
 
I deal with a lot of management companies and residents. It is my opinion that apartments attract more cranks than any other form of development. They develop a "my little kingdom" mentality. At one A.G.M. I had a gent who wanted to restrict cars reversing into parking spaces as theur exhaust fumes would damage the flowers in the garden adjoing the parking space. Another whinger gave out because some one left their window open on a sunny day and he could hear their music playing.
 
Oh I agree you come across moaners in apartment blocks, but you also come across them in housing estates. I live in an apartment block and have never lived amongst a group of more agreeable people.
Also, someone complaining about people playing loud music on sunny afternoons is hardly unusual.
 
All rules enforced by a management company in an apartment complex are described in the house rules. The house rules are written based on the legal binding contract signed by each person at the time they bought a property in the complex.

So if you want to work out whether any particular rule exists or not - check your copy of the house rules and/or the legally binding contract that you signed when you bought the property.

Obviously if you are renting, get it from your landlord.
 
If the management company have - through what may be be descibed as somewhat inappropriate terms and conditions - restricted the available amenity areas that were granted as part of the development by an unreasonable restriction of child playing areas [thus perhaps placing them at hazard if they were to play at the side of the road for example] one might refer the matter to the the Department of the Environment, the local authority planning department and the health and safety authority.

ONQ.
 
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