Window cleaning charge but never done

[Dexters]

Really high management fees with little follow through or estate upkeep. We are charged €40 a year for window cleaning as part of the fee. This was not completed last year so I have not paid the €40.

A new agent was appointed and they asked why I hadn't paid the €40. They noted that as other residents haven't paid their fees the window cleaning couldn't be done. They said I have to pay and its a chicken/egg situation.

Any advice on this one would be greatly appreciated. I really don't want to pay for a service not received.

 

[Leo]

What does your lease say? What are the state of the management company finances? If they can't afford window cleaning, is all insurance cover in place?

 

[lantus]

Annual budgets are made up of lots of projected costs which may include items that are not undertaken. This could be because other members have not paid or budgeted costs have increased which requires reallocation of funds to meet critical spending requirements before the more nicities like cleaning.

 

[Clonback]

The directors of your management company are responsible for collecting the annual fees provided the fees were agreed by the the members.Go to the next AGM and make your point.

 

[Bronte]

Well if everybody holds back fees nothing will ever get done. Must be awful to be part of management companies in Ireland.

 

[lantus]

The directors of your management company are responsible for collecting the annual fees provided the fees were agreed by the the members.Go to the next AGM and make your point.

The directors are responsible for setting the budgets and the annual fees.
The members then review and approve (or amend, or even reject) the budget and next years fees at the AGM.
The directors issue bills out after the AGM to each member advising of the fee for that year.
The members are then responsible to pay this fee as directed and in the time period required.
The directors are responsible to remind those members who don't pay to make payment and eventually enforce such payment through the courts if members refuse to pay.

Its a joint responsibility between members and directors but the real responsibility lies with the members themselves.

Not a perfect system because many people enjoy the idea of getting something for free. It needs everyone engaged and a high level of personal responsibility and ultimately money to ensure it works.

 

[Vanessa]

Iantus sums up the entire management situation perfectly. Too many people in Ireland bought apartments without being fully aware of the part they must play in the management structure and that they are actual shareholders. If they educated themselves there would be a lot less of the us versus them scenarios