# Proplems with "Wiltshire" mangement co/agent(?) appointed at Slade Castle in Saggart?



## L ola (3 Jul 2009)

Hi, 

Is there anyone else having problems with the management company appointed at Slade Castle in Saggart?


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## shesells (3 Jul 2009)

*Re: Management company in Saggart*

Management agent?


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## remey (7 Jul 2009)

*Re: Management company in Saggart*

My friend lives there and I think the manaement fee was in or around €550 this year. An awful lot cheaper than carrigmore and carrig court where its more than double that. 
Do you know how much the mgmt agency get paid? I'm not sure.


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## L ola (9 Jul 2009)

*Re: Management company in Saggart*

The fees were over 1000 this year. I live at the end of the block and below me is all the left over building materials etc. Its pretty bad. This is my THIRD year to pay and up until Feb I lived in a building site? I just dont see how they were getting away with it


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## mf1 (9 Jul 2009)

*Re: Management company in Saggart*

Sorry - who is getting away with what?

Have you engaged with the management company? Attended meetings? Asked about changing managing agents? 

It really is up to individual owners to get involved. 

mf


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## L ola (9 Jul 2009)

*Re: Management company in Saggart*

Yes Ive been on to them but to no avail. I just wanted to know if anyone else had any problems and if they were dealt with


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## shesells (9 Jul 2009)

*Re: Management company in Saggart*

Guys as mf says, you don't seem to know the difference between management company and management agent. As owners you are members of the management company and that brings rights and responsibilities. Check out www.apartmentowners.ie for some very helpful information. Or do a search on here, situations like yours are very common.


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## mariec (10 Jul 2009)

*Re: Management company in Saggart*

Hi there,
I'm having the same issues with the management agent, Wiltshire, I've been on the phone, sending letters and always get the same response - "that's not our problem, speak to the builders". The estate has been in an absolute state.....i have to say there was an improvement around March/April of this year when they were releasing phase 2 and made it very obvious that they were just completing phase one of the estate (2 years over their initial completion date) in a desperate attempt to sell phase 2!!
I've spoken to one or 2 others and they're of the same opinion so I really think we need to rally together on this and get a result once and for all - would you be up for that?
Our concerns are not being voiced by Wiltshire at all, it's a joke!
Did you pay your Man Fees? We're holding off with our fees at this stage as the last resort - did a bit of digging on the various companies involved with this estate - very intersting reading altogether!!!


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## L ola (13 Jul 2009)

*Re: Management company in Saggart*

Definately! You took the words out of my mouth- There was a huge 'clean up' done to try sell the next phase. 
We paid the maintenance fees last week, totally regret it now.


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## shesells (13 Jul 2009)

*Re: Management company in Saggart*

You should *NEVER* withold fees as a means of protest. Fees cover basics like insurance and common area lighting and in some cases refuse. These are vital services and can be withdrawn if enough money isn't there to pay the costs. Which would put you in breach of your mortgage agreement with your bank, insurance is a basic requirement of all mortgages.

It really sounds like you guys still haven't grasped the basics of living in a managed development, you need to take control yourselves and not rely on the agents, who if the builders are still involved, agents are often "handcuffed" in what they can and cannot do.

Start with the Robert Gogan guide to apartment living (even if you're in a house), and also check out the AON site as mentioned above.


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## L ola (13 Jul 2009)

*Re: Proplems with "Wiltshire" mangement co/agent(?) appointed at Slade Castle in Sagg*

If we need to take control ourselves why are we forking out thousands a year? Yes I undersand that the fees cover a range of things etc and Im not disputing that. I am however disputing the fact that the agents are washing their hands of outstanding issues which they claim to take care of and its not good enough.  We are trying to comunicate with the agents but getting nothing back, one way traffic. And if they are handcuffed in what they can do TELL US!!! So we can take a different route and perhaps get some answers


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## shesells (13 Jul 2009)

*Re: Proplems with "Wiltshire" mangement co/agent(?) appointed at Slade Castle in Sagg*

Please, please read the book, and your lease!!

Only a small percentage of the fees goes to the agent, they are employees of the management company. You as an owner are a member of the company. The problem most likely is that your builders are still the directors of the management company and until they are replaced they are the bosses of the management agent who has to do what they're told. That includes passing on information to you.

If you're not getting satisfaction with your property administrator within Wiltshire, go over their head. The MD's details are easily locatable. 

When I say take control yourselves, I don't mean of the agents. I mean suss out the situation with the directors of the management company. Read your lease and the articles of association of your management company, call an EGM and replace the directors. Then when the owners are the directors that employ the management agent things will be different if they want to hold on to the contract. Been there, done that!


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## mathepac (13 Jul 2009)

*Re: Proplems with "Wiltshire" mangement co/agent(?) appointed at Slade Castle in Sagg*



mf1 said:


> ... Have you engaged with the management company? Attended meetings? Asked about changing managing agents?  ...


 When mf1 asked those questions above, your response was 


L ola said:


> Yes Ive been on to them but to no avail...


which doesn't answer the questions asked.

To shesells you responded...


L ola said:


> If we need to take control ourselves why are we forking out thousands a year? ...


all of which indicate that you urgently need to update yourself on how issues arising from living  in a managed development get resolved.

It appears you are interacting directly with the managing agent; if you are an apartment owner, your interaction needs to be via the management company (which employs the managing agent).

I can appreciate the frustration but unless you know how the organisations work together (in theory and in practice) I fear all that will happen is higher levels of frustration.


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## mariec (13 Jul 2009)

*Re: Proplems with "Wiltshire" mangement co/agent(?) appointed at Slade Castle in Sagg*

Hi there,
Our issue at the minute is that the management agent and the developers *are still *the management company - the 3 main builder/developer gents are still the registered director's of the management company so we can't even call it "our" management company! 
I contacted the agents to say that I was more than willing to pay for the bins, insurance, etc. last year and this year but I was under no circumstances paying for services we were getting billed for and not even getting - an example was the madness of charging the management co accounts twice for landscaping fees, one amount for the developer and the other for a private company! I was told by phone and letter it was all or nothing.
I defo agree that we need to call an EGM - sooner rather than later - would anyone recommend how to go about this? Fliers through doors and then call the agent to arrange a date???
We really need serious questions answered - like if the builders are still the registered, do they still have access to the management co bank accounts??


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## mathepac (13 Jul 2009)

*Re: Proplems with "Wiltshire" mangement co/agent(?) appointed at Slade Castle in Sagg*



mariec said:


> ... I defo agree that we need to call an EGM - sooner rather than later - would anyone recommend how to go about this? ...


If as you say the management company are the builders and the managing agent, then no-one other than the members / directors of the management company can call an EGM - its a private non-trading company.

Sorry recent post about calling EGM - http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=114334


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## Mers1 (12 Aug 2009)

*Re: Proplems with "Wiltshire" mangement co/agent(?) appointed at Slade Castle in Sagg*

Wiltshire are positively useless - they are reactive not proactive - get rid of them immediately.


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## L ola (17 Aug 2009)

*Re: Proplems with "Wiltshire" mangement co/agent(?) appointed at Slade Castle in Sagg*

Im working on it


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## mariec (18 Aug 2009)

*Re: Proplems with "Wiltshire" mangement co/agent(?) appointed at Slade Castle in Sagg*

Me too Lola - I reckon the more letters/calls they get, with a consistent message that we are not happy with their "services" up to about Feb this year, the better. I totally agree with the charges for bins, insurance etc. but we got a letter from them saying part of our service fees were "light and heating"....eh, hello, we're in one of the duplexes and pay our own light and heating so what's that about?? Wiltshire need to answer questions here without doubt!!


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## shesells (19 Aug 2009)

*Re: Proplems with "Wiltshire" mangement co/agent(?) appointed at Slade Castle in Sagg*

Chances are that the budget is for the entire development and the leases are structured that you pay a percentage of the overall budget and not just for the services you receive. I know we do and like you I'm in a duplex so don't benefit from the common area cleaning and light or fire alarms but that's what we signed up for. Didn't realise it at the time but there's literally nothing that can be done about it at this stage, we've taken a LOT of legal advice on it.


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