# Parking owners not paying management fee



## Kelly1 (22 Dec 2019)

Hi,

I live in a multi-unit development which only has a reduced number of parking spaces (12 for 40 units) which mainly belong to the developers (who kept a few apartments) They also pertain to the board of directors. After checking the annual reports I noticed these parking owners pay the same fee than most of  owners who do not have a parking space.

Baiscally, we are are paying for the electricity and maintenance cost of an area that only 3 or 4 people own. I recently decided to join the Board of Directors and enquired about this but their only answer was to refer me to read the parking lease. I don't have a parking space and consequently I don't have access to that document but as part of the Board of Directors, can I get a copy? Is there any way to propose a change on the management fees policy to get parking owners to pay extra? 
The rest of the Directors for obvious reasons do not have any interest in get this change implemented but I would like to understand if there is a way to do it. Also, if one of the owners sold the parking space to a non-owner, wouldn't that person have to pay a maintenance fee? 
This is the first apartment I buy in Ireland and I am not familiar with the legislation here. I would be extremely helpful if someone could point me in the right direction.


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## elcato (22 Dec 2019)

For what it's worth my management co. has an extra charge of 200 p.a. for car park. Like you, some apartments did not get a spot included from the off. I did query last year why the sinking fund had to pay for gates upgrade but got fobbed off due to the 200. You need to lobby the owners to get this changed.


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## noproblem (22 Dec 2019)

€200 p.a for a parking spot? Most places are getting €200 per month.


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## Allen (22 Dec 2019)

I assume the €200 p.a. is the service charge for owning a car park space, not for renting one.


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## noproblem (22 Dec 2019)

Allen said:


> I assume the €200 p.a. is the service charge for owning a car park space, not for renting one.


Seriously? Never knew that. Had a few apartments in Dublin until recently and never had to pay that charge.


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## Allen (22 Dec 2019)

Yes.  The service charge payable to the Management Company on an apartment I own is listed separately to the apartment charge.  In another apartment there are no privately owned spaces so no additional charge.


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## Zenith63 (22 Dec 2019)

If it’s written into this ‘parking lease’ then there’s unlikely to be much you can do about it, short of reading it in detail and see if there is a way to make things more equitable. However as a Director you are well within your remit to see and be aware of the parking lease, so yes absolutely ask for it and see what you find in there!


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## 8till8 (22 Dec 2019)

Kelly1 said:


> I don't have a parking space and consequently I don't have access to that document but as part of the Board of Directors, can I get a copy?



Yes as a director you are entitled to this.




Kelly1 said:


> Is there any way to propose a change on the management fees policy to get parking owners to pay extra?



The short answer is yes.  There are several steps involved and the first is to check the lease and see what it says about maintenance fee's



Kelly1 said:


> if one of the owners sold the parking space to a non-owner, wouldn't that person have to pay a maintenance fee?



Yes the new owner is obliged to comply with the terms of the lease i.e. if the lease states they must pay maintenance fee's... then they must be paid



Do you have a managing agent looking after the development?  They would normally deal with your queries and give you the answers you need.


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## Seagull (27 Dec 2019)

Has one of the parking spaces been sold to someone who is not a resident in the complex?


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## Kelly1 (27 Dec 2019)

Hi,

Thank you for all your replies.

Regarding the parking owners, I am waiting for a list with the details but it is taking longer than expected to get it. The management agent is not very cooperative/reliable and any time I ask for something I need to send several emails until I get a reply (if I get it). I complained about this and suggested during a meeting the possibility to look for a different management company but the rest of the Directors do no support me. They are all friends.


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## kevinc (3 Jan 2020)

Kelly1 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Thank you for all your replies.
> 
> Regarding the parking owners, I am waiting for a list with the details but it is taking longer than expected to get it. The management agent is not very cooperative/reliable and any time I ask for something I need to send several emails until I get a reply (if I get it). I complained about this and suggested during a meeting the possibility to look for a different management company but the rest of the Directors do no support me. They are all friends.


seems like a problem with these management companies ( like all companies) that a majority of potentially clueless or deep-pocketed directors and ultimately shareholders control the thing and may act in a way that doesn't suit your interests.


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## Seagull (3 Jan 2020)

Are the other directors the original developers, and do they have links to the management agent?


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