Am I entitled to know who the members of the management committee are?

I own an apartment within a block and have received a bill for service charges from the managing agent. The bill appears quite high, so I asked the managing agent some questions.

One of the questions I asked was who is on the management committee. The managing agent is refusing to answer this question, saying that they are not at liberyt to give out that info. Am I entitled to that info?

If I am, can you please tell me what entitles me to it, I'd like to back up my claim of entitlement to the managing agent.

Thanks!

If you are an owner you are a member of the management company and yes you are entitled to know who the other members are. You can get the list of directors from www.cro.ie for a small fee. The directors approve the budgets before the fee invoices are issued.

One advantage of the Multi Unit Development Bill currently going through the Dail is that a management fee cannot be set without the consent of 75% of the owners.
Full details of all expenditure for the coming year must be provided to owners.
Sinking fund contributions are also addressed.

How would that work? We get 10% attendance at AGMs if we're lucky. I also think the sinking fund plan is flawed, some of us are lucky enough to have healthy sinking funds already and the suggested minimum contribution will push our fees up massively.

The vote will be 75% of the attendance. People can nominate a proxy if they cannot attend. The Bill initially stipulated a minimum of €200 but that has an addition now allowing the meeting of owners to nominate the amount to be contributed to the sinking fund. It really is back to owners as shareholders being responsible and realising that a proper financial structure is in place.

I could be wrong here, but I understood that this new bill is not retroactive and does not affect management companies already in existence? Can anyone confirm?

Thanks everyone for your replies and helpful info.

You are entitled to know the members of the management company and the directors. It would be normal practice to communicate / elect any members of other committees that are not directors.

I would speculate that the agent is trying to be the point of communication between yourself and the committees. One of the deterrents to members joining committees is that the owner becomes the target for the grievances of other members of the management company. Who wants to get hassled in their home for doing a job that is voluntary?

The budget should have been distributed before the AGM to afford you the opportunity to review it and raise any questions at the AGM. If this did not occur you should write to the management company expressing your dissatisfaction and clarifying that you require the questions that you raise before paying the charges. This should help cover you against the potential of the management company applying penalties or charges for late payment.