No access to car park again - management company don't care

quad_red

In an apartment in Dublin. Access to the car park is via a remote control fob.

The fob we were given when we moved in (a year ago) was temperamental when we moved in (lots of mashing buttons before it would work, not a battery issue). After some convincing, the landlord agreed to fund a replacement from the management company (120 euro).

Then a few weeks before Christmas the replacement stopped working. We were without access to the car park for a week by the time a replacement had been sent. Given that it was a reasonably new fob, the management company agreed to replace it for free.

So we got fob number 3 just before Christmas. And now that doesn't work. I've replace the batteries but the buttons don't make it light up (but strangely, squeezing the body of the fob makes it light up but it doesn't open the gate). Note, whilst this was a replacement fob it certainly wasn't new.

I just called the management company there (O'Dwyer) and was told fobs weren't an emergency issue and had to wait til the office opened on Tuesday. Now, that means a replacement again on Wednesday at the earliest.

I am so pissed off - I had a few things to do tomorrow and unless I want to sit on the ramp hoping someone comes (last time I waited an hour at one point) I can't use my bloody car.

Surely access to the bloody car park should be an after hours issue? Bet if I parked outside one of their driveways and blocked their car in for a week they'd see things differently.

Paulw

quad_red wrote: »

Surely access to the bloody car park should be an after hours issue? Bet if I parked outside one of their driveways and blocked their car in for a week they'd see things differently.

If access was blocked for everyone, or the gates were broken, it would be an after hours issue. For a single person, then it wouldn't be.

I can understand their logic.

I doubt they gave you a faulty unit on purpose. Things fail. You've been unlucky by the sound of things.

Hopefully your new fob will work fine.

silja

I would agree it's not an emergency issue, though it is an urgent one- normally, this should be sorted in a day or two (not the week you waited last time!), but this being the holidays, you are stuck. Could you maybe ask a neighbour for a loan of theirs?

Going forward, you might suggest that there is an emergency key fop left somewhere... I know the apartment complex I used to live in in Dublin had a key fop left in a hidden place in the court yard for people to use, but that may be because we had a significant number of apartments without carparking (there was a footgate with pin number access), who thus did not have a car gate keyfop and would need it occasionally for visitors or deliveries.

delllat

Paulw wrote: »

If access was blocked for everyone, or the gates were broken, it would be an after hours issue. For a single person, then it wouldn't be.

I can understand their logic.

I doubt they gave you a faulty unit on purpose. Things fail. You've been unlucky by the sound of things.

Hopefully your new fob will work fine.

block the gate with your car ,leave a piece of paper inside the windscreen that says if you need this car moved call ( property management companies number) ,if everyone in the building calls them it will be a priority :rolleyes:

tell them you need access or youl be clamped on the street so there is no where else you can park

Heyes

O Dwyers are shocking when it come s to customer services, i have had similar run in's on the same subject in the past.
To be honest i dont understand why anyone should have to pay for a fab to access there own property !!!! I find it very infuriating.

Ste.phen

Heyes wrote: »

O Dwyers are shocking when it come s to customer services, i have had similar run in's on the same subject in the past.
To be honest i dont understand why anyone should have to pay for a fab to access there own property !!!! I find it very infuriating.

I thought generally you got one for free and paid for the replacements since the gate companies charge ~100 euro per key for them

spaceHopper

Is there a key pad, tell them to get a new fob out to you or give you the code. They me spout some security reason but they can change it later do give them no choice other than fob in 1 hour or code now

Paulw

delllat wrote: »

block the gate with your car ,leave a piece of paper inside the windscreen that says if you need this car moved call ( property management companies number) ,if everyone in the building calls them it will be a priority :rolleyes:

tell them you need access or youl be clamped on the street so there is no where else you can park

And they can the call the Gardai and report a vehicle blocking access, which can result in your vehicle being ticketed and towed. Not exactly a good way to go, and it certainly won't win you any friends with your neighbours either.

Aside from which, the management agent doesn't have to deal with the OP at all. They only have to deal with the landlord who is a member of the management company. The OP should be chasing the landlord.

gizmo555

Paulw wrote: »

Aside from which, the management agent doesn't have to deal with the OP at all. They only have to deal with the landlord who is a member of the management company. The OP should be chasing the landlord.

And the landlord is legally obliged to relay tenants' complaints to the management company, which is in turn obliged to respond in writing. If you don't get satisfaction from that, you can also raise a complaint with the Residential Tenancies Board.

Paulw

gizmo555 wrote: »

And the landlord is legally obliged to relay tenants' complaints to the management company, which is in turn obliged to respond in writing.

Where did you get that from?

The management agent only has an obligation to respond to a query from the management company member. They do not have to respond to any forwarded queries. They do not have to respond in writing.

Aside from which, again, the OP won't get any quicker response than waiting for when the management agent is back working (after their Christmas break).

No point in making issues any more complex than they already are.

Heyes

Ste.phen wrote: »

I thought generally you got one for free and paid for the replacements since the gate companies charge ~100 euro per key for them

Maybe so, however as some management companies request such a high management fee on a yearly basis from each tennent / landlord i think its unfair to ask for further money. This is solely my opinion as i already have to pay 2k plus each year

gizmo555

Paulw wrote: »

Where did you get that from?

From the Private Residential Tenancies Board's "Quick Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2004".

Paulw wrote: »

The management agent only has an obligation to respond to a query from the management company member. They do not have to respond to any forwarded queries. They do not have to respond in writing.

The management agent doesn't, but the management company does. As the management company employs the agent, it amounts to the same thing.

Management of apartment complexes

The Act gives tenants certain rights in relation to management companies of apartment complexes. Management companies will be identified in tenancy registration details. Landlords are required to convey tenants’ complaints to the management company, which must have regard to the complaint and furnish the landlord with a written statement, which must be furnished to the tenant, of steps taken to deal with the complaint. Tenants may request the management company to supply written particulars of service charges and how they were calculated and the company must comply to the extent that it would be obliged to comply with such a request from apartment owners.

Paulw wrote: »

Aside from which, again, the OP won't get any quicker response than waiting for when the management agent is back working (after their Christmas break).

No point in making issues any more complex than they already are.

Apart from the immediate difficulty, this appears from the OP's description to be a recurring problem. It might be worthwhile putting the complaint on a formal basis, if only to remind both landlord and management company of their legal obligations.

Paulw

gizmo555 wrote: »

The management agent doesn't, but the management company does. As the management company employs the agent, it amounts to the same thing.

No, they're very different things. The management agent can refer any issues to the directors of the management company, for their response. The agent and company are very different legal entities and have very different responsibilities.

The OP has already been informed that the management agent will investigate the issue once they are back from the Christmas break. There is nothing more the OP can do, but wait.

gizmo555

Paulw wrote: »

No, they're very different things. The management agent can refer any issues to the directors of the management company, for their response. The agent and company are very different legal entities and have very different responsibilities.

I'm aware of the distinction, thanks. But the fact remains that the management company employs the agent and is responsible to the property owners for ensuring that the agent does its job properly. Where the property owner is a landlord, he is in turn obliged to relay tenants' complaints to the company which must by law respond in writing. If the tenant doesn't get satisfaction from that, a complaint can be made to the PRTB.

Paulw wrote: »

The OP has already been informed that the management agent will investigate the issue once they are back from the Christmas break. There is nothing more the OP can do, but wait.

Again, I'm repeating myself, but as this is apparently a recurring problem, it may be worth the OP's while to make a formal complaint, using the procedures set out in the Act. It won't solve the immediate issue, but could go towards getting a permanent resolution to the problem.

r0qi4162fux9kg

quad_red wrote: »

In an apartment in Dublin. Access to the car park is via a remote control fob.

The fob we were given when we moved in (a year ago) was temperamental when we moved in (lots of mashing buttons before it would work, not a battery issue). After some convincing, the landlord agreed to fund a replacement from the management company (120 euro).

Then a few weeks before Christmas the replacement stopped working. We were without access to the car park for a week by the time a replacement had been sent. Given that it was a reasonably new fob, the management company agreed to replace it for free.

So we got fob number 3 just before Christmas. And now that doesn't work. I've replace the batteries but the buttons don't make it light up (but strangely, squeezing the body of the fob makes it light up but it doesn't open the gate). Note, whilst this was a replacement fob it certainly wasn't new.

I just called the management company there (O'Dwyer) and was told fobs weren't an emergency issue and had to wait til the office opened on Tuesday. Now, that means a replacement again on Wednesday at the earliest.

I am so pissed off - I had a few things to do tomorrow and unless I want to sit on the ramp hoping someone comes (last time I waited an hour at one point) I can't use my bloody car.

Surely access to the bloody car park should be an after hours issue? Bet if I parked outside one of their driveways and blocked their car in for a week they'd see things differently.

Hi. Call ODPM tomorrow and ask for Vera. She looks after fobs/ car park remotes. She's a nice Women so should be able to sort you out.

athtrasna

Heyes wrote: »

Maybe so, however as some management companies request such a high management fee on a yearly basis from each tennent / landlord i think its unfair to ask for further money. This is solely my opinion as i already have to pay 2k plus each year

You are then a member of the management company and as such entitled to accounts..you can see where your management fees go. The Management Agent gets paid for the day to day administration, they do not get all the money collected, that is used to pay for services and insurance for your development.

Of course every unit owner should be responsible for paying for their own fobs, otherwise the management company (the legal entity comprised of all owners) would have to pay. Would you be happy to keep paying for other peoples' fobs?

Management Agents such as ODPM should not be able to use the term "company" in their names as they really add to the confusion.

mbiking123

Do other residents have this problem with the FOB, if so it may be a poorly designed system

Ask about getting another way to open the gate, perhaps a code panel could be installed

Is it something you might be doing with the FOB by accident?

I have heard of people ringing emergency lines when a pipe leaking in apartment above them, and not getting any help except leaving a message for managing agent the next day. Those emergency lines are very limited in what they can do.

Perhaps if you get to know neighbours they can let you in otherwise consider moving. Being a tenant your lucky in that way