Management Company Tyrrelstown

pencilsharp

Hi all, Just wondering if anyone has the same problem with the management company Fisher Property Management (Don't know if this company is mangement company for all of Tyrrelstown) as me. I just feel that the area is very neglected. I've had some trouble with them. I always pay my management fees on time, in my four years living here I've never delayed in payment.

The shrubbery outside of my apartment (front and back) is a disgrace, all the shrubs are dead and there are weeds coming out of the pavement. The drains outside my apartment are blocked and the rain is falling onto my window sills causing moss and grime developing on my window sills. The drain pipe outside my front door was cracked and I reported this last August but nothing was done and eventually I had to hire someone to fix it cause ther was puddles at my doorway.

With the snow the concrete on the stairway above my apartment cracked and rubble fell outside my door, it could have been dangerous! I again reported this but still waiting for it to be fixed, but theres more cracked rubble there and afraid it'll fall on someone!

There have been a couple other minor things too, but they're the main ones.

I just don't know what we are paying for. I know the main thing is building insurance and thats important but otherwise what are they doing for us? They don't even cover bin charges. I also understand that some people aren't paying but surely we shouldn't have to cover their costs? I'm really frustrated by this. Do the houses also have to pay these management fees?

angel01

Have you tried tyrrelstown.net?

All the houses in that area have to pay Management fees I believe.

richardjjd

pencilsharp wrote: »

I just don't know what we are paying for. I know the main thing is building insurance and thats important but otherwise what are they doing for us? They don't even cover bin charges. I also understand that some people aren't paying but surely we shouldn't have to cover their costs? I'm really frustrated by this. Do the houses also have to pay these management fees?

Hi. I also live in Tyrrelstown (in a "traditional" house - not sure how else to describe it). We also have to pay management fees. It was part of the original planning permission. One of the mistakes made was that they put both apartments and houses into the same management company, even though they need very different things (houses need common area grass cut, litter picked up and so on; apartments needs common area insurance, elevators maintained etc).

At this stage, I'd guess about 70% of houses / apartments are paying their fees. The management companies (via Management Agents like Fishers) have been bringing people to court and that has meant that the payment rate has improved.

As a concept, management companies haven't worked for traditional housing - there's a real sense of annoyance that we (people how have purchased in estates built in the last ten years or so) have to pay hundreds annually, while people living locally in older houses get identical services provided free of charge. And management fees aren't even tax deductible! - but the situation is not unique to Tyrrelstown: from talking to friends about the payment levels and quality of service provided (in both apartments and houses), Tyrrelstown is better than most.

athtrasna

OP you are a member of your management company if you are an owner and paying fees. You should have been invited to AGMs, you should get copies of the annual accounts...owning in a managed development brings rights and responsibilities - best way to protect your investment is by getting involved, join the board of directors and be pro-active about how your fees are spent.

Turbulent Bill

athtrasna wrote: »

OP you are a member of your management company if you are an owner and paying fees. You should have been invited to AGMs, you should get copies of the annual accounts...owning in a managed development brings rights and responsibilities - best way to protect your investment is by getting involved, join the board of directors and be pro-active about how your fees are spent.

The management company concept falls down because there's a collective responsibility on residents to pay their fees so services can be paid for, but no real way of enforcing this. In my estate (not in Tyrrelstown) less than half the residents pay their fees, and the hope is that Fingal CoCo will take control.

It's a perfect Catch 22 - people refuse to pay fees becuase of the poor upkeep of the estate (MC can't afford services), but without fees the situation can't improve. The legal charges for any prosecutions fall back on the MC (and obviously the residents who do pay).

athtrasna

Emma you should buy Robert Gogan's book about apartment living because it looks to me like you don't understand what a management company is or does. Owning in a managed development brings rights and responsibilities and the first thing any owner should do is get informed...it's really in your best interest.

In brief...the Management Company is the legal entity comprising all owners in the development. As an owner you are a member, and have rights to accounts, attend AGMs etc and are obliged to pay fees.

The MC generally hires a management agent eg Fisher to administer the day to day business of the development. That includes invoicing and collecting fees, hiring contractors, organising insurance, responding to day to day issues...think of them as Personal Assistant to the MC.

Fisher should be organising the gardening and doing inspections to ensure that the development is being maintained...if there is money available for that service. They are right about you not gardening on common grounds...the MC owns all common areas.

You pay your fees to the MC (though Fisher collect them) and they are spent in accordance with the annual budget, which you should have a copy of, and should be approved at an AGM.

Hope that helps to clarify what is a very complex issue, that book is a godsend!

athtrasna

I may have a mobile number for the MD - leave it with me and will pm if I find it

e46318ise

pencilsharp wrote: »

Hi all, Just wondering if anyone has the same problem with the management company Fisher Property Management (Don't know if this company is mangement company for all of Tyrrelstown) as me. I just feel that the area is very neglected. I've had some trouble with them. I always pay my management fees on time, in my four years living here I've never delayed in payment.




I just don't know what we are paying for. I know the main thing is building insurance and thats important but otherwise what are they doing for us? They don't even cover bin charges. I also understand that some people aren't paying but surely we shouldn't have to cover their costs? I'm really frustrated by this. Do the houses also have to pay these management fees?

Fisher property are a disgrace, Ive been paying for services that have not been supplied(different estate in D15), gutter cleaning bins etc...

yet they messed up on a bill and now want to charge me extra for last year????

I have done the maths and explained that they in fact owe me money but i keep getting nonsensical replies from them.

If you have the choice, avoid dealing with fisher property at all cost...

-J

athtrasna

It's not easy or straightforward to get a management agent fired, but it's doable. Raise it with your owner directors, they should be looking around for other providers every budget time so once a year. Raise it at an AGM or call an EGM and put forward a motion to hire an alternative agent.

Before hiring another agent, do your research. The Apartment Owners Network apartmentowners.ie are a really good resource to get feedback on other agents. I certainly wouldn't recommend our last lot!

Gaspode

NOTE: some of the posts above are likely to be considered slanderous. I would ask the new users (Emma2011 & e46318ise) in particular to make themselves familiar with the terms of use of boards.ie before posting further. I'm not suggesting for a minute that your posts are incorrect in any way, you just need to protect yourself from legal action if Fisher read any of this.

Emma2011

I am not suggesting that anyone be removed from their post but it is my intention to find a solution to improving the service. After all, that's the point as far as I understand it, the fees are paid in return for a service.

Maybe the answer is better regulation related to property management in general.

Emma