management company think there is a leak

jd

Ask the landlord whose number did he give you. It's possible he gavu you the number of one of the owner directors, which he shouldn't have.
Is there remediation work going on in the apartment complex?

gauchesnell

there is loads of work being carried out on the exterior directly outside my apartment

OMG totally forgot about that.

There is scaffolding directly outside my windows and the whole front of the complex. Didnt even think about that.

Apartments above me are also being renovated aswell.

jd

Get back to the landlord and clarify what is going on.

You might think he is great, but as a member of the Management Company he has obligations there. I hope he has been going to his management company meetings more than once in the last eight years!

gauchesnell

I am going to leave it now I think. I appreciate all the advice.

I have had more hassle in the last few days about this and to be honest it is stressful. I have actually lived in my apt for 7 years and 3 months and this is the most hassle I have ever had.

i texted my LL last nite to confirm that I did as instructed i.e make contact with the number provided. When I did that I was shouted at for calling the number. I have also emailed the property manger to advise of the him of the conversation I had with this person.

I have begin a search for a plumber in the meantime.

I dont think anyone - no matter what their concern or role is - should shout down the phone at me. I dont think I have done anything wrong.

jd

One other thing to remember is that The OMC do have a legal right of access in certain circumstances

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2011/act/2/section/13/enacted/en/html#sec13

gauchesnell

I agree however surely as was stated before flexibility works both ways.

I have only just arrived back to my apt and like im sure a lot of people I left at 7.45am That is my normal day.

What I am concerned about is being shouted at down the phone. The person I was speaking to is not listed as one of the Directors. I found the listed Directors on a sign but the company address is also the address of the apt complex. The person I was speaking to is also not the property manager. Maybe he works for the company or works for the property manager I dont know but why he was so aggressive with me I dont know.

Surely the property manager should contact me

Trust me I wont ignore this. I will contact a plumber and get them in to check the apt. Any repairs needed will be done.

the_syco

gauchesnell wrote: »

They wished to for me to let them in between 11 and 2 Mon to Fri and see if there was a leak. They didnt want me to stay with them though. I was to leave them alone in the apt. They only suspect something aswell and it is not urgent at all.

Have to say, those are some very specific times. Them telling you to stay out of the apartment is even odder; would wonder how much damage they do, and would they pay to fix it? If, as you said, nothing is visible, and with all the construction work being done around you, I'd wonder what they'd plan to rip up?

gauchesnell

THANKS - I appreciate that.

Any why shout at me.

No reply from the property manager either despite 2 calls to me and my LL from a person who works with him.

Bizarre

K.Flyer

My 2 cents worth as a contractor for several management companies and often sent to investigate leaks.
First off, leaks can cause serious damage to property and very often where the leak originated from may be completely unaffected by it.
Secondly, very very often the occupier of the property that has the leak may be blissfully unaware of the trouble being caused by it and the damage occuring elswhere.
Also, a cursory glance around the kitchen, bathrooms and hotpress rarely finds anything. You need to know what you are looking for and most likely where you are going to find it.
Thirdly, if leaks are not repaired, or landlords / tenants cause delays in allowing access to repair or locate them, then more damage is going to be created which in turn is going to cost more money to repair.
If this cost is being carried by the management company, then these extra costs eventually trickle down to owners / landlords and tenants due to increased service charges if there have been too many unexpected costs through the year.
Next, We ALWAYS prefer that the occupier of the property IS PRESENT during any initial investigations to locate problems. I have Never heard any of the companies I do work for insisting that occupiers be out of the property. Never.
If the problem is found to be internal to the apartment, e.g. leaking washing machine, toilet, shower etc and not a common or shared pipe, it is noted, photographed and reported to the owner and it is their responsibility to rectify it immediately.
Sometimes pipework is almost inaccessible. And in order to get at it it may be necessary to pull the place asunder, but only as much as is needed. We have had to strip out bathroom and kitchens and bedrooms to get at pipes, but it was always put back as it was before including painting and decorating.
Other than an initial inspection, the accessing and repairing work cannot be done outside normal working hours, because it can be very noisy and disrupts other apartments.
It is your and your landlords responsibility to accommodate any investigation that is required, after all, how would you feel if there was a leak in the apartment above yours and the people above were not cooperating to allow it to be rectified while your stuff was getting ruined.

gauchesnell

Cool I appreciate that but they key word is that you are a professional contractor. You can call no worries and I dont expect for a contractor to start shouting at me down the phone when I call them.

But I do think I am right in being wary of someone wanting to come into my apartment when I am not there.Remember this person is not the property manager. This person as far as I am aware is not a contractor but someone who might be in the management company or someone who works for the management company but who also lives in the building. I have never seen or heard of this person and I have lived there for 7 years.

I have lived there quite a while so over the years I had painters, electricians and plumbers in no worries. Spare keys given and they work away. But there were people I met in advance and known by the landlord. I even moved out for a week so any work needed could be done. No hassle. I even had my own electrician in once as something tripped the trip switch and it was urgent. I think I have given the impression I dont like professionals coming to my apartment.

And again I am not going to ignore this issue. I am going to get a plumber in to check the apt. Proving a little challenging to find one yet but I will. At least a professional will hopefully work around my work commitments at the moment.

That is also a good point. When the Management Company called it was not we think there is a leak would you mind arranging with this professional serviceperson to call and review. It was I am the Management Company and I want to come in. Not the property manager.

???

jd

Your landlord should sort this for you rather than giving you numbers of God knows who to ring. It's his apartment, he's a member of the owners' management company, and tough for him if he doesn't live in Dublin. You pay him rent and as part of the service he provides to you he should make the arrangements.

As I said, the number he gave you to ring seems like it is the number of another owner who happens to be a director of the OMC. The property manager I guess works for the managing agent retained by the OMC. Ring up the landlord and ask him to sort things out.Also ask him who exactly are these different people including the person he told you to ring.

gauchesnell

This person is not one of the Directors. I have checked that out already.

jd

gauchesnell wrote:

This person is not one of the Directors. I have checked that out already.

Are you sure you checked the directors of the Owners Management Company and not that of the Management Agent.

You said before that the Management Company changed, but it's not the Management Company that changes, it's their Agent.

gauchesnell

100% checked. Not listed. I was getting confused before but no not one of the Directors.

Not one of the Owners Management Company and not a Director of the Management Company Ltd (the agent)

I think he lives in same block and may work or do work for the property manager or for the Management Company Ltd (the agent). But defo not a Director. The complex I live in has hundreds of apts so dont know where he lives but he knows where I live.

There used to be a handyman/property manager some time ago but he got sacked for being useless. He was called B. I think he knew B aswell.

Surely though the Owners Management Company or the agent (Property Manager) would ask to send in a professional / contractor in if there was a query?

TheChizler

Who's the property manager? OMC or agent?

OP do you have any friends or family who could be there?

gauchesnell

I have written to the property manager who works for the agent following this person shouting at me and havent heard back. I outlined the name of the person, their query and what my suggestions are to resolve the problem.

The more I write about it the more dodgy it sounds.

I wrote to the property manager on wednesday and got no reply yet.

athtrasna

The bottom line is you shouldn't be involved at all. The management company should be interacting with your landlord who should be dealing with it.

Turtle_

Go to the Gardaí and say you believe there's a scam to gain access to apartments. Appreciate there isn't much they can do but informing them so they can have the information should it become needed.

Tell your ll that your contents insurance would be invalidated if you gave access to an unknown person when you weren't there and that the plumber will have to suit your times. Also tell him you gave the info to the Gardaí, that you just don't believe this situation is kosher at all.

gauchesnell

thanks all will do.

I will call to the Garda station in the morning.

I was actually nervous coming back to the apt this evening in case there was a leak and the place was flooded or in case this person is there.

Horrifying thought this person knows who I am but I dont know them.

jd

gauchesnell wrote:

Horrifying thought this person knows who I am but I dont know them.

The person who shouted down the phone to you?
The landlord gave you his number, ask him!

Ring the landlord before you go down to any Garden Station, and find out is who before you offer a theory of some type of scam going on!

gauchesnell

The phone number I rang is a landline advertised for the agent. It is not a mobile for some random person. Defo suspicious7

Roadworks are also started outside the complex i.e directly outside. Weird things going on

K.Flyer

As people have said, your Landlord should now deal directly with the property managers office and find out if they are sending someone and that it is all above board.
However,
You are still completely well within your rights to insist that you (or someone you trust to keep a watch on things) are present in the apartment at all times.
I deal with highly professional companies and it is very often the case that we will have to arrange times with occupiers as they prefer to be present. Never have they insisted that occupiers are not present against their wishes, so something is dodgey or they are just amateurs.

gauchesnell

Cheers. I am confident now in my decision. Not comfortable at all letting this person into my apartment.

Did some more investigation.

I left messages for my neighbours in case they have noticed something and contacted the agent or if they have contacted aswell to see if they alleged leak is coming from their apts. We are all on the ground floor above the carpark. I had to write to them as never met them but thankfully they all got back to me. No other apts have been contacted...well the ones beside me or opposite me. One neighbour did tell me that they tried to contact the agent/property manager about members of the public coming into the complex through the broken exterior door and setting small fires in the stairwell!!!!....when she contacted the property manager she was advised that the cost of calling the fire bridgage of put out the fire was too much so they advised her if she saw fires again to just put it out herself lol.

I had a friend come and have a good walk around my apt aswell - he is not a plumber but is an engineer - and he couldn't see anything but again he is not a plumber. There is a musty/damp smell in the main entrance hall of the complex but not from my apt or my neightbours apt. That could be something or it could be dirty carpet.

Finally got a number of a plumber too

jd

Have you rung your landlord? Talk to him and find out exactly what is going on. As you were told before, leaks may not be apparent to you, but they may be there.