Opinion Wanted: Sloppy Condo Management, Or Just Thailand?

[aaronlynn]

Just wanted to get people's opinion on this, it's been bugging me for the better part of the day.

I live in a fairly nice condo in Bangkok (Pathumwan Resort). From what I can tell most of the building residents seem to be older retired Thais, professional-class families or well-to-do university kids.

What bugs me is the building management (under Jones Lang LaSalle). Every couple of weeks, there's some sort of service disruption in the building. Either:

* No water.

* No power.

* No elevators (one of them seems to be permanently broken).

* Let's not even talk about the derelict gym equipment.

Sometimes they post notices about this sort of thing 2-3 days in advance, sometimes I find out when out when the AC cuts out in the morning.

Last year they changed some of the building plumbing and there was GLUE running in the pipes. Ended up going on a vacation overseas until that one was resolved.

I've spoken with the Juristic Person Manager a few times to try to get things fixed. His attitude and that of the staff is "mai pen rai" and "ruam meuh gan", and for the most part nothing gets solved and I end up either putting up with whatever the regularly-scheduled disruption is, or moving out until it's resolved.

The latest one is they're cutting phone lines for a week to replace the building PABX. This means no ADSL and no Internet (PITA as I work online from home). I asked them if they could set up a wifi hotspot in the lobby or loan out 3G dongles for people to use, and all they said was "we looked into it and it can be done but decided not to because we don't have enough time to set it up". And here I was thinking that it took TIME to plan out replacing a building's PABX.

I'm trying to work out if this sort of thing is typical of Thai condos or if it's just this particular management team.

If it is just sloppy management, I'm wondering what rights I have as a condo owner to have the management team replaced or brought under better oversight. I've read over the Condominium Act and a bunch of threads here on TV. Not going to pretend that I understand all of it, but would seem it involves getting a majority of owners to approve their replacement, calling an extraordinary general meeting and a lot of building politics.

- Aaron

[PattayaPhom]

Positive point is at least they are trying to improve things and sometimes make residents aware by prior noticing....however a large percentage of condos in Thailand get tleft to rack and ruin as the management company like to collect the maitenace fees but dont like to spend them....yes its part of condo living in Thailand...If you speak to neighbours find out what their view is.

[Darrel]

....however a large percentage of condos in Thailand get tleft to rack and ruin as the management company like to collect the maitenace fees but dont like to spend them...

There are two sides to that. I've found that in older Pattaya buildings the lack of cash is caused by the owners never having voted an increase in the common fee since the building was first built. Small wonder that nothing gets done properly in these buildings.

Thai owners seem to be the worst culprits for not voting an increase, often because they fail to turn up at the AGM at all and so a quorum is not achieved. In my building at the last AGM the board pointed out that a quorum had never been achieved in the entire history of the building.

[aaronlynn]

Will definitely talk to some of the neighbours but sounds like it's just Thailand

They increase the condo fees year-by-year (about 2-5% per year); not sure if they're spending it all, but last year's financials showed a nice little cash reserve that remains untouched.

Thanks guys!

[cmsally]

Probably a mix of sloppy management, age of building and the building is enormous.

I live nearby some of the time in Condo One, none of these issues but building smaller and much newer.

Also have an absolutely fastidious residents committee.

[chris2004]

It's really down to the residents' committee. You need to have good (pushy) farangs on the committee who take an interest in all these points who in turn push the manager and/or management company to put them right. If they can not maintain a resonable performance they have to be replaced.

Residents not voting an increase in fees is a problem but we got round it by voting for a supplement to the fees not a permanent increase. Basically there is no excuse for sloppiness like this and the residents need to get a system in place which improves the condo.

[beano2274]

If people do not turn up then at the next meeting the percentage of attendees for voting purposes is reduced, at my condo took 4 attempts to get enough people so that a vote could take place. Also if there are not enough people the meeting cannot take place

[quiksilva]

would seem it involves getting a majority of owners to approve their replacement, calling an extraordinary general meeting and a lot of building politics.

You answered your own question, and yes you'll need to get a quorum. But reflect on this, if most of the residents can't be bothered to turn up, then is it really such a big issue?

I have been a property manager here (never again, as its a thankless miserable job), but in my experience most of the issues that you have mentioned seem to be the sort caused by sloppy, cheap, construction, which the managers then try to do their best to put right, and are often fighting a losing battle.

Yes, you could change the management, but ask yourself will those problems just magically go away with a new management firm? The better question is accept that there will likely still be some disruption but ask whether the new firm will be better able to manage the repairs and maintenance schedules.

[Delight]

If a quorum is not achieved at a general meeting-a second meeting can be called within 15 days of the original meeting. At this second meeting quorum rules are suspended -CH 5 SECT 43.

For certain fees can be increased at any general meeting- even if only 3 people show at a second meeting. A simple majority is all that is required. This increase is categorized as 'Special Assessment' . Typically it is time restricted. 3 years is typical. A permanent increase may cause a riot.

The Act states that the winning vote of certain topics must attain a specific volume of total vote. The original maintenance fee is usually detailed in the house rules. An amendment to house rules requires a 50% vote to change .

All change at a general meeting is valid post vote.

The agenda for all meetings has to be clearly advertized. Registered post is the most secure option. Evidence that this notice was sent to all co -owners is required. Evidence that the intended recipient actually received is not required.

[w11guy]

My condo building is a few years old and it is pretty perfect. Everything seems to be maintained properly and there is never any major disruption. The place is absolutely spotless. They management team are superb. You can't always blame the condo management, as it is the owners that have chosen them, or chosen not to replace them. Sounds like most owners in your building don't care. If they don't care, then why should the management team care. It's not good for people like you, and that's why it's always best to rent for 6-12 months in a building you're interested in buying in. Also check out other condos run by the same management company and build by the same development company.