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Hi, are there any service standards for Managers? Either external or would there have been some in a long forgotten agreement by the Plan and the Manager?
the response time of this manager is just so slow! I was made aware of a small slow (thankfully) leak from my unit (tenanted) bathroom into ceiling of unit below. I sent photos to the person who had retiled bathroom during an authorised cosmetic reno a few years agoand he advised that ceiling space bw floors was strata property and should not be touched without strata approval. So I advised Manager by email 10 June of leak and ask whether strata issue. On 18 June manager emails SC want to know what bathroom renos I’m doing and do I have approval. I respond same day I’m not doing any renos, did renos some years ago, with approval but did not touch area bw units where this leak is. Heard nothing since. I emailed today requesting update.
In my opinion there have been problems before with this Manager taking too long. I just don’t have the mental energy to push to change Managers at the moment.
What is a reasonable response time and how do we get the Manager to do their job in a timely manner?
thanks in advance
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Red flags all over this for me.
In many strata management agencies, the actual strata managers are burdened with far too many buildings to manage.
The first thing you notice is communications not being returned. Then repairs not being scheduled in a timely manner.
Any lot owner is entitled to responses within a reasonable timeframe. Unfortunately, unless your agency agreement has some metrics in it ( most agreements do not), there is not much you can do – because you can’t even contact them to complain.
Start working on a plan to change strata manager.
Hi Katherine,
As kaindub points out most strata management agreements contain no metrics to identify and manage poor performance / responsiveness. And, yes, it is probably time to focus on a new agreement with a new manager rather than wrestle with your existing.
If you are going to insist on some meaningful performance KPIs like ….respond to all email and phone enquiries within 24 hrs. ..etc..… then it is equally important that the agreement does NOT contain provisions that allow any failure by the strata manager to meet KPI’s to be effectively “de-toothed” by other provisions.
By that I mean those key provisions in an Agreement that allow for Termination of the Agreement after xx no. of performance failures – the ultimate sanction. They can be watered down by further provisions that allow such performance failures to be ignored “as long as they are rectified within 30 days”. This leads to a cycle of recurring technical breaches with the owners corporation at the end of it no better off.
Performance metrics will always be a pain to enforce and yet another unneeded call on strata committee time. They either have to be watertight or alternatively you need a high level of trust & respect between the SM and owners.
John Hutchinson
m: 0418 797470 e: john.hutchinson@strataanswers.com.au
S T R A T A A N S W E R S PTY LTD practical solutions for strata living
http://www.strataanswers.com.auAnd you might also want to read John’s call for a new standard strata management agreement HERE
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Good luck with the SCA
I reported a strata manager to SCA with a long list of complaints and referred to their own code of conduct.
All I received was a polite letter saying that they asked the strata manager and he denied all complaints, so they were satisfied.
Remember that SCA represents strata managers and not owners.
I have on occasion had to write to SCA (and to my colleagues in the media) to stop referring to SCA as representing owners.
Yes, they have an owners group, but whenever you ask them the critical question “in a dispute between an owner and strata manager, whose side do you take?” they fall very silent.
SCA Queensland is the worst. A couple of years ago they complained to the Fin Review that I had written that they thought pre-sales of management contracts was “fine and dandy”.
Their complaint? They had never discussed it so they had no opinion. What a load of crap! They are enablers at the very least and compliant co-beneficiaries. Maybe they don’t discuss it on a “don’t mention the war” basis.
To be fair to SCA-NSW, they are trying to be an independent and responsible body but if you were a member and they took an owner’s side against you, you’d be a bit miffed, wouldn’t you?
Complain to Fair Trading about strata managers – it is the licensing body. They won’t do anything either but at least you’ve registered the complaint with someone who might care.
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Strata Managers now have been updated to be included with Professional Standards Legislation, so that is a better avenue to pursue.
As for response times etc, recently with the Lockdown situation there has been more delays that are unavoidable. But an email saying that the matter is being checked should still be sent.
Try and see if the other owners are in the same boat as you. If they are then tell don’t ask the strata company to change managers. If all else fails then you know not to stay with them when the renewal comes around.
KPIs can be part of an agreement. I work at a company that has them, so there is no reason not to have them.