Article - Taking Matters Into Their Own Hands

Here is a reproduction of an article in The New Straits Times today.

2008/08/03
By R.Anbustreets

KLANG: Owners and residents of Prima Bayu Apartments in Bayu Perdana here took charge and formed a joint management body to address problems on maintenance following the developer's failure to respond to the set up.

Residents' Association chairman P. R. Rajah said the body had to be formed, although under the law the management body should comprise the developer and residents. He said a letter was sent to the developer urging it to set up the management body, but there was no response.

"Following which residents lodged a complaint with the Commissioner of Buildings, which is under the Klang Municipal Council."The council appointed an agent to help us form the joint management body which was supposed to comprise the residents and the developer. But the developer did not turn up."This is the first meeting where an agent has been appointed to help us form the body," he said at the meeting recently.

In the absence of developer Palm Grove Sdn. Bhd, the meeting was conducted by Peter Chong, the agent appointed by the council. Rajah was elected as chairman of the joint management body, Albert Yeow as deputy chairman, V. Gunaseelan as secretary and V. Kalaisilvan as treasurer.

Prima Bayu comprises 672 apartments with 3,000 residents. Not all are owners, some companies have rented the flats to house their workers.Rajah said the residents have had various problems especially on maintenance and security.

Klang MP Charles Santiago, who was present at the meeting, advised developers in Klang to work closely with residents to work out complaints and problems."Many complaints from residents of apartments have been about the lack of maintenance and the developers' lackadaisical attitude."

Articles - Woes Related To High-Rise Living

Here is a reproduction of an Article in The Star today.

Tuesday August 5, 2008
By GEETHA KRISHNAN and TAN KARR WEI
THE high-rise pressure-cooker lifestyle is causing temperatures to rise among residents of apartments and condominium units, resulting in constant confrontation and conflicts between them and their joint management committees (JMCs).

Feuds, veiled threats, aggressive actions and even run-ins with the law are common features of the high-rise dwelling culture.

The common grouses include the usual disputes over sinking funds, maintenance charges, insurance, house rules and parking bays.

The more serious cases involve accusations of cronyism and covert dealings have also been hurled.

Under the Building and Common Property (Management and Maintenance) Act 2007, a developer is required to form a joint management body (JMB) to oversee the management and operation of the common areas at its high-rise projects.

The developer is given 12 months from the date of vacant possession to set up a JMB before strata titles can be issued.

The committee should comprise two representatives from the developer and eight to 12 owners of apartment or condominium units.

The Building and Common Property (Management and Maintenance) Act 2007 is meant to protect buyers and complements the Strata Titles Act.

National House Buyers Association secretary-general Chang Kim Loong, however, feels that it is still a long process for strata titles.

“The Building and Common Property (Management and Maintenance) Act 2007 is new. Hence, there are teething problems,” he said.

“The Federal Government, especially the Housing and Local Government Ministry, must be pro-active in educating both developers and buyers through means like proper guidelines, a hotline or even conducting brief courses,” Chang said.

“One reason there is feuding and uncertainty is because the act is there but the regulations are not in place. Another reason is with power lumbered over to buyers. Everyone seems to have a personal agenda and think the JMB is a gold mine,” he said.

“The residents associations and the Rukun Tetangga are powerless in raising and articulating issues because of legal restraints as the JMB, as a corporate body, can sue and be sued. Hence, although the residents associations can be consulted for checks-and-balances, they are hesitant to address the real issues,” Chang said.

The authority in this matter is the Commissioner of Buildings (CoB).

As a legal adviser, the CoB must determine the service charge of a property, ensure the building is insured, audit the building management fund, enforce house rules and advise on late payment interest for maintenance and service charges.

According to Chang, the Selangor Housing and Real Property Board (LPHS) previously performed the functions of the CoB but the Federal Government, through the Building and Common Property (Management and Maintenance) Act 2007, felt that local authorities should be entrusted with the job.

Chang feels that the board should continue to have control over the JMBs and delegate its tasks through sub-CoBs, which should comprise individuals familiar with housing and local government issues while having the necessary skills and qualifications to resolve disputes.

According to Selangor Housing, Building Management and Squatters Committee chairman Iskandar Abdul Samad, the state is aware of problematic JMCs and has plans to take over inefficient committees through local councils.

Iskandar said the housing board would serve as mediator when deemed necessary.
Residents of apartments and condominium units want to be informed and educated about their rights, according to S. C. Lim, the adviser of the Pelangi Damansara Blocks G-K joint management committee (JMC).

Residents association chairman Anthony Goh, meanwhile, said there were members with various types of expertise and this was a great help in the selection of personnel for the formation of the JMC.

Damansara Sutera JMC chairman Jeffrey Chan said residents should find common grounds when dealing with developers so issues could be raised and amicably settled.

However, for residents of the Palm Court Apartments in Brickfields, it has not been smooth sailing. There are frequent disputes between the tenants, owners and the JMC.

All mayors and local council presidents are de facto Commissioners of Buildings (CoB).
Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman, however, feels that there should be an independent body to handle the formation of joint management bodies (JMBs).

At present, the CoB functions through the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) property management and assessment department.

“The responsibility should not be placed in the hands of the local authorities. We need employees who are trained in this issue to handle the workload,” Roslan said.

For example, he said the council accounting team would have to audit the accounts of the condominium before a certificate for a JMB is issued.

“Our legal team also has to work on it on top of the other council related matters that they have to attend to,” Roslan said.

Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) president Datuk Adnan Md Ikshan said so far, there were 212 condominiums with strata titles and 80 JMBs in the municipality with 36 cases still pending.

“We don’t have a special department to handle the JMB issues. We have to re-deploy employees to work on it,” Adnan said.

However, there is one accounting personnel from the federal government helping the MPSJ employees.

Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) president Datuk Hasan Nawawi Abd Rahman agreed that there should be an independent body appointed as the CoB.

“There are many problems relating to the formation of the JMBs and it is hard for the local authorities to concentrate on them because we have other issues that we should be working on,” Hasan said.

Meanwhile, Local Government, Research and Studies Committee chairman Ronnie Liu said the state government was still studying the proposal to relieve the local authorities of the responsibilities of the CoB.

Getting to grips with high-rise living

RESIDENTS of apartments and condominium units want to be informed and educated about their rights, according to S. C. Lim, the adviser of the Pelangi Damansara Blocks G-K joint management committee (JMC).

Residents association chairman Anthony Goh, meanwhile, said there were members with various types of expertise and this was a great help in the selection of personnel for the formation of the JMC.

Damansara Sutera JMC chairman Jeffrey Chan said residents should find common grounds when dealing with developers so issues could be raised and amicably settled.

However, for residents of the Palm Court Apartments in Brickfields, it has not been smooth sailing . There are frequent disputes between the tenants, owners and the JMC.

Letter Of 30th July From The Chairman Of The JMC

30^th July 2008

Dear Residents of Sutramas,

I write following the 5^th JMC meeting held on 12^th July 2008 to inform you of the following.

(1) Operations & Maintenance

(a) Rectification & Repairs Done

During the month, the following services were undertaken :-

§ Fire Fighting System –Testing of the fire pumps were undertaken and found to be in good working condition.

§ Electrical Installations –The electrical installations are in good working condition. 4 pilot lights on the gen-sets were found defective. As it is still under warranty, a claim has been made upon the developer.

§ Air-Conditioning and Mechanical Ventilation – The quarterly servicing was carried out. In the course of this, a blocked air cond drain pipe was discovered at the gym. A claim for repair has been put to the developer.

§ Security System - All CCTV cameras and perimeter sensors are in good working condition.

§ Lifts– Monthly lift maintenance was conducted on 20^th June 2008. The lifts are in good working condition.

(b) Works, Repairs and Installations To Be Done In The Course Of The Next Month

In the next month the following are expected to be undertaken as a follow through from that planned :-

§ Water Stains Due To Rain Splashing – The developer shall be progressing work to increase the size of the roof enclosure to eliminate splashing during rainfall.

§ Wide Angled Mirror – It is expected that this will be erected during the course of the month.

§ Notice Boards –Notice boards for each car park level at the lift lobbies will installed during the course of the month.

The plan for the enclosure to the water feature in the lobby has been deferred due to the prohibitive cost in undertaking it.

The plan for the restriction of the spacing of pillars at the walkway to management office is being clarified with the proposed contractor.

(c) Utility Consumption

(i) Electricity

The following is the electricity consumption for common areas for the year to date.

{see Letter distributed to Residents}

With the recent hike in tariff rates, energy cost is expected to rise. However, it is heartening to note that electricity consumption is on a downtrend. More energy saving efforts are planned to be implemented.

(ii) Water

The following is the water consumption for common areas for the year to date.

{see Letter distributed to Residents}

As this data has just been received, the JMC intends to identify the drivers to water consumption and the actions that can be taken to control usage.

(2) Finance & Accounts

Collection Rate

The collection rate for the past 3 months is as follows :-

{see Letter distributed to Residents}

Our collection rate is trending downwards. We seek your cooperation in ensuring that the trend would be quickly reversed. For your convenience and also to ensure the maintenance of a healthy collection rate, the facility of directly debiting credit cards is available. Details may be obtained from the Management Office. Or please contact the Building Manager who would be most pleased to assist.

(3) Security and House Rules

(a) Security

There were no significant security breaches/issues in the past month.

(b) House Rules

(i) Clothes Drying

The matter of drying clothes on the balcony remains an issue as there are still non-compliances. We seek your kind cooperation for compliance.

(ii) Renovation Work

There are still sporadic non-compliances of renovation works going on beyond the permitted hours. Security has been alerted to keep a closer watch on this.

(iii) Unauthorised Parking

Instances of unauthorised parking is becoming more common. Of greater concern is that of persistent flouters. We wish to highlight that these acts cause great inconvenience to residents whose bays are occupied by vehicles that are not supposed to be there. The Committee with the assistance of Management and Security will be looking into this matter more closely. The Committee regrets that appropriate action, including clamping, will have to be resorted to if the breaches continue persistently.

(4) Occupancy Rate & Renovation Work

There are 178 units in Sutramas. The current occupancy rate is as follows:-

{see Letter distributed to Residents}

(5) Condo Management

(i) New Condo Manager

Following from the departure of {the previous condo manager}, Mr. Hon has recently joined as the new Condo Manager for Sutramas.

Please join the Committee in welcoming him.

(ii) Cleaning Contractor

{see Letter distributed to Residents}

(6) Operating Expenses

We wish to bring to the attention of Residents that the 18 month warranty period of the machinery and equipment of the common areas would come to an end {soon}. Consequently, the cost of monthly operations is expected to rise quite significantly as maintenance contracts for these machinery and equipment have to be put in place. The current rate of service charge is not expected to be able to cover these additional operating cost.

As an immediate plan, the Committee with the assistance of Management would be putting in place several revenue generation efforts to increase the monthly revenue of Sutramas other than through the service charges. This include revising the rental rates of certain services and equipment now in place, in order to make it more attractive. It is hoped that this would spur increased usage. Surplus facilities are also planned to be put out to rent to generate further ancillary income. More details of these will be announced in due course by Management. We look forward to residents’ support.

(7) Information

For more detailed information and interactivity, please visit http://sutramas-kl.blogspot.com.

(8) Next Meeting

The next Committee meeting is scheduled for Saturday, 9^th August 2008 at 10.00 am at the Reading Committee. Please join us if your schedule allows for it.

Thank you.

For and on behalf of the

JOINT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Chairman

Etiquette Series 3 - Refuse Disposal

It is rather disconcerting to see this on opening the refuse disposal door. The dilemma is whether to perpetuate the act by leaving your heap there or forge ahead and handle additional refuse so that the bin door can be opened. For most, it is the latter. Thankfully.

It is most appreciated if this dilemma is not created in the first place.

Advanced thanks for the thoughtfulness!

Notice of 6th JMC Meeting

The 6th JMC Meeting is on Saturday, 9 August 2008. The venue is at the Reading Room. The meeting will start at 10.00 am. All residents are welcomed to attend.

If you wish to have any matter discussed, please send an email to sutramas.kl@gmail.com. Thank you.

Notice From Management - 29 July 2008

To all valued occupants

SUTRAMAS CONDOMINIUM

(1) REVISION OF RENTAL RATES FOR TABLES & CHAIRS,

(2) AVAILABLE LOCKERS FOR RENTAL; AND

(3) USE OF GAZEBO NEAR PUTTING GREEN

Please be informed that during the 5^th JMC Meeting held on 12^th July 2008, the Joint Management Committee (JMC) has discussed and agreed for the benefit of all occupants, the following:-

1. Revision of Rental Rates for Tables & Chairs.

The JMC has decided to reduce the rental rate for tables & chairs. This is to promote increased usage at favourable rates. With effect from 1^st August 2008, the rental rates will be revised downwards to RM 5.00 per table (inclusive of table cloth) and RM 1.00 per chair.

2. Lockers Available for Rental

With effect from 1^st August 2008, 15 lockers at both Male and Female Changing Rooms will be made available for rent at a monthly rate of RM 10.00 per locker. A refundable deposit of RM 30.00 per locker and a 3 months minimum rental period shall be required. The locker shall only be used as storage place. No illegal material, drug, combustible material and dangerous substance shall be stored inside the locker. No responsibility for the contents in the locker nor its safekeeping shall rest with the JMC or Management. Please visit Management Office for the process of renting the lockers.

3. Reservation of Gazebo for Small Function

With effect from 1^st August 2008, the end Gazebo next to the putting green will be made available for reservation for small functions. Occupants are only required to pay a refundable security deposit of RM 50.00 upon reservation. Tables & chairs are also available for rent for the functions to be held at the Gazebo.

We wish to inform that the revenue generated by these initiatives find its way to no other parties other than the residents of Sutramas itself as it would form part of the ancillary income of Sutramas. This will contribute towards meeting the cost of running the Condominium.

We hope that these initiatives would contribute to Occupants’ greater enjoyment of living at Sutramas.

Should you need further clarification on the above, kindly contact Management Office at 03-6252 8118 or 03-6252 1966 during office hours.

Thank you.

The Building Management

Sutramas Condominium

Etiquette Series 2 - Notice From Management

Here is a notice from Management.

Dear Occupants

Gracious living in a friendly and peaceful communal neighbourhood is the desire of everyone residing in a condominium, and it is through the acts of each occupant cooperating with Building Management that will bring about a high standard in home and community living in Sutramas. To work towards the above, we seek your cooperation to abide with the House Rules and work hand in hand to upkeep the prestige and value of your investment in Sutramas.

1. Moving & Delivery Activities

• The moving and delivery of furniture and goods is permitted only between 9am and 5pm (Mondays to Sundays) inclusive of public holidays in Wilayah Persekutuan. (House Rules clause 3.3)

2. Car Sticker

• Occupants must display prominently on the windscreen of their vehicles at all times the car sticker issued by the Management. This is to facilitate easy identification. Vehicles without the approved stickers will not be allowed entry. In addition, such stickers are non-transferable. (House Rules clause 4.2.12)

3. Car Parks

• Occupants shall only park their vehicle in the parking lot assigned to them (as per the parking lots allocated under the sale and Purchase Agreement, if any) and ensure that they do not park in any unauthorised parking areas within the Condominium. (House Rules clause 5.1)
• Occupants who find that their designated car park lot(s) have been wrongfully occupied by other vehicles are advised to report to the Management Office or the Security Centre immediately. In such an event, the Management shall have the absolute right to take any appropriate action as it deems fit including but not limited to the serving of notices, immobilisation of wrongfully parked vehicles or towing away such vehicles. Management shall not be held responsible for any damage caused to the vehicles. Owners of wrongfully parked vehicles will have to bear the cost of towing or an administrative charge to be imposed by the Management for the removal of the wheel clamp. (House Rules clause 5.2)

4. Timing of Renovation Works

• All renovation, delivery and removal works may be carried out only during the following hours :-

Monday – Friday : 9.00am to 5.00pm

Saturday : 10.00am to 1.00pm

(House Rules clause 6.5.1)

5. Pets or Livestock

• No pets or livestock whatsoever (other than fishes in aquariums) shall be allowed or kept in the Parcel or any part of the Condominium. The Management reserves the right to remove any pets or livestock found in any Parcel or within the Development at the Occupants' expense. (House Rules clause 7.6)

6. Appearance of the Parcel and Clothes Drying

• Occupants shall not place brooms, mops, cartons, notices, advertisements, posters illuminations or other means of visual communication on windows, doors or passages that are visible from the outside of the Parcel. (House Rules clause 7.9.3)
• Occupants shall not hang or place textile items in the Condominium such as clothes, towels and linen that are visible from the outside of the Parcel or Common Property. In particular, such textile items shall not be hung from poles, which protrude through the windows, balconies or roofs of the Parcel but at the laundry area where provided within the Parcel. (House Rules clause 7.9.4)

The Management

Sutramas

Buy Interest - Sutramas

A buy interest has been registered with this site. Any owners of Sutramas with plans to sell their unit(s), please send an email to sutramas.kl@gmail.com with your name and contact details. The introduction will then be made between both interested parties.

New Condo Manager

Sutramas has a new Condo Manager, Mr. Hon. He officially started on 5th July 2008. This follows the departure of En. Alauyun. Mr. Hon is an employee of See Hoy Chan Facilities Management Sdn Bhd, the management service provider.

For more details of our new Condo Manager, including his contact number, feel free to drop by the Management Office for a visit. Or call +603.6252.8118. Full details are also up at the notice boards.

Please join us in welcoming Mr. Hon.

Notice of 5th JMC Meeting

The 5th JMC Meeting is on Saturday, 12 July 2008. The venue is at the Reading Room. The meeting will start at 10.00 am. All residents are welcomed to attend.