Hi Guys, wonder if anyone else face this issue with their apartment building management? I own this apartment for around 5 years which i rent out to tenants. So 2 years ago a new company took over building management office and instead of helping, they have just been giving me problems with their unreasonable SOP and heavy handed fine.

Some of the unreasonable things they did,

1. Ban and dont allow one my property agent from entering the building, when i ask for reason, they refuse to give and says it is private and confidential.

2. Everyone who want to enter have to submit particulars 1 day in advance, including potential tenants coming for viewing (who want to go through all the trouble for viewing??? how am i going to get my tenants?)

3. If you owe them money, even if its is only RM1 or 10 cents for more than 14 days, they will deactivate your access card and charge RM50 to reactivate it.

4. I request to speak to the residence committee regarding all these, but they just ignore my request.

5. Deny me entry to the last AGM saying the name i use in the form is not the same as in the owner list, even though i use that name in all my email with them and the name field in the form doesnt indicate it must be same as owner record.

6. My tenant throw some cupboard boxes near the bin and they issue fine RM200 and cancel all my access card, so need to pay for new access card and the fine. The fine is just so unreasonable for such offense, not to mention why the need to cancel access card?


So what are my options?

1. Wait for next AGM and try to propose a change the company managing the building management office? I also dont know if the residence committees are aware of all this or they just dont care.

2. Get a lawyer? but what can the lawyer do? not the mention the cost will be more than its worth?

3. Or just sell the bloody apartment and be done with it?

This post has been edited by jasperchc: Jan 4 2022, 03:57 PM

Are you able to share the property name?

Property is in JB, but I rather not share the name as it might affect my ability to sell it later

Seek the help of the COB, Commissioner of Building, a division in your local council authority related to strata living problems. or proceed to SMT, Strata Management Tribunal, the legally recognised body that handles any disputes related to strata management.

Might be an option if i am in the country but i am stuck in singapore and cant go back with the border close. Hard to manage all these if i am not physically there, not to mention all the time having to spend on these. Which again brings back to having to hire a lawyer to manage this

very unreasonable Mngt

i would choose option 1 & 3 to settle with them.

No point fighting with bunch of arrogant mngt (normally 1st time own props)

Prop value may go down due to mngt bad reputation.

best to let it go early and move on to next valuable prop.

No offense but I think most if not all of the rules you have mentioned are quite standard. Are you sure the residents are not happy with this new management? If no fines are imposed, then ppl will just simply throw their junk furniture everywhere.

1. Ban and dont allow one my property agent from entering the building, when i ask for reason, they refuse to give and says it is private and confidential.

They cant randomly reject your guests*

2. Everyone who want to enter have to submit particulars 1 day in advance, including potential tenants coming for viewing (who want to go through all the trouble for viewing??? how am i going to get my tenants?)
3. If you owe them money, even if its is only RM1 or 10 cents for more than 14 days, they will deactivate your access card and charge RM50 to reactivate it.
6. My tenant throw some cupboard boxes near the bin and they issue fine RM200 and cancel all my access card, so need to pay for new access card and the fine. The fine is just so unreasonable for such offense, not to mention why the need to cancel access card?

If its in the bylaws and approved by agm, nothing you can do. if not in bylaws, see *

4. I request to speak to the residence committee regarding all these, but they just ignore my request.

Just keep sending emails. Keep for evidence.

5. Deny me entry to the last AGM saying the name i use in the form is not the same as in the owner list, even though i use that name in all my email with them and the name field in the form doesnt indicate it must be same as owner record.

Entirely legal depending on the particulars.
This is a law thing, only owner or their proxy can be in AGM afaik. Verification is a must. Again, see the details and if you are sure you have standing, see *

*this thing i think you should bring to COB attention and ask for their advice.
They will almost certainty tell you to resolve it with the jmb or mo. Show them the emails at #4.

This post has been edited by Zavia/GenX: Jan 5 2022, 01:25 PM

+1

1. Unreasonable. Property agents are licensed realtors and must be permitted to do their job. Provided of course, they register themselves as guests normally would.
2. Unreasonable. As long as on the day they arrive, they comply with the registration process, as guests normally would.
3. It sounds harsh, but perhaps this system has increased their collections monthly substantially? In any case, typically it takes approx 3 months of outstanding charges before they implement deactivation of cards. But this is provided this was tabled in an AGM and majority consented to it. You need to find out.
4. Committee are also residents and they do not want to be hounded by residents. They have a form of communication. You can write in, or email them. That is your form of evidence that you have tried to approach them on matters above.
5. Your name shall be as NRIC, which is your registered name as per SPA.
6. Fine is necessary. Deactivation is probably a means for them to ensure you pay the fine to get it activated. Otherwise, many would see it in the bill, but may not pay.

Most premises these days have a residents group, be it in social platforms like WhatsApp or Telegram, or a Facebook page and the likes. You may join to find out what's the ongoing discussions in there and see what their view are of the above.

Honestly if you ask me, i would say they are pretty good. IN USUAL situation, Property agent will not behave too strict unless something triggered them.


1. Ban and dont allow one my property agent from entering the building, when i ask for reason, they refuse to give and says it is private and confidential.
==> Engaging too many agents is possible but when any of them against the rules / even created issue here (regardless which units as property agent does not only work for your unit), Property Management Agent has the right to "BLOCK" anyone from coming in to the strata property. This is common sense.

2. Everyone who want to enter have to submit particulars 1 day in advance, including potential tenants coming for viewing (who want to go through all the trouble for viewing??? how am i going to get my tenants?)
==> 1 day in advance, consider ok. Most strata properties allows visitor to come in anytime while on the spot to confirm this with the unit owner if they are expecting anyone to their unit or not. This is VISITOR. FOR VIEWING PURPOSES, this depends on their sense of management. If they feel something is amiss or suspicious, they may do so as in order to control all the walk in people. You may think, just walk in potential tenant only, why need to be difficult ? Bear in mind, they are counted as outsider, if anything happens, or anything missing in between, who will have to be checked first while all these while, nothing is wrong in the environment ? Make sense right ?

3. If you owe them money, even if its is only RM1 or 10 cents for more than 14 days, they will deactivate your access card and charge RM50 to reactivate it.
==> This is good in order to control the defaulter. i would say good job. Even 1 cent, you will be counted as defaulter and UNABLE to vote in the upcoming EGM / AGM. Upon own mistake, then have to bear with the "punishment" by paying the fine lo... something like, people forgotten to pay for the parking fee even just for 1 minute, the local authority / police traffic will still issue saman.

4. I request to speak to the residence committee regarding all these, but they just ignore my request.
==> This may be not appropriate... You can just write in but based on your statement, i guess this would be a commotion situation where owner shouted in the office demanding this / that... What i can advise, just write in simple and friendly email depicting all your concern, im sure the management agent will forward the email to the jmc and they will be the one to decide. You have to understand, OWNERS appointed JMC to represent them in managing the Strata property. JMC hires Property Management Agent to assist and perform the execution of the whole process in managing the overall strata property. In usual situation, Property Management Agent receives / executes the mission / vision set by fellow JMC but on certain cases, Good Property Management Agent is not that stupid to do stupid things. They should have Boveap license in this field. Mark my word, make a sensible and polite email on your request and wait for their response is the best thing to do. The more lansi you are, the less reply you will going to receive.

5. Deny me entry to the last AGM saying the name i use in the form is not the same as in the owner list, even though i use that name in all my email with them and the name field in the form doesnt indicate it must be same as owner record.
==> Owner has to make sure the name is registered properly in their system. Before EGM / AGM, they should have posted the memo out indicating if you are eligible to attend or not. When registering on the EGM / AGM day itself, they will need to check your NRIC before allowing you to attend. What happen when the actual name of the owner is ALI but the attendee that day carries the name of ALLI. you cant assume they are the same person as the unit's owner and allow outsider to attend right ? Clearly this is your mistake for overlooking this matter. To make things right, check back the actual name OR better still send them a copy of your snp that carries your ACTUAL name as per NRIC and ask them to update in their system. Once they have updated, your next SOA will indicate the actual name as per your nric lo.. issue settled.

6. My tenant throw some cupboard boxes near the bin and they issue fine RM200 and cancel all my access card, so need to pay for new access card and the fine. The fine is just so unreasonable for such offense, not to mention why the need to cancel access card?
==> You need to check back your House rules on that as i believe this is covered. Who perform / create the houserules ? This is agreed upon the creation of the JMB or MC or by the developer from the 1st day of your strata property lo. if there is not indication of such amount, im sure some JMC agreed upon such fine stated in their minutes of meeting. Check with them again.

So what are my options?

1. Wait for next AGM and try to propose a change the company managing the building management office? I also dont know if the residence committees are aware of all this or they just dont care.
==> A good Property Management Agent is hard to find. Just because you dont like them for jeopardizing or giving you all the hassle, yes, you still have the right / chance to kick them out. You can bring this up on the upcoming EGM / AGM by raising the motion to change a new vendor in this situation. Get this motion to be voted OR better still, volunteer yourselves in the upcoming EGM / AGM as the JMC and then propose to your fellow JMC members to change the PMA. Reminder again, good PMA is hard to find. If you manage to find the PMA that suits and doesnt complaint on all the wrongdoing, they are merely earning monthly salary without progressing, eventually your strata property will lose attraction and dilapidated.

2. Get a lawyer? but what can the lawyer do? not the mention the cost will be more than its worth?
==> Unless you have a good ground, proceed on this but from your statement, it seems most of them are owner mistake. you need to repent else, just pray the strata property wont go down like some strata places found in Kepong

3. Or just sell the bloody apartment and be done with it?
==> Same thing, regardless where you are, if the attitude and the understanding of strata is not there, you will repeat the same mistake. Get the common understanding on the matter and i believe you will be fine There is no PMA / Guard in the world that like to kacau owner Unless they have been triggered.
Cheers