Mantri's PropCare want to raise the maintenance rate they charge apartment owners. They claim the prevalent monthly rate - Rs.2 per sq.ft. fixed in 2010 - doesn't meet their cost.
My hunch is that PropCare has the figure worked out; and a circular will soon be sent to apartment owners, proposing higher maint.rate.
Question: How do we respond ? Core committee hasn't spoken.
Background: Piecing together bits of info. obtained from informed residents the picture that emerges is that when PropCare first raised the issue of hike in the maintenance rate our core committee suggested that they wait till the apartment owners association was registered.
Fair enough. The committee,presumably, reckoned it was premature to discuss the issue with PropCare. But then the core committee, being aware that Propcare was working on a proposal to hike maint. rate, could have shared their thoughts with apartment owners in CommonFloor, online forum of Mantri apartment owners. This would have enabled informed interaction among apartment owners.
After the association registration (Feb.23), when PropCare approached the core committee once again they were told the issue could be discussed after the first annual general body meeting (AGM).
Agreed, the core committee, unelected to the association management, cannot finalize the maint.rate with PropCare. But then nothing inhibited the ad hoc committee from talking to PropCare, if only to get a sense of the raise in the rate they proposed.
Our understanding is, PropCare is likely to quote Rs.3 per sq.ft.,if not more.But then they know as well as we do that the rate is negotiable. Anyway, we needn't wait longer than a few days for the PropCare circular.
Meanwhile, the core committee has yet to announce a date for AGM.
Suggest we ask Propcare to give us an itemwise budget with about 15 to 20 heads plus their management fee. I know a lot of apartment complexes charge for maintenance on per sft basis but I could never understand the logic. The money collected is to maintain common assets and facilities, pay common utility bills such as security, electricity charges, housekeeping, garden, pool recreation and clubhouse, plumbing and electrical repairs, water tanker lift and other AMCs. Each apartment uses these facilities on an equal basis. Why should there be a differential on size of the apartment. I would prefer we are all equal members in paying monthly maintenance. In fact, in my experience, floor rise contributes significantly to maintenance costs since the cost of pumping drinking and sewage water is a big piece of pie.
ReplyDeleteIt'll be even better if the maintenance charges for recreational facilities are billed separately. Not all of us are using all the facilities.There are many residents who hardly use anything and even if we use-its only a couple of them and not all. Whoever wishes to use should pay for the maintenance and upkeep.In that way, it will be easier to keep a tab on who all are using the club-house. Many fellow residents are discussing this issue and suggested this off-late since the maintenance rates are to be hiked.
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