Management firm owing patio area

[KAZZA]

Just a query. Have recently bought a 3 bed duplex in Kildare. Have not signed contracts yet as have just been told by the solicitor that the patio area belongs to the management company and not ours. The only access to it is through french doors from our sitting room. Just wondering if anybody has heard of this before and what implications it has??

 

[MortgageBrkr]

You are the management company!

 

[ClubMan]

Just to be clear - you and all other housholders are normally the owners/members/shareholders of the management company.

It is not unusual for common areas to be owned by the management company. It does seem a bit odd that an area that is presumably fenced in and only accessible through your property would fall into this category. As opposed to an open/common area accessible to all residents.

Your solicitor should be the one apprising you of the implications.

 

[CCOVICH]

Just a query. Have recently bought a 3 bed duplex in Kildare. Have not signed contracts yet as have just been told by the solicitor that the patio area belongs to the management company and not ours. The only access to it is through french doors from our sitting room. Just wondering if anybody has heard of this before and what implications it has??

Common enough I'd imagine-the main implication is that you will not be able to build on it without the permission of the management company, and put things like satellite dishes, clothes lines etc. on it.

In apartment blocks it is usually the case that balconies and external walls are owned by the management company.

 

[lmd]

I think I remember ours is the same, in the contract it said that we had 'exclusive access' though. Yeah I think it's just to stop you building on it.