Managing Co - Balcony Repairs

[Hairy Bikers]

Hi

Who is responsible for repairs to a balcony in an apartment ?

An owner has a leak and wants the repair to be covered by his management fee. The builder says it is too late for homebond cover and the management agent says the management co is responsible as they 'believe we lease the balcony to the owners'. However a review of our lease says the manangement co. is responsible for common area management only - ie an area which is freely accessible by 2 or more members of the complex. Considering that a balcony is accessed privately is the manangement co responsible ?
The repair costs are below our insurance excess.

Thanks

 

[ryan-neil]

Where exactly is this leak, you need to provide more information but more than likely the managment company should pay for the repair but the agent should be looking after this, that's his job after all. With respect to the balcony, the managment company owns it, the tenent has exclusive usage to it, it would be in the managment companies best interest to effect any repairs and set a precedent for the future with respect to who maintains the balconies as should someone choose to paint theirs pink or refloor it with tiles you will wish you had.

 

[ontour]

There is no consistent treatment of balconies and windows in managed developments in Ireland so it depends what is in your lease. In unusual cases you may own the balcony but in many cases it is treated like a parking space where you have exclusive use but do not own the balcony.

It would appear from your explanation that the management company make it clear that the contract only obliges them to maintain the areas that are common areas. If the management company was to claim against the block policy for the repair, they 'may' expect you to cover the block policy excess.

It is worth checking your lease to ensure that the management company are interpreting the onus correctly.