What are the duties of a property manager?

Welcome to this new blog post. Often, homeowners are unaware of some of the functions performed by a property manager. The basic functions are set out in the Horizontal Property Act and may also be extended if agreed with the owners’ association.

But if we stick to the Article 20 of the Condominium Act, The Property Manager has the following duties:

To keep an eye on the maintenance and upkeep of the buildings, which also enables you to suggest priority repairs.
To ensure that the facilities, services and the community are running smoothly.
To act as secretary to the Committee and to keep the community’s records.
To implement the agreements reached regarding building works, as well as to make any necessary payments and collect any necessary payments.
To draw up and submit the proposed expenditure plan to the Board, setting out various ways of covering the costs.
Any other duties assigned to him by the Board.

When the management of a housing community is more complex than usual, it is advisable for it to be handled by a suitably qualified professional with recognised legal authority to carry out these duties. The aim is to ensure the effective and professional management of the housing community, in close consultation with the Owners’ Association at all times.

In the case of small owners’ associations, the administration can be handled by any member who has a little time to spare. Conversely, in the case of large estates, associations of owners or housing developments, it is the administrator who will carry out the more complex tasks and provide the chairperson and the Owners’ Committee with the necessary guidance whenever required, thereby greatly facilitating the work of the chairperson or the committee.

The fact is that questions often arise regarding the duties of a property manager, which can lead to misunderstandings or the manager being held responsible for matters that are not their responsibility.

We cannot ignore the law, even if we don’t like it

Out of a sense of personal responsibility and to protect the community, the administrator is obliged to act at all times within the limits set by the law. That is why, at Meridional, we recognise that these laws can sometimes be difficult to understand, as they may slow down many necessary and urgent decisions or actions within communities.

These situations can sometimes be frustrating for Meridional as well. However, it is our legal and moral duty to comply with them, whilst still always striving to find ways to do what is best for the community by seeking legal solutions where it sometimes seems there are none.

It is quite possible that, from time to time, other people will whisper in your ear that certain laws can be broken without any consequences, which is completely untrue; they are simply telling you what you want to hear, because ultimately they will not be held responsible for anything and it will not result in any criminal or financial penalties for them.

What are the administrator’s duties as secretary?

In addition to the role of Administrator, the Secretary also holds the following position. In their capacity as Secretary, they shall carry out the following duties:

To sign off the minutes of the meetings
To keep the Board’s minutes books
To issue certificates confirming the status of debts owed to the Community and the resolutions of the General Meetings

Other features

In addition to the duties required of us under the Horizontal Property Act, there are other duties we can also fulfil:

– Advisor and Consultant to the Community on property and legal matters:

Constitution and validity of General Meeting resolutions
Articles of Association and Internal Regulations
Debt recovery procedures
Employment law, personal data protection, tax and employment matters, and contracts
Technical advice on architectural and infrastructure matters that affect the smooth running of the community’s services and maintenance
To provide information on and process applications for financial assistance or grants to which the community may be entitled

– Staff management:

We handle labour relations with employees in the community.
We seek the most favourable contracts for the community, whilst remaining within the law.
We handle all Social Security and tax payments

– Accountant: Keeping proper accounts, flagging up late payments, etc.

Relations between the chairman and the managing director

The administrator must always cooperate with the chairperson, but it must be made clear that the administrator is not at the chairperson’s beck and call, nor should they carry out the chairperson’s instructions in a manner that contravenes the provisions laid down by the owners’ association, the Condominium Act, the community’s articles of association or the rest of the legal framework.

The administrator should work in tandem with the chair, but there should be no hierarchical relationship between them; rather, there should be the utmost cooperation for the benefit of the community.