Property management companies are causing “an increasing level of frustration for new home-buyers” and legislation must be brought forward to solve this problem, according to Labour Cllr Billy Cameron.
At Monday’s city council meeting, councillors discussed a draft policy document on the taking in charge of estates, when the issue of management companies was raised. Cllr Cameron proposed that now is the time to bring such legislation forward, following the recommendations on property management companies by the Law Reform Commission.
Cllr Cameron said the most important of these is the recommendation to establish an ‘Owners’ Management Company, a specially tailored company to which the property developer would be legally required to transfer the legal title of any new development.
“The onus is now on Minister Gormley and the Government to bring forward legislation, given that the final report and legislative recommendations are in his possession for the last year,” he said.
Cllr Cameron said property management companies are a relatively new phenomenon and one “which has caused an increasing level of frustration for new home-buyers in recent years”.
The Galway City Central councillor said he regularly receives calls relating to a constituent’s property management company or agent.
“All we can do is to point them in the direction of useful resources such as the National Consumer Agency which has published a helpful guide on management companies,” he said.
Cllr Cameron’s call on Environment Minister John Gormley to bring forward long awaited legislation on such companies was unanimously supported by the other councillors.
City Hall officials also agreed to a request by Cllr Cameron to include an addendum to the policy document on taking in charge of estates, outlining and informing residents of how taking in charge may be attained by plebiscite.
